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"It's odd you should ask that, for my wife only told me this morning she's had a letter from him. We didn't expect him for six weeks yet, but it seems he'll be here next Wednesday. Something must have happened." "Next Wednesday," reflected Coquenil. "He always comes when he says he will?" "Always. He's as regular as clockwork." "And he spends two nights with you?" "Yes."
Now then, my stubborn friend, what about these garments? What about this wig and false beard?" Groener rose wearily from his chair, walked deliberately to the table and glanced at the exposed objects without betraying the slightest interest or confusion. "I've never seen these things before, I know nothing about them," he said. "Name of a camel!" muttered Coquenil.
At her frightened tone Coquenil calmed himself and answered gently: "It's like a big electric fan, it's drawing air out of this room very fast, with a powerful suction, and I'm afraid unless " Just then there came a sharp pop followed by a hissing noise as if some one were breathing in air through shut teeth. "There goes the first one! Come over here!"
With breathless interest Coquenil watched the test, and, as the long little finger slowly extended to its full length, he felt a sudden mad desire to shout or leap in the pure joy of victory, for the nails of the prisoner's left hand corresponded exactly with the nail marks on the shrimp photographer's neck!
Because I admire you, I'm interested in the workings of your mind, I, yes, by God, in spite of your stubbornness and everything, I like you, Coquenil, and I don't want to harm you. "You may not believe it," he went on, "but when you sent word to the Brazilian Embassy the other day that you would accept the Rio Janeiro offer, after all, I was honestly happy for you, not for myself.
In a flash Coquenil realized the danger and called loudly to the dog, but the distance was too great, and his voice was drowned by the cries of ladies on the break, who, seeing the bounding animal, screamed their fright. And no wonder, for this powerful, close-clipped creature, in his sudden rush looked like some formidable beast of prey; even the men started up in alarm.
Coquenil entered, followed by the shrimp photographer, who was evidently much depressed. "Do you recognize this man?" questioned Hauteville, studying the prisoner closely. "No," came the answer with a careless shrug. The shrimp turned to the prisoner and, at the sight of him, started forward accusingly. "That is the man," he cried, "that is the man who choked me."
Tell our men at the other exits not to let a yellow dog slip past without sizing it up for Groener." "I'll tell 'em," grinned the old man, and he slouched away. For five minutes Coquenil waited at the Place de la Madeleine exit and it seemed a long time. Two ladies arrived in carriages and passed inside quickly with exaggerated self-possession.
And suddenly he was more surprised, for as the girl glanced up she met his gaze fixed on her, and immediately there came into her face a look so strange, so glad, and yet so frightened that Coquenil went to her quickly with reassuring smile. He was sure he had never seen her before, yet he realized that somehow she was equally sure that she knew him.
"You never knew of any quarrel between Kittredge and Martinez? No words?" "Never." "Madam," continued Coquenil, "as you have allowed me to speak frankly, I am going to ask if you feel inclined to make a special effort to help M. Kittredge?" "Of course I do." "Even at the sacrifice of your own feelings?" "What do you mean?" "Let me go back a minute.
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