The Washington herald., 1915-04-04

VCopyft, 1Slb.J
4 RSENE LUPIN finished his

midday meal, took good
cigar from his pocket, and COM
plaoently studied the gold-lettered
inscription on its band. At that mo-
ment the door of his cell opened. He
mad just a second in which to throw
the cigar into the drawer of the table
and to move away. The warden
came in to tell him that it was time
TO take his exercise.
Il was waiting for you, old chap!
cried Lupin, with his unfailing good
humor.
They went out together. Hardly
had they turned the corner of the
passage when two men entered the
cell and began to make a minute
examination. One of these was In
speetor Dieuzy, the other Inspector
Folenfant.
They wanted to have the matter
settled once and for ali. There was
no doubt about it: Arsene Lupin
was keeping up a correspondence
with the outside world and commu-
nicating with his conhdants.
Therefore, he was sending letters.
Therefore, he was receiving letters.
Therefore, it was certain that he was
preparing the escape which he had
so arrogantiy announced.
The position was becoming intoler-
able. By arrangement with the ex-
amining magistrate, NJ. Dudouis
himself, the head of the detective
service, went to the Sante to explain
10 the prison governor the measures
which it was thought advisable to
take, and on his arrival he sent two
OF his men to the prisoners cell.
The men raised every one Of the
fagstones, took the bed to pieces, did
all that is usually done in such cases,
and ended by discovering nothing.
They were about to abandon their
search when the warden came rum
ming in, and said:
"The drawer look in the
drawer of the table. | thought l
saw HIM shut it when | came in just
now"
They looked, and Dicuzy cxclaim-
ed:
Cad, we've caught our customer
this time!"
Folenfant stopped him.
Don't do anything. my lad; let the
chief take the inventory
Still, this Havana -
Leave it alone, and let us tell the
chief"
Tw- minutes later NJ. Dudouis was
exploring the contents OF the drawer.
He found, first, collection of press
cuttings concerning Arsenc Lupin;
next, tobacco pouc,i, d pipe, and
some foreign post paper, and, lastly,
two books.
He investigated the tobacco pouch,
the pipe Then. taking up the mag
nihccnt cigar in it gold band:
by Jove!" he cried, 'our friend
docs himself we'll 4 Henry Clay!'
With the mechanical movement of
a smoker he put it to his car and
cracked it. An exclamation escaped
him The cigar had given way under
the pressure of his fingers. He cx-
amin it more attcntively. and soon
perceived something that showed
white between the leaves OF the to-
bacco. And carefully, with the aid of
a pin, he drew out scroll of very
thin paper, no thicker than tooth
pick. 1t was a note. He unrolled 1t,
and read the following words, in a
small, female hand:
maria has taken the others place.
Eight out of ten are prepared. On
pressing outside foot. metal panel
moves upward. II. p. will wait from
IL to 16 daily. But where? Reply at
once. Have no fear; your friend is
looking after you"
NJ. Dudouis reflected for a moment
and said:
That's clear enough. E. Maria,
the prison van the eight COM
partments. . . Twelve to sixteen;
that is, from IL to O'Clock. -
but VINO is IL. l.. VINO Is 10 wall
for llIm?"
H. P. stands for horsepower, OF
courSe-a motor car.
He rose and asked:
Had the prisoner finished his
lunch:"
Yes"
And, as he mas not yet read this
message, as the condition Of the cigar
shows, the chances arc that he had
only just received it"
BY what means"
How can l tell, In his food; in
side roll or a potato"
That's impossible. He was only
permitted to have his meals from the
outside so that we might trap him
and we have found nothing"
I'VE will look 70; Lupin's reply
this evening. Meantime keep him
OF of his cell. l will take this to
Monsieur Bouvier, the examining
magistrate. If he agrees, VIC will
have the letter photographed at once,
and in an hours time you can put
these other things back in the
drawer, together with an exactly
similar cigar containing the original
message. The prisoner must not be
allowed to suspect anything"
1t was not without certain curios-
N D,,A1,,,e arrnroan,>d IN,