d.

"You lie!" retorted the jailer.

M. Paul sprang to his feet. "Take that back," he ordered with a look of
menace, and the rough man grumbled an apology. "Just the same," he
muttered, "it's mighty queer how she knew it unless you told her."

"Knew what?"

The jailer eyed Coquenil searchingly. "_Nom d'un chien_, I guess you're
straight, after all, but--_how_ did she come to write that?" He scratched
his dull head in mystification.

"I have no idea."

"See here," went on Dedet, almost appealingly, "do you believe a girl I
never saw could know a thing about me that _nobody_ knows?"

"Strange!" mused the detective. "Is it an important thing?"

"Is it? If it hadn't been about the _most_ important thing, do you think
I'd have broken a prison rule and let her see that man? Well, I guess not.
But I was up against it and--I took a chance."

Coquenil thought a moment. "I don't suppose you want to tell me what these
words mean that she wrote?"

"No, I don't," said the jailer dryly.

"All right. Anyhow, you see I had nothing to do with it." He paused, and
then in a businesslike tone: "Well, I'd better get to work. I want that
prisoner out in the courtyard."

"Can't have him."

"No? Here's the judge's order."

But the other shook his head. "I've had later orders, just got 'em over the
telephone, saying you're not to see the prisoner."

"What?"

"That's right, and _he_ wants to see you."

"He? Who?"

"The judge. They've called me down, now it's your turn."

Coquenil took off his glasses and rubbed them carefully. Then, without more
discussion, he left the prison and drove directly to the Palais de Justice;
he was perplexed and indignant, and vaguely anxious. What did this mean?
What could it mean?

As he approached the lower arm of the river where it enfolds the old island
city, he saw Bobet sauntering along the quay and drew up to speak to him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked. "I told you to watch that diver."

The young detective shrugged his shoulders. "The job's done, he found the
auger."

"Ah! Where is it?"

"I gave it to M. Gibelin."

Coquenil could scarcely believe his ears.

"You gave the auger to Gibelin? Why?"

"Because he told me to."

"You must be crazy! Gibelin had nothing to do with this. You take your
orders from me."

"Do I?" laughed the other. "M. Gibelin says I take orders from him."

"We'll see about this," muttered M. Paul, and crossing the little bridge,
he entered