The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-04-11

quest in the absence of any direct
| heirs.
| Is that all?" asked Perenna.
! No, said Mile. Lavasseur,
there is an article in the Echo de
France
/ Relating to me9'
| II presume SO, monsieur. Tt is
called, why Don't They Arrest
Hm??"
THAT concerns me, he said,
with laugh.
| He took the newspaper and
read
Why do they not arrest him? Why
so agains. logic and prolong an UNI
natural situation which no decent man
can understand? This Is the question
which everybody is asking and to which
ou: Investigations enablesus to furnish
| q precise reply
| Two years ago, in other words. three
years after the pretended death of
Arsene Lupin, the police, having dis
covered or believing they had discov-
cred that Arsene Lupin was really none
other than one Floriani born at Blois
and since lost to sight, because the reg
lister to be inscribed, on the page relat-
ing to this Eloriani. with the word DE
ceased Followed by the words Under
the alias of Arsene Lupin."
Consequently, to bring Arsene Lupin
back to life, there would be wanted
something more than the undeniable
proof Of his existence, which would not
be Impossible. The most complicated
wheels in the administrative machine
would have to be set in motion, and a
decree obtained from the council of
state.
Now if would seem that M. Valenglay,
the prime minister, together with the
project of police. is opposed to making
any too minute inquiries capable of
opening up a scandal which the author
tiles are anxious to avoid. Bring Arsene
Lupin back to life? Recommends the
struggle with that accused scoundrel?
Risk fresh defeat and fresh ridicule?
No, no, and again no!
And thus is brought about this un-
precedented, in admissible, inconceiva-
bic, disgraceful situation, that Arsene
Lupin, the hardened thief. the impeni-
tent criminal, the robher king. the en-
peror of burglars and swindlers, is able
today. not clandestinely, but in the
sight and hearing OF the whole world.
to pursue the most formidable task that
ne mas yet undertaken, to live publicly
under name which Is not his own, but
which he has incontestably made his
own, to destroy with impunity four per-
sons who stood in his way, to cause
the imprisonment Of an innocent won
an against whom he himself has ac-
cumulated false evidence, and at the
end OF all. despite the protests OF COM
mon sense and thanks to an unayowed
completely. to receive the 100000 ooe
francs Of the Mornington legacy.
There is the ignominous truth in a
nutshell It Is well that it should be
stated. Let us hope. now that 1t stands
revealed, that It will influence the
future conduct OF events.
At any rate, it will influence
the conduct of the idiot who wrote
that article said Lupin, with 4
grin.
He dismissed Mile. Lavasseur
and rang up Major d 'Astrignac
on the telephone.
= that you, majors Perenna
speaking. Z
les, what is it9
Have you read the article in
the Echo de France
Yes.
You'd it bore you very much
to call on that gentleman and ask
for satisfaction in my name I
Oh "a duel Y
s got to be, major. All these
sportsmen are wear.ying me with
their lucubrations. They must be
gagged, This fellow viii pay for
| the rest.
Well, Of course, il YOU re bent
on it x
am, very much.
The preliminaries were entered
upon without delay. The editor of
THE Echo de France declared that
the article had been sent in with
loslt q signature, ypewritten, and
that II had been published without
bis knowled ge but he accepted
i the entire responsibility
That same day. At 8 . clock, Don