The evening world., 1911-01-21
Another ARSENE
:: - IS LUPIN Story
THE Hollow Needle"
By Maurice Leblanc

Nv kA''At Va Wv ~
OF the topazes.
Look, look. little Beautreiet! They
have squandered all the cash. all the
gold. all the silver. all the crown pieces
and all the ducats and all the doub-
looms; but the chest with the Jewels
has remained intact. Look ut the set
tings. They belong to every period
to every century, to every country. The
dowries OF the queens are here. Each
brought her share: Margaret OF Scot
land and Charlotte OF savoy; duchesses
OF Austria; Eleonore. Elisabeth. Marie
Therese. Mary of England and Cath
crime de Medicis: and all the aroh-
enchantresses down to tho Inflated
Marie A~ntoinette. Look at those
pearls, Beautrelet! And those dia
monds: look at the size of tho dia-
monds' Not one OF them but In worthy
OF an empressl The Pitt Diamond IL
no nner!"
He rose to his feet and held up his
hand as one taking an oath:
"Beautrelet. you shall tell the world
that Lupin has not taken n single one
OF the stones that were In the royal
chest. not n single one. ! swear IL on
my honorl I had no right to. They are
the fortune OF France"
Below them. Ganlmard was making all
speed. 1t was easy to judge by the re-
verberation OF the blows that his men
were attacking the last door but one.
the door that gave access to the knick.
knack-room.
Let us leave the chest open.' said
Lupin. and all the cavities. too. all
those little empty graves"
lie went round the room. examined
some OF the glass cases.. gazed at some
OF the pictures and. as he walked. said.
penslvely:
How sad II 10 to leave Al. this what
n wrench! The %happlest hours Of my
life nave been spent here. alone. In tns
presence OF these objects which 1 loved.
And my eyes will never behold them
again and my hands will never touch
them again.
Ills drawn face bore such an empress
sion OF lassltudc upon II that Beautrelet
y felt a vague sort OF pity for him. sor-
row In that man must assume larger
proportions In another, even as Joy
did. or pride. or humiliation. lie ~
now standing by the window. and with
his fingers pointing TO the horizon said:
what is sadder still IL that I must
abandon that. all that How beautiful
II is! The boundless seattle sky. On
either side the cliffs Of Etretat. with
their three natural archways-ths Porte
d'Arnont. the Porte d'Aval. the Name
pNIlt-so many tTlufnpu6i aTCuto LUZ tuS
master. And the master was II I WAS
the king OF the story. the king OF fairy
land, the king OF the Hollow Needle! A
strange and supernatural kingdom!
From Caesar TO Lupin-what a destiny!'
lie burs, out laughing. king OF fairy
land Why not say King OF Yvetot al
oncc' what nonsensel King of the
world. yes, that's more like II! From
this tppmost point OF the Needle I ruled
tho globe!
IL held II In my claws like a prey!
Lift the tiara of Saltapharnes. Beautre.
let. You see those two t~elephooHs?
Tn one on the right communicates With
Paris a private line: the one on the
eft with London: private nne.
Through London | am In touch with
America. Asia, Australia, South Africa.
In all those continents I have my Of
fees. my agents. my jackals. my scouts,
I drive m internationa trade. I hold
the great market In art and antiquities,
the worlds fair! An. Beautreiet. there
are moments when my power turns my
head I feel intoxicated with strength
ami authority"
The door gave way below. Trey heard
Ganlmard and his men running about
and searching, After a moment Lupln
continued IN a low voice:
And now rs over. A little girl
crossed my path. a girl with soft hair
and wistful eyes and an honest. yes. AN
honest soul-and It's over. myself
am demo!lshlng tho mighty edincs. All
tho rest seems absurd and childish to
mo-nothinE counts but her halr-ni
her wlstful eyes-and her honest ittile
slul"-
The men came up the staircase. A
blow shook tte door, the last door.
Lupln seized tie boy sharply by tina
arm.
do you understand. Beautrelet. why
{ let you have things you w way
wrea | could have crushed you. time
inter timo, weeks ago? Do you under
stand how you succeeded In getting as
'ar as TITS? Do you understand that
had given each OF my men his share of
the piunder when you met them the other
Mast on the elm? You do understand.
don't you? TIE Hollow Needle 10 tn.
great adventure, As long as II be-
longs TO me, | remain the great adven-
turer once the Needle Is recaptured II
uarrs { 20 I've past ard | are parted an
that the future begins-a future OF peace
ul.I Iapp!reSs. In which | shall have no
occasion to blush when Raymonhe's
eyes are turned upon me-, a future"-
lie turnel furlously toward the door:
stop that noise, Ganimard, will you!
haven't finished my speechv'
Tho blows came faster. II was like
the sound OF u beam that was belnS
hurled against the door.
Cro Be Continuously