Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-07-19

"You will see," Lepine went on,
that these messages are such as
an ordinary tourist would send
and receive"
But Delcasse was not listening.
He was reading the message a sec
ond time and yet a third, and there
was a wrinkle of perplexity be-
tween his brows. At last he looked
up, and the project was aston.
lshed at the expression of his face.
There is N thing l forgot to
tell you last night, Lepine," he
said. II did not myself see it's sig
%nificance until had got to bed.
The first telegram received from
any foreign power in reference to
the disaster was from the German
emperor"
Lepine smiled.
"The German emperor was the
first to get word of it,, he said. 81
examined the other kilograms filed
Monday morning. At 10 minutes
to Z, the German consul here mott
fled the minister of state at Ber-
lin of the explosion. Admiral Bel
lue did not file his message to you
until 40 minutes later. No doubt
he wished to assure himself Of the
extent OF the disaster, in order not
to alarm you needlessly. You
should have received it not later
than 8 o'clock.
lit was, in fact, a few minutes
before that hour. And when I
reached the Elysee palace, l found
the president with a message from
the kaiser in his hand. 1t struck
me as most peculiar
sit was ironic, certainly"
agreed Lepine, "but, under the
circumstances, easily explained"
You think, then"
II think that Crochard has as
sumed too much; | think that. be-
fore we accuse these men, we need
more proof"
Delcasse pushed back his chair
and paced for some moments nerv-
ously about the room. At last he
sat down again, and rolled and
lighted a cigaret.
"You are right" he said; "we
need more proof. 1t is for you to
find it, if it exists. And at this mo-
ment, | am interested not so much
in the movements, of these men, as
in the cause Of the explosion. Even
supposing hat they had a hand in
it, how was it Accomplishment"
Lepine returned the kilograms
to his pocket.
Il agree with YOU" he said,
that that is the vital question
And | am unable to answer it,
81 shall institute a board Of in
quiry at once" went on the min.
lister II have, in fact, already
summoned the officers who will
compose it. | will arrange for it
to visit the wreck and begin to
take evidence today, as it is i'm
portant that the evidence be Sc
cured while the event is still fresh.
[ would suggest that you place
some of your men at the DISPOSE
ton of the board"
VERY well, SIR Lepine agreed,
and withdrew.
Toulon was awake again, and
the streets were thronged as on a
fete day. The first shock of the
disaster had passed, and the in
born cheerfulness Of the people
was asserting itself. The excuse
for a holiday was not to be yer
looked, and every one who could
take a day, or even an hour Of leis-
ure, did so, and spent it partly
on the quays staring at the wreck,
partly in the Place de la Liberte
listening to the orators, partly in
the Place d'Armes watching the
men at work draping with black
the Maritime Prefecture, where the
board Of inquiry was to sit, and
the church Of Saint Louis, where
requiem high mass was to be cele-
brated. Finally as much as re
manned Of the holiday was spent
at a cafe before a glass Of coffe or
aperitif, with the satisfaction of a
sacred duty conscientiously per-
formed.
I4epine, as he made his way
through the crowd, noticed that.
there was no longer any talk Of
treachery or treason.-even the
word sabotage" was no longer
uttered. Every one agreed that
the affair was another accident,
deplorable indeed, but unavoida-
bic and without dishonor, and SO.
not to be taken too deeply to heart.
France could build other battle
ships! The mercury in the ma
tional temperament was asserting
Itself.