The Washington herald., 1915-05-02

After moment the man said:
well, governor"
well. it's done"
How do you mean"
I'm launching there"
You're lunching there"
You wouldn't have me risk a life
as precious as mine for nothing,
hope | have snatched NJ. Ludovie
lmbert from the certain death which
you had prepared for him. NJ. Lu.
dovic lmbert has grateful nature
He has asked me to lunch"
A silence; and then the other ven.
tured:
so you're not giving it up''
My boy" said Arsene, after
plotting that little assault of las,
night, after taking the trouble, at J
o'clock in the morning. along the for
tItcatlons, to give you a bang on
the wrist and kick on the shin and
running the risk OF inflicting per
| sonal damage on my one and only
friend, it's not likely that | should
give up the profits arising from a
rescue so carefully planned.
But the unfavorable reports cir
culating about the fortune"
Let them circulate! 1t is six
months since | first took the matter
in hand; six months since | began
to collect information, to study the
case, to lay my snares, to question
the servants, the money lenders, and
the men of straw; six months since
| started shadCwing the husband and
wife. | don't care whether the for
tune proceeds from old Rawford, as
they contend, or from another
source; but | declare that it exists.
And, as it exists, l mean to have it. ~
Jupiter. A hundred millionsw
Say ten, or five-no matter!
There are lat bundles of securities in
the safe. III be hanged If | don't.
sooner or later, lay hands on the
KEY
The car stopped at the Place de
TEtoilc.
$50, for the present."
Nothing to be done. I'll let you
know. There's plenty of time.
Five minutes later Arsene Lupin
climbed the sumptuous staircase of
the Hotel Imbert. and Ludovic in
troduced him to his wife Gervaise
was a nice little woman, round as a
ball, and very talkative. She gave
him the warmest OF greetings.
1--WE wanted to be by ourselves to
entertain our rescucr," she said.
And from the first they treated
"our rescuer' as a friend OF long
standing. By the time that the des-
sert was reached the intimacy was
complete and condolences were be-
ing exchanged at great pace.
Ar~ne told the story of his own
life and the life OF his father, an up
right magistrate, described his sad
his present difficulties.
GervaiSe, in her turn, talked OF her
youth, her marriage, old Rawford's
the hundred millions,
which she had inherited, the obsta-
clc> that delayed her entering into
their enjoyment, the loans which she
had had to raise at cxorbitant rates
OF interest, her endless strife with
Rawford's nephews. And the oppo-
sitions. And the sequcstrations. In
fact, the whole story!
lust think, NJ Lupin, the scrip is
there, in the next room, in my hus-
bands office, and il we cut off a
single coupon we lose everything,
The securities are there, in our safe,
and we cannot touch them"
A thrill passed through NJ. Lupin's
,rame at the thought OF this prox-
nifty, and he felt very clearly that
lc would never have enough eleva-
ion OF soul to entertain the same
cruples as the worthy lady.
"Ah, they arc in there he muir
nurcd, with a parchcd throat.
They are in there
Relations begun under such aus
ices as these were bound to lead
o closer ties still. In reply to ques-
ions delicately wordcd, Arsene Lu-
in confessed his poverty, his dis
ress. The poor fellow received his
ppointment, then and there, as pri-
ate secretary to the pair, at sal
~ OF one hundred and fifty francs
month. He was to go on. living
here he was. but to come every
lorning and receive his instructions
Or the days work. For his greater
omfort, a room on the second floor
as placed at his disposal as study
He chose one for himself. By
hat stroke OF luck did it happen
o be Immediately over Ludovic's
ffice? s
1t did not take Arsene long to per- 7
Give that his secretaryship bore a /
lrious likeness To sinecure In +