The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-23

VIOLENT ring at the bell woke
! a the concierge at No. 9. Avenue
= Hoche, from her sleep. She
pulled the cord, muttering:
II thought they were all in. It's
past three"
! Her husband growled:
"Perhaps it's for the DOCTOR"
| And a voice did. in fact, ask:
Doctor Harel-which hoor?"
Third floor. on the left. But the
doctor won't be disturbed at night"
Hell have to be this time"
The caller entered the hall, went
up one floor, two floors, and. without
even stopping on DR.. Harers landing,
continued as far as the fifth. Here he
tried two keys; one opened the lock,
the other unfastenea the safety catch.
Capital" he muttered. This sim
plifes matters considerably. But be-
fore setting to work let's provide for
our retreat. Let me see. Have I al
lowed a reasonable time for ringing
at the doctors and being dismissed
by him? Not yet. l must wait lit
tie longer"
He let ten minutes elapse, then went
downstairs again and tapped at the
pane of the porter's box, raging and
Tuning against the doctor as he did
so. The front door was opened foi
him, and he slammed it behind him.
But the door did not shut, for the man
had quickly applied piece of iron to
the staple to prevent the bolt from
entering.
He returned without sound, TN
observed by the concierge and her
husband. In case of alarm, his retreat
was assured.
He calmly reascended the FIVE
flights. Entering the hall of the fat,
by the light of portable electric lamp
he put his hat and coat on one of
the chairs, sat down on another, and
drew a pair of thick felt slippers over
his boots.
$50 much for that!" he said. And
an easy job too! sometimes ask my
self why everybody doesn't choose
the comfortable profession of bur-
glar. Given a little skill and reflective
power, there's nothing more charm
ing. It's such a restful trade, regular
family mans trade. It's even too SIM
pie. 1t ceases to be amusing"
He unfolded a minute plan of the
fat.
Let us begin by taking our bear
ings. All, here is the square hall in
which am sitting. Looking out on
the street, we have the drawing-room,
the boudoir and the dining-room. No
use wasting time there; it appears that
the countess has a very poor taste
there's not knick- knack of the small
est value. So let's come to the point
at once. All, here is passage-the
passage that leads to the bedrooms.
At a distance of three yards I ought
to find the door of the wardrobe
closet communicating with the eoun-
tess bedroom"
He folded up his plan, put out his
lanter and walked down the passage,
counting:
Zone yard-two yards-three yards.
Here is the door. How we'll it all fits
inl Bless my soull A mere bolt, tiny
bolt, separates me from the bedroom,
and, moreover, 1 know that the bolt
is three feet and half from the floor.
So that, with the aid of little in
cision which I propose to make
around it, we can easily get rid of it. !"
He took the necessary implements
from his pocket. But an idea stopped
him.
"Supposing the bolt should happen
to be unfastened. l may as well try"
He turned the handle of the lock.
To his great surprise the door opened
"Arscne Lupin, my fine fellow, for
tunes on your side tonight. there's
no doubt of thatl What do you want
next? You know the geography OF
your field of operations; You know
where the countess keeps the black
pearl hidden. Consequently. the black
pearl is yours. All that you nave 10
do is to be more silent than silence
itself, more invisible than the dark
ness"
Arsene Lupin took quite half an
hour to open the second door-a glass
door leading to the bedroom. But he
| opened it with sluch infinite precau-
tons that, even if the countess had
been awake, no suspicious sound could
have occurred to alarm her.
According to the indications mark
ed on his I, lie had only to follow
| the circuit of sofa. This would bring
him first to an easy chair. and then
to little table beside the bed. On
the table was box of stationery, and
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