Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-04-11
THE
E OF III TIGER
MAURICE LEBLANC
@s#S TRANSLATED BY
EIXEIRA DE MATTOS

quest in the absence of any direct
heirs.
lis that all?" asked Perenna.
NO." said Mile. Layasseur,
there is an article in the Echo de
France"
Relating to met"
II presume so, monsieur. It is
called, why Don't They Arrest
Him9?"
THAT concerns me-" he said,
with a laugh.
He took the newspaper and
read:
Why do they not arrest him? Why
go against logic and prolong an un-
natural situation which no decent mar
can understand This is the question
which everybody is asking and to which
our Investigations enable US to furnish
a precise reply.
TWO years ago, IN other words, three
years after h pretended death of
Arsene Lupin. the police. having dis
covered or believing they had discov-
cred hat Arsene Lupin was really none
other than one Floriani. born at Blois
and since lost to sight, because the reg
lister to be inscribed. or the page relat-
ing to this Floriani. with the word DE
ceased" followed by the words "Under
the alias Of ,Arsene Lupin."
consequently, to bring Arscne 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 1t would seem that NJ. v~alenglay,
the prime minister. together with the
project OF police, is opposed to making
any too minute inquiries capable OF
opening up q scandal which the author
tiles are anxious to avoid. Bring Arsene
Lupin back to life? Recommence the
struggle with that accursed s%coundrel:
Risk a fresh defeat and fresh ridicule:
No. no. n again no!
And thus is brought about this I'M
~precedented. in admissible, inconceiva-
BILE, disgraceful situation, that Arsene
Lupin, the hardened thief, the impeni-
tent criminal, the robber king, the en-.
peror OF burglars n swindlers, is able
today, not clandestinely, but in the
sight n hearing of the whole world
to pursue the most formidable task tina,
ne has yet undertaken. to live publicl,
under a name which Is not his own. bu-
which he a incontestably made his
lown, to destroy with impunity four per.
sons who stood In his way, to caus,
the imprisonment of an innocent WON.
an against whom he himself has ac.
cumulated false evidence, and at tn,
end of all, despite the protests Of com.
mon sense and thanks to an unavowee
completely, to receive the 100, 900. 90,
francs of the Mornington legacy.
There is the ignominous truth in
nutshell. 1t is well that it should b,
stated. Let us hope. now that it stand
revealed, that it will influence tn,
future conduct Of events.
AT any rate, it will influenc,
the conduct of the idiot who wrot,
that article" said Lupin, with
grin.
) He dismissed Mile. Lavasseu:
and rang up Major d,Astrigna
on the telephone.
is that you, majori Perenn,
,speaking."
eyes, what is 1T"
Have you read the article il
!. the Echo dc Francei"
Eyes"
!, would it bore you very mucl
to call on that gentleman and asl
for satisfaction in my namef"
"Ohl A duel!"
Its got to be, major. AL thes
sportsmen are wearying me wit
their Mcubrations. They must b
, gagged. This fellow will pay 70
J the rest"
well, Of course, if you're ben
. on it "
!, IT am, very much"
IL. The preliminaries were entere,
upon without delay. The editor Q
the Echo de France declared tina
!, the article had been sent in with
out 9 signature, typewriter, an
that it had been published withou
his knowledge; but he accepte'
flthe entire responsibility.
That same day, at 3 o'clock, Do
Luis Perenna, accompanied b,
Major d'Astrignac, another office
and q doctor, left the house in til
Place de Palais-B Bourbon in his can
and. followed by q taxi cramme'
with the detectives engaged i
watching him, drove to the Par
des Princes.
White waiting for the arrival Q
the adversary, ths Comic d'Astrie
nac took Dos Luis aside.