e wood carver.

"If you're not Groener now," said Coquenil, surveying his work with a
satisfied smile, "I'll swear you're his twin brother. It's the best
disguise I ever saw, I'll take my hat off to you on that."

"Extraordinary!" murmured the judge. "Groener, do you still deny that this
disguise belongs to you?"

[Illustration: "'It's the best disguise I ever saw, I'll take my hat off to
you on that.'"]

"I do."

"You've never worn it before?"

"Never."

"And you're not Adolf Groener?"

"Certainly not."

"You haven't a young cousin known as Alice Groener?"

"No."

During these questions the door had opened silently at a sign from the
magistrate, and Alice herself had entered the room.

"Turn around!" ordered the judge sharply, and as the accused obeyed he came
suddenly face to face with the girl.

At the sight of him Alice started in surprise and fear and cried out: "Oh,
Cousin Adolf!"

But the prisoner remained impassive.

"Did you expect to see this man here?" the magistrate asked her.

"Oh, no," she shivered.

"No one had told you you might see him?"

"No one."

The judge turned to Coquenil. "You did not prepare her for this meeting in
any way?"

"No," said M. Paul.

"What is your name?" said Hauteville to the girl.

"Alice Groener," she answered simply.

"And this man's name?"

"Adolf Groener."

"You are sure?"

"Of course, he is my cousin."

"How long have you known him?"

"Why I--I've always known him."

Quick as a flash the prisoner pulled off his wig and false beard.

"Am I your cousin now?" he asked.

"Oh!" cried the girl, staring in amazement.

"Look at me! Am I your cousin?" he demanded.

"I--I don't know," she stammered.

"Am I talking to you with your cousin's voice? Pay attention--tell me--am
I?"

Alice shook her head in perplexity. "It's not my cousin's voice," she
admitted.

"And it's _not_ your cousin," declared the prisoner. Then he faced the
judge. "Is it reasonable that I could have lived with this girl for years
in so intimate a way and been wearing a disguise all the time? It's absurd.
She has good eyes, she would have detected this wig and false beard. Did
you ever suspect that your cousin wore a wig or a false beard?" he asked
Alice.

"No," she replied, "I never did."

"Ah! And the voice? Did you ever hear your cousin speak with my voice?"

"No, never."

"You see," he triumphed to the magistrate. "She can't identify me as her
cousin, for