■■ — ————-—
" “
C )
CHAPTER THIRTEEN. (Continued.)
“That will do, I say!” repeated
the Prefect harshly. “If you’re
afraid, you can take advantage of
the order which I gave you and
go off after Don Luis.”
Mazerroux clicked his heels to
gether and, old soldier that he
was, saluted:
“I shall stay here, Monsieur le
Prefet.”
And he turned and went back to
his place at a distance.
Silence followed. M. Desma
lions began to walk up and down
the room, with his hands behind
his back. Then, addressing the
chief detective and the secretary
general:
“You are of my opinion, I
hope?” he said.
“Why, yes, Monsieur le Pre
fet.”
“Well, of course 1 To begin
with, that supposition is based on
nothing serious. And, besides,
we are guarded, area't we? Bombs
don’t come tumbling on one’s
head like that. It takes some one
to throw them. Well, how are
they to come? By what wayt”
‘ Same way as the letters,” the
secretary general ventured to
suggest.
“What’s that? Then you ad
mit-?”
The secretary general did not
reply and M. Desuialions did not
complete his sentence. He him
self, like the others, experienced
that same feeling of uneasiness
which gradually, as the seconds
sped past, was becoming almost
intolerably painful.
Three o’clock in the morning!
. . . The words kept on recurring
to his mind. Twice he looked at
his watch. There was 12 minutes
left. There was 10 minutes. Was
the house really going to be blown
up, by the mere effect of an in
fernal and all-powerful will?
’•It’s senseless, absolutely sense
less!” he cried, stamping his foot.
But, on looking at his compan
ions, he was amazed to see how
drawn their faces were; and he
felt his courage sink in a strange
way. He was certainly uot afraid;
and the others were no more
afraid than he. But all of them,
from the chiefs to the simple de
tectives, were under the influence
of that Don Luis Perenna whom
they had seen accomplishing such
extraordinary feats, and who had
shown such wonderful ability
throughout this mysterious ad
venture. *
Consciously or unconsciously,
whether they wished it or no, they
looked upon him as an exceptional
being endowed with special facul
ties. a being of whom they could
not think without conjuring up
the image of the amazing Arsenc
Lupin, with his legend of daring,
genius, ami superhuman insight.
And Lupin was telling them to
fly. Pursued and hunted as he
was, he voluntarily gave himself
up to warn them of their danger.
And the danger was immediate.
Seven minutes more, six minutes
more—and the house would be
blown up.
With great simplicity, Maze
roux went on his knees, made the
sign of the cross, and said his
prayers in a low voice. The ac
tion was so impressive that the
secretary general and the chief
detective pmde a movement as
thougfi to go toward the Prefect
of Police.
M. Desmalions turned away his
head and continued his walk up
and down the room. But his
anguish increased; aud the words
which he had heard over the tele
phone rang in liis ears; and all
Perenna's authority, his ardent
entreaties, his frenzied conviction
—all this upset him. He had seen
Perenna at work. He felt it borne
in upon him that he had no right,
in the present circumstances, to
neglect the man's warning.
“Let’s go,” he said.
The words were spoken in the
calmest manner; and it really'
seemed as if those who heard them
regarded them merely as the sensi
ble conclusion of a very ordinary
state of affairs. They went away
without h’^rry or disorder, not as
fugitives, but as men deliberately
obeyiug the dictates of prudence.
They stood back at the door to
let the Prefect go first.
“ No.' ’ he s*id. 1 ’ go on; I 'll f ol
V -
to
low you.” '
He was the last out, leaving the
electric light full on.
In the hall he asked the chief
detective to blow his whistle.
When all the plain clothes men
had assembled, he sent them out
of the house together with the
porter, and shut the door behind
him. Then, calling the detectives
who were watching the boulevard,
he said:
‘‘Let everybody stand a good
distance away; push the crowd
as far back as you can; and be
quick about it. We shall enter
the house again in half an hour.”
‘‘And you, Monsieur le Pre
fet?” whispered Mazeroux. “You
w’on’t remain here, I hopet”
‘‘No, that I shan’t!” he said
laughing. ‘‘If I take our friend
Perenna’s advice at all, I may as
well fake it thoroughly 1 ”
‘‘There is only two minutes
left.”
‘‘Our friend Perenna spoke of
3 o’clock, not of two minutes to 8.
So-”
He crossed the boulevard, ac
companied by his secretary gen
eral, the chief detective, and
Mazeroux, and clambered up the
slope of the fortifications opposite
the house.
‘‘Perhaps we ought to stoop
down,” suggested Mazeroux.
‘‘Let’s stoop, by all means,”
said the prefect, still in a good
humor. ‘‘But, honestly, if there’s
no explosion, I shall send a bullet
through my head. I could not go
on living after making myself look
so ridiculous.”
‘‘There will be an explosion,
Monsieur le Profet,” declared
Mazeroux.
‘‘What confidence you must
have in our friend Don Luis!”
‘‘You have just the same confi
dence, Monsieur le Prefet.”
They wero silent, irritated by
| the wait, and struggling with the
absurd anxiety that oppressed
them. They counted the seconds
singly, by the beating of their
hearts. It was interminable.
Three o’clock sounded from
somewhere.
‘‘ You see,” grinned M. Desma
lions, in an altered voice, ‘‘you
see! There’s nothing, thank good
ness ! ’
And he growled:
‘‘It’s idiotic, perfectly idiotic!
How could any one imagine such
nonsense!”
Another clock struck, farther
away. Then the hour also rang
from the roof of a neighboring
building.
Before the third stroke had
sounded they heard a kind of
eraeking, and, the next moment,
came the terrible blast, complete,
but so brief that the>- had only, so
to speak, a vision of an immense
sheaf of flames and smoke shoot
ing forth enormous stones and
pieces of wall, something like the
grand finale of a fireworks dis
play. And it was all over. The
volcano had erupted.
“Look sharp!'’ shouted the pre
fect of police, darting forward.
“Telephone for the engine, quick
in ease of fire!”
He caught Mazeroux by the
arm x
“Run to iuv motor; you'll see
it 100 yards down the boulevard,
fell the man to drive you to Don
Luis, and, if you find him, release
him and bring him here.”
“Under arrest. Monsieur le Pre
fett”
“ruder arrestf You’re mad!”
“But, if the deputy chief-”
! “The deputy chief will keep his
month shut. I'll sec to that. Be
off!”
Mazeroux fulfilled his mission,
| not with greater speed than if he
had been sent to arrest'Don Luis,
fur Mazeroux was a conscientious
man, bu with extraordinary
pleasure. The fight which he had
been obliged to wxge against the
man whom he still called “the
chief” had often distressed him
to the point of tears. This time he
was coming to help him, perhaps
to save his life.
That afternoon the deputy
chief had ceased his search or the
(house, by M. Desmalions’ orders,
j*as Don Luis’ escape seemed cer
! tain, and left only three men on
! duty. Mazeroux found them in a
[room on the ground floor, where
they were sitting up in turns. In
reply to his questions, they de
clared that they had not heard a
sound.
He went upstairs alone, so as to
have no witnesses to his interview
with the governor, passed through
the drawing room and entered the
study.
Here he was overcame with
anxiety, for, after turning on the
light, the first glance revealed
nothing to his eyes.
“Chief!” he cried repeatedly.
“Where are you, chieff”
No answer.
“Arid yet,” thought Mazeroux,
“as he telephoned, he can’t be far
away.”
In fact, he saw from where he
stood that the receiver was hang
ing from its oord; and, going on
to the telephone box, he stumbled
over bits of bricl? and plaster that
strewed the carpet. He then
switched on the light in the box
as well and saw a hand and arm
hanging from the ceiling above
him. The ceiling was broken up
all around that arm. But the shoul
der had not been afcle to pass
through; and Mazeroux could not
see the captive’s heard.
He sprang on to a chair and
reached the hand. He felt it and
was reassured by the warmth of
its touch.
4 4 Is that you, Mazeroux 1 ’ ’ asked
a voice that seemed to the ser
geant to come from very far
away.
“Yes, it’s I. You’re not
wounded, are youf Nothing seri
ous ? ’ ’
“No, only stunned—and a bit
fait—from hunger. • • • listen
to me.’’
“I’m listening.”
“Open the second drawer on
the left in my writing desk. * * •
You’ll find-”
“Yes, chief t”
“An old stick of chocolate.”
“But-”
“Do as I tell you, Alexandre;
I’m famished.”
Indeed, Don ■ Luis recovered
»after a moment or two and said, in
a gayer, voice:
“That’s better. I can wait now.
Go to the kitchen and fetch me
some bread and some water.”
“I’ll be back at once, chief.”
“Not this way. Come back by
Florence Levasseur’s room and
the secret passage to the ladder
which leads to the trapdoor at the
top.”
And he told him how to make
the stone swing out and how to
enter the hollow in which he har
expected to meet with such a trag
ic end. :
The thing was done in 10 min
utes. Mazeroux cleared the open
ing, caught hold of Don Luis by
the legs and pulled him out of his
hole.
“Oh, dear, oh dear!” he
moaned, in a voice full of pity.
“What a position, chief! How did
you manage it all f Yes, I see: you
must have dug down, where you
lay, and gone on digging—for
more than a yard! And it took
some pluck, I expect, on an emptj
stomach!”
When Don Luis was Boated in
his bedroom and had/wallowed a
few bits of bread and drunk what
he wanted, he told his story:
“Yes, it took the devil’s own
pluck, old man. By Jingo! -when
a chap’s ideas are whirling in his
head and he can’t use his brain,
upon my word, all he asks is to
die! And then there was no air,
you see. I couldn’t breathe. I
went on digging, however, as you
saw, went on digging while I was
half asleep, in a sort of night
mare. Just look: my fingers are
in a jelly. But there, I was think
ing of that counSounded business
of the explosion and I wanted to
warn you tit all costs, and dug
away at my tunnel. What a iob!
And then, oof! I felt space at
last!
* ‘‘I got my ltand through and
next my am. Where was l? Why,
over the telephone, of course!
Then it took me quite half an
hour to get hold of the instru
ment. I couldn't reaeli it with my
arm.
“I managed at last with a piece
of string and a slip knot to fish up
the receiver aud hold it near my
mouth, or, say, at 10 inches from
my mouth. And then I shouted
aud roared to make my voice car
ry : aud, al! the time, I was in
pain. And then, at last, my string
broke. • • • And then—aud then
—I hadn 't an ounce of strength
left in my body. Besides, you fel
lows had been warned; and it was
for you to get yourselves out of
the mess.”
He looked at Mazeroux and
asked him, as though certain of
the reply:
“The explosion took place,
didn't iff”
* • Yes chief. ’ ’
“At 3 o’clock exactly 1”
“Yes.”
‘‘And of course M. Desmalioos
had the house cleared 1”
“Yes.”
”At the last minute!”
“At the last minute.”
Don Luis laughed and said:
“I knew he would wait about
and not give way until the crucial
moment. You must have had a
bad time of it, my poor Mazeronx,
for of course you agreed with me
|from the start.”
He kept on eeting while he
talked; and each mouthful seemed
to bring back a little of his usual
animation.
“Funny thing, hunger!” he
said “Makes you feel so light
headed. I must practise getting
used to it, however.” I
“At any rate, chief, no one (
would believe that you have been
fasriug for nearly 48 hours.” |
“Ah. that comes of having a j
sound constitution, with some- i
thing to fall back upon! I shall [
be a different man in half an
hour. Just give me time to shave !
and have a bath.”
When he had finished dressing, ;
he sat down to the breakfast of j
■eggs and cold meat which Maze- j
roux had prepared for him; and
then, getting up, said:
“Now, let’s be off.”
But there’s no hurry, chief. !
Why don’t you lie down for a few !
hours! The prefect can wait." i
"You’re mad! What about ;
Marie Fauville!rT .
"Marie Fauville!"
"Why, of course! Do you think
I’m going to leave her in prisoe
or Sauverand, either? There’s not
a second to lose, old chap."
Mazeroux thought to himself
that the chief had not quite re
covered his wits yet. What! Re
lease Marie Fauville and Sauve
rand, one, two, three, just like
that! No, no, it was going a bit
too far.
However, he took down to the
prefect’s car a ne.v Perenna,
merry, brisk, and as fresh as
though he had just got out of
bed. s
"Very flattering to my pride,” |
said Don Luis to Mazeroux, "most 1
flattering, that hesitation of the j
prefect’s, after I had warned him
over the telephone, followed by
his submission at the decisive mo
ment. What a hold I must have
on all those jokers, to make them 1
sit up at a sign from little me! |
‘Beware, gentlemen!’ I telephone j
to them from the bottomless pit. •
‘Beware! At 3 o’clock, a bomb!’
‘Nonsense!’ say they. ‘Not a bit
of it!’ say I. ‘How do you
know?’ Because I do.’ ‘But what
proof have youl! ‘What proof?
That 1 say so.’ ‘Oh, well of course,
if you say so! ’ And at five minutes
to 3, out they march. Ah, if I
wasn’t built up of modesty-”
They came to the Boulevard
Suchet, where the crowd was so
dense that they had to alight from
the car. Mazeroux passed through
the oordon of police protecting
the approaches to the house and
took Don Luis to the slope across
the road.
"Wait for me here, chief. I’ll
tell the prefect of police."
One the other side of the boule
vard, under the pale morning sky
in which a few black clouds still
lingered, Don Luis saw the havoo
wrought by the explosion. It was
apparently not so great as he had
expected. Some of the ceilinga
btd fallen in and their rubbish
showed through the yawning cav
ities of the windows; but the house
remained standing. Even Fau
ville’s built out annex had not suf
fered overmuch, and, strange to
’say, the electric light, which the
prefect had left burning on his de
parture, had not gone out. The
garden and the road were cov
ered with stacks of furniture, over
which a number of soldiers and
police kept watch.
"Come with me, chief." said
Mazeroux^ as he fetched Don Luis
and led him toward the engineer’s
workroom.'
A parti of the floor was demol
ished. The outer ivalls on the left,
'near the passage, were cracked;
i%nd tw’o workmen were fixing up
beams, brought from the nearest
timber yard; io support the ceil
ing. Bat, oirthe whole, the explo
sion Hairnot had the results which
tKe man who ji re paled it must
have anticipated.
M. Desmalions was there, to-,
gether with all the men who had*
spent the night in the room and
several important persons from
the public prosecutor’s office.
Weber, the deputy chief detective,
alone had gone, refusing to meet
the enemy.
Don Luis’ arrival caused great
excitement. The prefect at once
came up to him and said:
“All our' thanks, monsieur.
lYour insight is above praise. You
have sftved our lives; and these
gentlemen' and I wish to tell you
so most emphatically. In my ease,
it is the second time that I have
to thank you.”___
(Continued Next Week.)
A resolution was presented recently
In the KSnglieh house of common* to
i draft all unmarried women between 18
^and *0 years for war work. - *
PROVIDE WORK FOR
CRIPPLED SOLDIERS
Are to Be Given Every Oppor.
tunity In Addition to Insur
ance and Pension.
New York.—Ameriean soldiers and
•atlors crippled m the war are to be
liven every opportunity, in addition
:o war risk insurance indemnity and
pensions, to learn new trades or pro
lesslons in order that they may re
jume their place of usefulness in civil
'ife without the handicaps that ordi
tarily surround a man deprived of
irms, legs, sight or hearing.
One of the most Interesting Instltu
:ions that has been established here
»s a result of the War, Is the Red
2ross Institute for crippled and dls
ibled men at 311 Fourth avenue,
where four schools, the nuclei of others
lhat are, It Is said, to be organized in
Chicago, St. Louis and other places,
*re now under way teaching cripples
•he manufacture of artificial limbs,
linotype and monotype operating, me
chanical drafting and oxycetaline
welding. These four local schools have
i teaching capacity for 300 men.
The recent passage by congress of
:he Smith-Sears bill, providing an ap
propriation of $2,000,000 to be used in
the discretion of the federal beard of
vocational education contemplated. It
is said, the elaboration of the plans
which are now being worked out In
lliis city. Soon. It Is thought, there
will be additional schools in many
other parts of the United States and
>ther studies and trades will be ^dded
to th^Jist. The new low authorizes
the commandeering of private and
public institutions for the reeducation
pf crippled soldiers and sailors and,
where necessary, the building of new
ichools.
Learn Good Trade.
Four trades were selected for the
New York school because they were In
fields that were not overcrowded. A
soldier or sailor, for Instance, instead
>f having to pay $150 to $200 for an
artificial limb may procure one for $30
and, if he deslree. be taught to make It
.ilmself, at the same time acquiring a
trade that will pay him $4 to $8 a day.
P'rank R. Bigler, a cripple for 31 years
and minus a leg and an arm. Is the in
iustrial agent of the institute which
was founded about a year ago by Jere
.niah Mllbanlc with an initial endow
ment of $50,000 and a building in which
lo carry on Its work. Mr. Bigler came
from Kansas City, Mo., his services
being loaned by an industrial corpor
ation there, to instill optimism and
good cheer into the minds of all re
turning war cripples.
Douglas C. McMurtrie, director of
the institution, a graduate of the Mas
laohusetts Institute of Technology and
n charge of the department of print
ing at Columbia University, has made
i study of the social and economic re
construction of cripples for .more than
eight years. Mr. McMurtrie made it
clear that while the institute has no
official arrangement with the govern
ment authorities relative to the utili
ration of its facilities in the rehabili
tation of war cripples, that department
oeing in charge of Surgeon Gen. Wil
liam C. Gorgas, when soldiers and sail
ors are discharged from army and
aavy hospitals then the Institute will
offer them every chance to “come
sack.” Positions will l « found for the
men, and where they are unable to
pay expenses while learning their new
trade, funds will be advanced them as
g loan to enable them to continue their
training until competent to take a job.
The institute, however. Is a national
activity of the American Red Cross,
responsible to the war council through
the director general of military relief,
Jesse H. Jones. It is the only non
commercial institution of the kind in
the United States, says Mr. McMurtrie,
and its purpose Is broadly humanitari
an, taking in civilian as well as mili
tary cripples. It is not a charitable
Institution, but intended to be self sup
porting. "Already the national author
ities have gone on record,” said Mr.
McMurtrie, “ as accepting without res
ervation responsibility for the after
care of men injured in the service. The
surgeon general’s office of the war de
partment Is now preparing to provide
for wounded men. not only medical
and surgical care, but also the curative
advances afforded by the simpler forms
of occupation. The government la fur
ther Inaugurating vocational training,
having' as its object rehabilitation for
self support. The government, how
ever, Is disposed to make use of, under
due supervision, such private assist
ance as may be offered and found of
value.” __
Protect Olive Trees.
From Food Conservation Bulletin.
The felling of olive tree is forbidden hj
a decree published at Rome, March 30.
which prohibits also the cutting of the
principal branches of such trees except
when pruning. It Is provided that the
regulations may be extended to mulberry
trees find fruit trace by ministerial decree.
Tha present decree Is effective until the
end of the agricultural year following
that In which peace Is established.
Mors Than Skeptioal.
From the Boston Transcript.
"Well, Dick, how’s business?” • said one
traveling salesman meeting another.
•Rotten!” was the answer. "How Is It
with you?”
"Fine! Simply fine! On my last trip I
sold one man a $G,M!0 bill and another one
$5,000.”
"So? Well. J think I ought to get a
commission on those stiles.”
"Whaddye mean you ought to get a
commission on tho.e sales.
"Sure I ought to. I* you loadn’t met me
you would not have made 'em.”
The Real Question.
From the St. Louts Times.
For some reason the Sunday school
class had became interested In Methu
sebih. At their urgent request the teacher
related all the authentic Information
r'g/Ordfid In the blble about the amazing
min. also various anrodotes gleaned from
less reliable resources. In conclusion she
eAld:
“Now, Is that all? Are there any fur
ther questions you would like to ask
about Methuselah?"
"I'd like to know.” said the most inter
ested youngster if the lot, “where all tils
birthday presents are burled!*'
Josh Cornea Back.
From the Buffalo News.
One June day a city man went to the
country to see about securing summer
board with Uncle Josh, and. arriving
about dinner time, he was Invited to take
a place at the table. This he did. and
afterward sauntered out on the veranda
and lighted a cigar.
“Let's get 0e»?n to business l#r- Junes."
said he to 'the farmer. “I want to aay that
I enjoyed that meal, very much.”
“Ye did. eh?" returned Uncle Joeh. gas
Ing far over the green fields.
“Yes,” responded the city man, "and
If that Is a fair sample of the meals you
stive I think we can easily come to
teims."
'lies' a minute." Interposed Josh, with
a thoughtful expr'-salon. “Fust of all. 1
, would like to kaow If that was a fall
j sample of yoi'v appetite."
MOTHERS
TO BE
Should Read Mrs. Monyhan's
Letter Published by
Her Permission.
Mitchell, Ini—“ Lydia E. Pinkham *3
vegetable Compound helped me so much
during the time I
was lookingforward
to the coming of my
little one that I am
recommending it to^"
other ex pec taa-C
mothers. Before
taking it, somedaya
I suffered with neu
ralgia so badly that
I thought I could
not live, but after
taking three bottles
of Lydia E. P i n k
ham’s Vegetable
Compound I was en
tirely relieved of
neuralgia, 1 had
gained in strength
and was able to go
around and do all
«y housework. My baby when seven
nonths old weighed 19 pounds and I feel
Setter than I have for a long time. I
sever had any medicine do me so
nuch good."—Mrs. Pearl Monyhan,
Mitchell, Ind.
Good health during maternity is a
.float important factor to both mother
and child, and many letters have been
feceived bv the Lydia E. Pinkham
Medicine Co., Lynn, Maas., telling of
health restored duringthis trying period
>y the use of Lvdia E. Pinkham s Vege
table Compound.
Why Lose £Sp
Your Hair Cuticura I
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Sample each tr** of “Oatlcnrx, D«pt. F, 1—Ua."
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Placed anywhere, Daisy Fly Klllsr attract* mad MM*
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.S»M *r «e»l«r« « « M
by exprsM, prepaid, *1.*0.
IMIOLO SOMCltS, ISO D8 KMi AVI., BROOKLYN. K. Y.
DOOMED TO OUTER DARKNESS
Forgetful Youngster Could Only Stand
at School Gate and Mourn His
Hard Position. ^
One of the Western towns where
Jiere Is a large per cent of foreign
population considerable difficulty was
experienced iu getting the registra
tion of alien women. An Instructor In
Jie playground in the foreign district
itffered her assistance, and in order to
gain a better know-ledge of the com
munity gave out printed slips to the
children on which they wore to write
their names, ages and places of birth,
and the same of their fathers and
mothers. She told all the youngsters
explicitly that they must bring tlte pa
pers back with them in the afternoon.
When the children returned one
Jttle fellow- stood forlornly at the gate.
To all Invitations to enter he shook his
head stubbornly. One of the assistants
finally went to him. "Come on In,"
»he coaxed. ‘ We are going to learn
a wonderful new game this afternoon.
Don’t you want to help ns?"
“No, ma’am, teacher,” he said, and
big tears rolled down his cheeks. “NoV
ma’xni, 1 dussent even ««ie In,-’cause
I ain’t g<>t my excuse for being
homed.”
She Was a Fighter.
Everyone knew that Lieutenant
l’liorlelgh and his pretty young, wife
Imd failed to' agree during the few
yen is of married life, hut no one quite
liked to ask him where she was living
during Ms last month? of training in
this country. So when an Innocent
newcomer inquired point-blank where
she was, there was a rather intense
moment before he said, calmly:
“My wife Is In France.”
“What Is she doing?” was demanded
further.
“Fighting,” he answered calmly.
“Fighting!” everyone exclaimed.
“Well,” he replied, "perhaps she
Isn’t actually lighting, hut I’m sure
she’s quarreling.”—Harpers Magazine.
___ .
Unique.
“I honr she’s going to marry a fa
mous aviator.”
“Yes. First time a queen ever took
an ace.”
Sadness and gladness succeed each
pt lier. _
1 A Cool Breakfast I
t for warm weather I
No fussing I
round a I
hot stove I
if you eat 1
POST 1
TOASTIES
( Made Of I