ons were taken, and if
Groener came within his clutches to-day, he would have a lively time
getting out of them. There was a score to be settled between them, a heavy
score, and--let the wood carver beware!

The wood carver kept his appointment. More than that, he seemed in
excellent spirits, and as he sat down to Mother Bonneton's modest luncheon
he nodded good-naturedly to Matthieu, the substitute watchman, whom the
sacristan introduced, not too awkwardly, then he fell to eating with a
hearty appetite and without any sign of embarrassment or suspicion.

"It's a strong game he's playing," reflected the detective, "but he's going
to lose."

The wood carver appeared to be a man approaching forty, of medium height
and stocky build, the embodiment of good health and good humor. His round,
florid face was free from lines, his gray eyes were clear and friendly. He
had thick, brown hair, a short, yellowish mustache, and a close-cut,
brownish beard. He was dressed like a superior workingman, in a flannel
shirt, a rough, blue suit, oil-stained and dust-sprinkled, and he wore
thick-soled boots. His hands were strong and red and not too clean, with
several broken nails and calloused places. In a word, he looked the wood
carver, every inch of him, and the detective was forced to admit that, if
this was a disguise, it was the most admirable one he had ever seen. If
this beard and hair and mustache were false, then his own make-up, the best
he had ever created, was a poor thing in comparison.

During the meal Groener talked freely, speaking with a slight Belgian
accent, but fluently enough. He seemed to have a naive spirit of drollery,
and he related quite amusingly an experience of his railway journey.

"You see," he laughed, showing strong white teeth, "there were two American
girls in one compartment and a newly married couple in the next one, with a
little glass window between. Well, the young bridegroom wanted to kiss his
bride, naturally, ha, ha! It was a good chance, for they were alone, but he
was afraid some one might look through the little window and see him, so he
kept looking through it himself to make sure it was all right. Well, the
American girls got scared seeing a man's face peeking at them like that,
so one of them caught hold of a cord just above the window and pulled it
down. She thought it was a curtain cord; she wanted to cover the window so
the man couldn't see through. Do I make myself comprehensible, M.