her I was only taking him to you, and that you would bring him back
to-night. When she had heard that she caught my two hands in hers and said
I must tell you she wanted to see you very much. There's something on her
mind or--or she's afraid of something."

Coquenil frowned and twisted his seal ring, then he changed it deliberately
from the left hand to the right, as if with some intention.

"We'll never get to the bottom of this case," he muttered, "until we know
the truth about that girl. Papa Tignol, I want you to go right back to
Notre-Dame and keep an eye on her. If she is afraid of something, there's
something to be afraid of, _for she knows_. Don't talk to her; just hang
about the church until I come. Remember, we spend the night there."

"_Sapristi_, a night in a church!"

"It won't hurt you for once," smiled M. Paul. "There's a bed to sleep on,
and a lot to talk about. You know we begin the great campaign to-morrow."

Tignol rubbed his hands in satisfaction. "The sooner the better." Then
yielding to his growing curiosity: "Have you found out much?"

Coquenil's eyes twinkled. "You're dying to know what I've been doing these
last five days, eh?"

"Nothing of the sort," said the old man testily. "If you want to leave me
in the dark, all right, only if I'm to help in the work----"

"Of course, of course," broke in the other good-naturedly. "I was going to
tell you to-night, but Bonneton will be with us, so--come, we'll stroll
through the _bois_ as far as Passy, and I'll give you the main points. Then
you can take a cab."

Papa Tignol was enormously pleased at this mark of confidence, but he
merely gave one of his jerky little nods and walked along solemnly beside
his brilliant associate. In his loyalty for M. Paul this tough old veteran
would have allowed himself to be cut into small pieces, but he would have
spluttered and grumbled throughout the operation.

"Let's see," began Coquenil, as they entered the beautiful park, "I have
five days to account for. Well, I spent two days in Paris and three in
Brussels."

"Where the wood carver lives?"

"Exactly. I got his address from Papa Bonneton. I thought I'd look the man
over in his home when he was not expecting me. And before I started I put
in two days studying wood carving, watching the work and questioning the
workmen until I knew more about it than an expert. I made up my mind that,
when I saw this man with the long little finger, I must be able to d