The Washington herald., 1915-04-11
Copyright, 1851
7 HAD sent my motor car to Rouen
by road on the previous day.

by road on the previous day. /
was TO meet it by train, and go
on 10 some friends, who have a
house on the Seine.
A few minutes before we left
Paris my compartment was invaded
by seven gentlemen, FIVE of whom
were smoking. Short though the
journey by the fast train be, | did
not relish the prospect OF taking it
in such company. the more SO as
the old-iashioned carriage had no
corridor. | therefore collected my
overcoat, my newspapers and my
railway guide and sought refuge in
one of the neghboring compart
ments.
1t was occupied by lady. At the
sight of me, she made a movement
OF veNation which did not escape
my notice and leaned toward a gen.
tleman standing or the footboard-
her hus hand, 10 doubt, who had
come to see her off. The gentleman
took stock of me, and the examina-
ton seemed to conclude to my ad-
vantage; for he whispered to his wife
and smiled, giving her the look
with which we reassure fright
ened child. She smiled in her turn,
and cast friendly glance in my di-
rectlon, as though she suddenly real
lied that ] was one of those we'll
bred men with whom a woman can
remain locked up for an hour or two
IN a little box six feet square without
having anything to fear.
Then the guards whistle sounded,
and the train started.
At that moment, and in spite of
the warning shouts of the railway Of
flclals, the door opened and man
burst into our carriage. My travel
ing companion, who was standing UP
and arranging her things in the rack.
uttered a cry OF terror, and dropped
down upon the seat
am no coward-far from it; but
| confess that these sudden incur
SONS at the last minute arc always
annoying. They seem so ambiguous,
so unnatural. There must be some
thing behind them, else So
appear Oh inc newcomer,
however, and his bearing were such
as to correct the bad impression pro-
duced by the manner of his entrance
He was neatly, almost sInartly, dress
cd; his tie was in good taste, his
gloves clean: he had a powerful face.
But, speaking of his face, where
on earth had seen it before2
But when my eyes reverted to the
lady / aStnrpIaI he ,a1Ior o,J
disorder of her features. She was
staring at her neighbor-he was
seated on the same side OF the car
riagc-w1th an expression of genuine
alright, and | saw one OF her hands !
steal trembling toward a little travel !
ing bag that lay on the cushion a few
inches from her lap. She ended by
taking hold of j., and nervously drew
It to her.
Our eyes met, and | read in hers
so great an amount OF uneasiness and
anxiety that | could not help saying:
81 hope you arc not i'll, madam
= y Would you like me to open the
Window"
She made no reply, but. with
timid gesture. called my attention to |
the individual beside her
Just then he turned toward us. CON
tcmplated us, one after the other.
from head to foot, and then huddled
himself into his corner, and made
no further movement
A silence ensued; but tho lady, as
though she had summoned up all her
energies to perform an act OF de-
spair, said to me, in hardly audible
voice:
"You know he is in our train"
"Who?"
why, he he himself 81
assure YOU
Whom do you mean"
"Arsene Lupin'
He pulled his hat down upon his
nose. Was this to conceal his agita-
ton. or was he merely preparing to
so to sleep?
| objected.
"Arscne Lupin was sentenced yes
tcrday, in his absence. to twenty
years penal servitude. 1t is not like
ly that he would commit the impru-
dence OF showing himself in public
today. Besides, the newspapers have
discovered that he has been spending
the winter in Turkey ever since his
famous escape from the Sante"
"He is in this train" repeated the
lady. with the ever more marked in
tcntion OF being overheard by our
companion. "My husband is a dep
uty prison governor, and the station
Inspector himself told us that they I
were looking foI Arsene Lupin."
That is no reason why s"
"lIe was seen at the booking Office.
He took ticket for Roucn." {
at would have been easy to lay ,
hands upon him.
He disappeared. The ticket collec-
tor at the door OF the waiting room t
did not see him; but they thought 1
that he must have gone round by the c
platforms and stepped into {
the express that leaves ten minutes r
after us" s
"In that case they will have t
cau"ht him there" p
And supposing that, at the last Q
he jumped out OF that ex-
press and entered this, our own train 4
= as he probably = as he most l
certainly did,
an that case they will catch him +
icre; for the porters and the police p
cannot have failed to see him going Il
rom one train to the other, and,
when we reach Roucn, they will net |,