The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-12
strangest of journeysi And
yet it had begun SO WE'LL I.
for my mart had never made a

yet it had begun SO WE'LL /.
for my part, had never made a
voyage that started under better aus
pices. The Provence is a swift and
comfortable transatlantic lin r,
commanded by the most genial of
men. The company gathered on
board was of very select character.
Acquaintance were formed and
amusements organized. We had the
delightful feeling of being separated
from the rest of the world, reduced
to our own devices, as though upon
an unknown island, and obliged.
therefore, to make friends with one
another. And we grew more and
more intimate .
Now, on the stormy afternoon of
the second day, when we were FIVE
hundred miles from the French coast
the wireless telegraph sent US mes
sage of the following tenor:
"Arsene Lupin on board your ship,
first class, fair hair, wound on right
forearm, travelling alone under alias
R"
At that exact moment, violent
thunderclap burst in the dark sky.
The electric waves were interrupted.
The rest of the message failed to
reach US. We knew only the initial OF
the name under which Arscne Lupin
was concealing his identity.
Had the news been any other.
I have no doubt that the secret
would have been scrupulously kept
by the telegraph clerks and the cap
tain and his officers. But there are
certain events that appear to over
come the strictest discretion. Before
the day was past, though no one
could have told how the rumor had
got about, we all knew that the ia
nous Arsene Lupin was hidden in
our midst.
Arscne Lupin in our midst! The
mysterious housebreaker whose ex.
PLOTS had been related in all the
newspapers for monthsl The battling
individual with whom old Canimard
our greatest detective, had entered
upon that duel to the death of which
the, details were being unfolded in SC
picturesque fashionl
Arsene Lupin. the man with thou
sand DISCUSSES, by turns chauffeur
opera singer, bookmaker, gildeo
youth, young man, old man, Marseil
lese bagman, Russian doctor, Spanish
bull fghterl
Picture the situation: Arsene Lu
pin moving about within the, com
paratively restricted compass of 9
transatlantic liner, nay-m T e
within the small space reserved t.
the hrst-elass passengers-where on,
might come across him at any mo
ment, in the saloon. the drawing
room, the smoking rooml Why, Ar
sene Lupin might be that gentleman
over there or this one close b,
or my neighbor at table I
or the passenger sharing my state
room. **s
'"And just think, this is going t.
last for Eve daysp cried Miss Mel
lie Underdown. on the following
day. why, it's awful I do hop
they'll catch himw And, turning t,
me. do say, Monsieur d'Andrezy
you're such friends with the captain
haven't you heard anything?"
I wished that I had, if only t,
please Nellie Underdown. She wa
one of those magnificent creature
that become the cynosure of all eye
wherever they may be. Their beaut,
is as dazzling as their fortune. /
court of fervent enthusiasts follow i,
their train.
She had been brought Up in Pari
by her French mother, and was nov
on her way to Chicago to join he
father, Underdown, the American mil
lionaire. A friend, Lady Gerland, wa
ehaperoning her on the voyage.
/ had paid her some slight atten
tons from the first. But, almost i'm
mediately, in the rapid intimacy 9
ocean travel, her charms had game
upon me, and my emotions now ex