Through the Wall

jecting any evidence because it conflicted with some preconceived theory. It would have been easy now, for instance, to ass

itiveness? She seemed a truthful, well-meaning person, and the murderer might have gone into Number Seven after commi

ly, and a rapacious nose. He appeared (having been induced to come down by the commissary) in a richly

plied that Number Seven had been engaged some days before by an old client, who, at the last moment, had sent a petit bleu to say that he had changed his plans a

on the o

es

key in t

es

corridor might have turned the

improbable. The room was dark, and an ordinar

derer. Come, we must look into this," and he led the way down the corridor, nodding to the policem

oward the adjoining room of the tragedy, then, turni

locked on the

Gritz, and he rumpled his

inside, some one

wall surrounding it. A few habitues knew of this exit and used it occasionally for greater privacy. The alleyway led to a gate in the wall opening on the Rue Marboeuf, so a particularly discreet couple, let us say, could drive up to this ga

drew into an ominous thin line a

committed last night about nine o'clock; it's now half past three in the morning. Will you please tell m

d the other, "I

some one? Who is this man

ad unhappily. "I d

his name?" thu

of them are married, and, as a man of the world, I respect their reserve." M. Gritz prided himself on being a man of the world. He had started as a penniless Sw

" persisted Coquenil. "You

'monsieur'; in speaking of him

onde!" repea

e calls Anita. That's all I know about it. Anyway, what

come? He had a key to the

ll you he sent

"Some one has been here and locked thi

z. "I have a pass key to the a

or assuring M. Paul that only a single key was ever given out for the alleyw

o the alleyway door,

es

all blonde'

ppose

going around into Rue Marboeuf when the concierge from a

questio

shadows the splendid animal came bounding. At his master's call he

with his two hands. "I have work for you, sir, to-night. Ah, he

swered with de

to do with him?" a

iting a couple of minutes? It may give us

it," sai

"I'll show you a pistol connected with

an follow the scent from a pistol, do y

derer once three miles across rough country near Liége and found hi

nd Coquenil led C?sar to the spot wh

would say, he darted away, circling the courtyard back and forth, sniffing the ground as he went, pausing oc

ol. We'll try outside. There!" He pointed to the open do

back and forth, until he had covered a certain length of street and sidewalk, every foot of the space between opposite walls

e!' he o

rain, but-Ah!" C?sar had stopped with a little whine and was half crouching at the edge of the s

d with quick,

watch him," and sharply

from the Champs Elysées, running easily, nose down, past the Rue Fran?ois Premier

t," mourned

"There's where your murderer picked up a cab. It's perfectly clear. No one has touc

ber Six," cor

ok a cab, now we'll see where he left the hotel." A

ossed it before, and presently reaching the point where he had first caught the scent.

" admired Gritz.

and I wouldn't sell him for-well, I wouldn't sell him." He bent over and fon

e moment for sentiment; he growled im

darting back along the sidewalk toward the Champs Elysées, moving nearer and nearer to the houses and presently sto

enil, and, unlatching the gate, he loo

, and unwillingly the ardent

and between this wall and the hotel itself was a space of equal width planted

all the alleyway?"

act

well earlier in the evening, and, touching a switch, he threw upon the ground a strong white ray; wher

this mean

ly: "We did it looking for the p

a clean print in this mess. But wait! H

belin! He never thought of looking

ar of the hotel. Again he threw his white light before him and, with a start of satisfaction, pointed to the ground. There, clearly marked, was a line of footpr

rst," said M. Paul. "

s where the trail was confused, and then, at the corner, dashing ahead swiftly, o

nil. "He has brought us to th

nodde

at leads to

es

to Tignol: "I want impressions of these footprints, the best you can take. Use glycerin wit

fect

you go for what you ne

d and went on

l have a l

care, Coquenil went first, mounting the stairs slowly, followed by

into Number Seven?"

es

lly locked

always

ing the knob. Then, flashing his lantern forward,

o, showing furnishings like those in Number Six except that here

emarked M. Paul, glancin

thi

the corridor is bolted. It

ighed t

rtyard and examined it with extreme care, then he unlocked the corridor

shortly," said the detective.

d M. Gritz, "have yo

id the ot

e used to this sort of thing, but I'm

ht now if-oh, they tell me you make wonderful Turk

can. I'll sen

n my lastin

his beady eyes, he said: "So you're going in there?" and he jerk

nil n

er at the pistol, "fits in-in that?" Again he jerked

s business. Mine is more

rridor in his blue-silk garments, wagging his heavy head and