The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-30
HAVE often been asked this ques-
ton:
How did you come to know Arsene
ip7

How did you come to know Arsene
Lupinr
Restaurant de la Cascade. and through
out the evening" while We sat smoking
and listening to the Bohemian band and
their melancholy waltzes. We had talked
of nothing but crimes. robberies. lurid
and terrifying adventures This is al
ways n bad preparation for sleep.
The Saint-Martins had driven away in
their motor car. Jean Daspry and
walked back in the dark. hot night.
When We reached the little house at
NeuilIy. on the Boulevard Maillot. where
1 had been living for the past twelve
months. he said:
do you never feel frightened7'
What an idear'
well. this little house OF yours is very
lonely"
I took out my key. and opened the door.
That's pleasant 1 muttered. AN
tome has forgotten to leave q lighted
candle for me-"
And suddenly I remembered: Antoine
was out: l had given him his night off.
at once resented the darkness and the
silence 1 CROPPED my way upstairs to my
room as quickly as / could. and. con-
trary to my custom. turned the key in
the door and shot the bolt
The light of the candle restored my
presence of mind. Nevertheless I was
careful to take my revolver-a big. long
range revolver-from its case. and laid
1t beside my bed. This precaution COM
pleted my composure. went to bed.
and. as usual, took up my book that lay
on my night table to read myself to
sleep.
A great surprise awaited me- In the
place of the paper cutter with which
had marked my page the night before
now found an envelope sealed with five
red seals. I seized It eagerly. 1t was
addressed in my name. accompanied by
the word urgent"
Somewhat nervously tore open the
envelope, and read:
From the moment when you open this
letter. whatever happens. whatever you
may hear. do not stir. do not make a
movement. do not utter a sound If you
do you are lost"
'sNonsenset I thought "Its q Joke.
silly trick!''
was on the point Of laughing. I even
tried to laugh aloud. What was 1t pre-
vented me? What vague fear COM
pressed my throat?
At least I would blow out the candle.
No. could not blow 1t out.
At that moment a light sound passed
through the silence. followed by a creak-
Ing noise. 1t seemed to me to come
from a large adjoining room which I had
fitted up as a study and from which
was separated only by the passage.
The approach of real danger ex-
cited me Ono of the curtains Of the
window on my left had moved before
my eyes. And 1 saw-oh. distinctly
tween the curtains and the window
there stood a human form. the thickness
of which prevented tho material from
hanging straight down.
Then I understood all. While the
others were carrying off their booty. his
mission consisted In terrorizing me.
1 did not bulge. Was it cowardice on
my part? No. 1t was humiliation rather.
q complete incapacity to move q single
muscle. And this torture lasted all night
long; an intolerable torture. q terrible
agonyi
Finally I was pervaded with an un-
speakable sense OF relief: a milk cart. Of
which 1 knew tho clatter well. passed
along the boulevard. and at tho same
time I received the impression that the
dawn was filtering through the drawn
blinds and that a glimmer of daylight
from the outside was mingling with the
darkness within.
Then 1 put one arm out of bed slowly
and stealthily. Opposite me nothing
stirred. With my eyes I noted the fold
In the curtain. the exact spot at which
to take aim. 1 made a precise calcula-
ton of the movements which I should
have to make. ] grasped the revolver
and I fired.
sprang out of bed with a shout of
deliverance. and leaped at the curtain.
There was a hole through the material.
and hole In the pane behind It. As
for the man. 1 had missed him for the
very good reason that there was no.
body there.
examined the room inch by inch, en-
ploying the most minute methods Of in
vestigat tons; it was to no purpose. Or.
rather. but could I consider that q dis
covery? Under small Persian rug.
flung down on the floor. I picked up a
card-a playing card. 1t was a seven of
hearts. but it attracted my attention be-
cause of rather curious detail. The
extreme lower end of each Of the seven
red. heart-shaped pips was pierced with
hole. the round and regular hole made
by the point Of an anvil. I pursued my
investigations throughout the day. 1t
was large-sized room, out OF all pro-
portion with the general smallness of
tho house. and Its decoration bore wit
ness to the eccentric taste Of the man
who had conceived 1t. High up in the
wall was a huge solitary window. some
thing like the window of a studio It
was always left open at night. and the
probability was that the men had en-
tered by 1t with the aid of a ladder.
confess that the idea of applying to
the police never entered my head. so in
consistent and absurd were the facts
which I should have had to lay before
them. They would have laughed at me.
But the next day but one was the day
for my column in tbs GIL Bias. for which
L was then writing. Obsessed as I was
by my adventure. 1 described 1t at fun
length.
few mornings later the bell at the
front gate rang. and Antoine came to
tell me that a gentleman wished to speak
to me. He had refused to give his name
1 asked him up.
Coming straight to the point. he said.
in grating voice. and in an accent
that confirmed my opinion as to the
mans social status:
Il have been out of town. SIR and
saw the GIL Bias at cafe. read your
article. 1t interested me immensely"
Il thank you
Il may have some information to give
you"
Pray speak,"
Before saying any more. must make
sure that I am right must remain
alone in this ROOM
I replied; Very well. How long do
Won U2nfcp