The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-08-01

~ Aou really TccOBuIZeO OOx
Luis voice beyond mistake.
"Wellf" he said, controlling
himself. whats all this about
Where are youi"
cat my house, above the iror
curtain. in the ceiling Of my
study"
"In the ceiling!" repeated the
Project, not knowing what to
think.
eyes; and more or less done
for, I confess
wen send and help you out
said M. Desmalions, who was be.
ginning to enjoy himself.
"Later on, Monsieur lie Prefet
First answer me. Quickly! II
not, l don't know that I shall have
the strength. What's the timei''
"Oh, look here!"
II beg Of you"
cts 20 minutes to 81"
1t was as though Don Luis
found renewed strength in a sud
den fit Of fear. His weak voice
recovered its emphasis, and, by
turns imperious, despairing, and
beseeching, full Of q conviction
which he did his utmost to impart
to M. Desmalions, he said:
$50 away, Monsieur lie Prefet
Go, all of you; leave the house.
The house will be blown up at 8
o'clock. Yes, yes, ! swear it will.
Ten days after the fourth letter
means now, because there has
been a ten days delay in the de-
livery Of the letters. It means
now, at 8 o'clock in the morning.
Remember what was written on
the sheet which Deputy Chief
Weber handed you this morning |:
The explosion is independent of
the letters. It will take place at
3 o'clock in the morning. At 8
o'clock in the morning, today,
Monsieur lie Prefet!" The voice
faltered and then continued:
"Go away, please. Let no one
remain in the house. You must
believe nae. / know everything
about the business. And nothing
can prevent the threat from being
executed. Go, 60, go! This is
horrible; I feel that you do not
believe me-and / have. no
strength left. Go away, every
one Of you'll"
He said a few more words
which M. Desmalions could not
make out. Then the voice ceased;
and, though the Project still heard
cries, it seemed to him that those
cries were distant, as though the
instrument were no longer within
the reach Of the mouth that
uttered them.
He hung up the receiver.
Gentlemen" he said, with a
smile, "it'is II minutes to 3. In
II minutes we shall all be blown
up together. AT least, that is
what our good friend Don Luis
Perenna declares"
In spite of. the jokes with which
this threat was met, there was a
general feeling Of uneasiness.
Weber asked:
"Was it really Don Luis, Mon
sieur le Prefetf"
"Don Luis in person. He has
gone to earth in some hiding hole
in his house, above the study /; and
his fatigue and privations seem
to have unsettled him, a little.
Mazeroux, go and ferret him out
unless this is just some fresh
trick on his part. You have your
warrant"
). Sergeant Mazeroux went up to
M. Desmalions. His face was
pallid.
Monsieur lie Prefet, did he tell
you that we were going to be
blown up9"
"He did. He relies on the note
which M. Weber found in a
volume Of Shakespeare. The ex-
plosion is to take place tonight"
al 3 o'clock in the morningY'
SAT 3 o'clock in the morning
that is to say, in less than a quar-
ter Of an hour"
"And do you propose to re-
main, Monsieur lie Prefet7'i
"What next, Sergeantf Do
you imagine that we are going to
obey that gentleman's fanciesf"
Mazeroux staggered,> hesitated,
and then, despite all his natural
unable to contain him
self, exclaimed:
Monsieur lie Prefet, it's not a
fancy. I have worked with Don
Luis. l know the man. If he
tells you that something is going
to happen, it's because he has his
reasons" .
absurd reasons"
"No, no, Monsieur lie Prefet,"
Mazeroux pleaded, growing more
and more excited. Il swear that