Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-06-28
The
DESTROYER
By BURTON E. STEVENSON
CHAPTER II.
FRANCE IN

To. M. T%heophlle Delcasse, min
fster Of Marine, and first states
man of the republic, slumbering
peacefully in his bed at Paris that
morning. came the sound of urgent
knocking. He sat up in bed and
rubbed the sleep from his eyes, for
he knew that not without good
cause would any one dare disturb
him at that hour. Then he stepped
TO the floor, thrust his feet into a
pair of slippers, his arms into the
sleeves Of a dressing robe, and
opened the door.
~. telegram, sir, marked Most
Important" said his valet, and
passed it in to him.
1t was from Vice Admiral Bel
lue, commander at T%oulon, and a
moment later M. Delcasse had
learned of the terrible disaster.
He ordered his carriage and
dressed rapidly with trembling
hands. He was shocked and dis
tressed as he had rarely been be-
fore. Would these disasters never
cease? First the Jena, now the
Liberte-both ships the pride of
their country, the last formidable
word in marine architecture! He
gulped down the cup Of coffee
which his valet brought him,
seized hat and gloves, fastened to
his carriage, and drove straight to
the Elysee palace.
The president was already up,
and his broad face, usually so plac-
id and good humored, was CON
vulsed with grief as he greeted his
minister. He held in his hand a
telegram, which he had just
opened.
"See," he said, after the first
moment, "the sad news is already
abroad" and he held out the mes
sage.
Delcasse took it and read it with
astonished eyes. 1t was from the
German emperor, and expressed
his grief at the catastrophe, and
his sympathy with France, which
he had directed his ambassador to
call at once in person to convey
more fully.
THE kaiser is certainly we'll
YaS Sc = ~ -
served!' muttered Delcasse, read
ing the message again, his lips
twitching with emotion. "Thcre is
something ironical in this prompt
ness. He must have had the news
before we did!!9
The president nodded gloomily.
Then the other members of the
cabinet came wl,irling up, and.
were convened at once by their
chief in secret session.
Not many hours later, as a re-
suit Of that session, a special train
rolled out Of the Care de Lyon,
and headed away for the south,
with clear track and right-of.
way over everything. Aboard it
were the president himself, the
minister of marine, the minister Of
war, and a score Of minor officials.
There was also a thin little man
with white hair and yellowish-
white beard--M. Louis Jean Bap-
tiste Lepine, project Of police, and
the most famous hunter Of Grim
mails in the world and in the last
car were q dozen Of the best men
Of his staff, under command Of his
most trusted lieutenant, Inspector
Pigot.
At each station, as the train
rolled on, great crowds gathered
to meet it-crowds strangely ST
lent, inarticnlate with grief, furi-
Gus, suspicious Of they knew not
what. Terrible rumors were
abroad 80 rulors Of treachery, oi
treason striking at the very heart
of France No one dared repeat
these runners, but nevertheless
they ran up and down the land
The Jena and now the Liberte
True, the board of inquiry, which
had investigated the destruction
of the Jena, had decided that thai
catastrophe was due to the spon,
tsneons combusion AZ the powder
inshersmagaxines. France had az