The Washington herald., 1915-04-25
By
Maurice Leblanc

place"
They are"
"Open it"
A look of distrust passed over YARNS
face Were Dasprey and Salvador really
one. as everything led him to presume?
II so. he risked nothing by revealing a
hiding place that was already known.
open it, repeated Daspry.
II haven't a seven of hearts"
Yes. here's one said Daspry, hold
ing out the iron plate.
Varin fell back in terror.
NO. l will not
Never mind that,"-Daspry went up to
a mosaic panel of an old emperor with a
flowing beard. climbed chair and ap-
piled the seven of hearts to the bottom
of the emperor's sword, against the hilt,
so that the edges of the place exactly COW
cred the two edges of the blade. Then.
with the point of an awl, which he
pushed successfully through each of the
seven holes contrived in the end of the
seven pips, he pressed upon seven of the
tiny stones composing the mosaic. When
the seventh stone was driven in. a catch
was released, and the whole of the en-
peror's bust turned on pivot. reveal
ing a wide aperture arranged as a safe.
iron cased and fitted with two shelves
of cleaning steel
iVu StN' am thc Sdio 10
Just SO. Then my brother must have
removed the letters
Daspry came back to the man, and
said:
Don't try to get the better OF me.
There is another hiding place. Where
is it,"
There isn't one
rs it money you want, How much:'
Ten thousand francs
m. Andermatt are those letters worth
1000 francs to yOu?'
Yes said the banker. in firm
voice.
Warm shut the safe. took the seven
of hearts. not without a visible repug-
nance. and applied il to the blade, at
exactly the same place, against the hilt.
He drove the awl successfully through
the end Of the seven pips. There was a
second release of a catch. but. this time.
an unexpected thing occurred: only q
part of the safe turned round, disclos-
ing a smaller safe. contrived in the
thickness of the door that closed the
large one.
The bundle of letters was there. tied
up with tape and sealed. Warm gave it
to Daspry. who asked:
rs the check ready. VI. Andermatt?"
Yes"
And have you also the last document.
which Louis Lacombe left with you.
completing the plans of the submarine
Yes"
The exchange was made. Daspry
pocketed the document and the check.
and offered the packet to NJ. Andermart.
Here is what you wanted. sir
The banker hesitated a moment. as
though he were afraid to touch those
cursed pages which he had been so
eager to find. Then he took them. with
a nervous movement
And Daspry said to the banker:
II think. sir. that our conversation Is
ended. Oh, no thanks. I beg Of you 1t
serve you.
NJ. Andermatt withdrew. taking with
him his wifes letters to Louis Lacombe.
Splendid cried Daspry, with an air
of delight. Everything Is arranged for
the best. You and I have only to settle
our business. my lad. Have you the
papers.''
They are all here"
Daspry looked through them. examined
Them closely. and stuffed them into his
Quite right; you have kept your
word
But"
But WHAT
THE two checks. The money"
We'll. you're a cool hand. you are!
Out of the question. l appropriate it."
My money!
Come. be reasonable. and drop that
dagger. will your
He caught him by the arm So roughly
hat the other roared with pain. And
ne added:
Go away. my lad. the air will do you
good. Would you like me to see you
If? We will go by the waste ground.
md will show you heap of stones and
orambles under which
IT'S not true! It's not true!'
Yes. it is true. This little iron plate
with the seven pips came from there.
Louis Lacombe used always to carry it
about with him. don't you remember?
You and your brother buried it with
he corpse and with other things which
will interest the police enormously"
Warm covered his face with his rag
ng fists. Then he said:
Very we'll. l have been done. Let's
say no more about it. One word, how
ever. There was a cash box in that
safe. in the larger of the two. Was II
here when you came here on the night
If the end Of june
Yes"
And did you take it,
by Jove, what would you have done
Then it was after he discovered the
of the cash box that my
brother committed suicide?"
Probably. The disappearance of your
with Mai. Won Lieben
would hardly have been enough. But the
ash box was another matter. Is that
Ill you wanted to know?
lone thing more-your name?'
"Arsene Lupin."
The man staggered back as though he
rad received a blow on the head with
.lub Those two words seemed to dash
Ill his hopes. Daspry laughed. And.
It the door.
I pulled back the velvet curtain.
Lupin ran UP.
What Is it? What's the mattef:'
Mime. Andermatt In fainting."
He FASTENED up. made her snin at a
bottle of salts and. while he was bring
ng her round. asked:
We'll, but what happened?"
THE letters" I said. The letters
which you gave her husband"
He struck his forehead.
What But, after all. why shouldn't
The believe? Fool that ami
Nine. Andermatt, when she had re-
covered consciousness. listened to him
freddy He drew from his pocket a
little bundle similar In every respect to
hat which NJ. Andermatt had taken
lway with him.
Here are your letters, madame-the
cal ones'