The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-11-21
(CHA,TEA TwENTY-Continucd.)

tohN p''t'O III SuNh Il way ahot
your body will not even be in
sight, il any one should dream
OF co"!ng here to look for you,
or else it VIII be partly visible, in
which case | shall at once cut and
destroy the cords with which you
are tied.
What viii the law think then?
Simply that Florence Levasseur,
Il fugitive from justice, hid her
self III Il grctto which fell upon
her and crushed her. That's all.
A few prayers for the rash crea-
turr $ soul, and not another word.
AS Tor me--as for me, when
my work is done aud my sweet
heart dcad--I shall pack my
traps, carrfuily remove all the
tracrs OF my coming, smooth ev-
cry inch Of the trampled grass,
iulnr alto my motor car, sham
DEATH for a little while, and then
put in n sensational claim for the
hundred millions"
He COVE a little chucBlc, took
two OF three puffa al lis cigaret,
and added, calmly:
II shall claim the hundred mil
lions and | shall get them. That's
The prettiest part of it. / shall
claim them because I'm entitled
to them; and | explained to you
just now, before Master Lupin
came interfering, how, from the
moment that you were dead, ]
had the most undeniable legal
right to them. And I shall get
them, because it is physically i'm
possible to bring up the least sort
OF proof against me-
He moved closer.
There's not a charge that can
hurt me. Suspicious, yes, moral
prescriptions, clues, anything
you like, but not a scrap of ma
tcrial evidence. No body knows
me. One person has seen me as
q tall man, another as a short
man. My very name is unknown.
All my murders have been COM
mitted anonymously. All my muir
ders arc more like suicides, or can
be explained as suicides.
Il tell you the law is power
less. With Lupin dead, and Flor
ence Levasseur dead, there's no
one TO bear witness against me.
Even IL they arrested me, they
would have to discharge me in the
end for lack of evidence. l shall
be branded, execrated, hated, and
cursed; my name will stink in
peoples nostrils, as if I we're the
greatest of malefactors. But 1
shall possess the friendship Of all
decent men!
IL tell you again, with Lupin
and you gone, it's all over.
There's nothing left, nothing but
some papers and a few little
things which | have been weak
enough to keep until now in this
po%ckctbOok here, and which
would be enough and more than
enough to cost me my head, if
/ did not intend to burn them in
a few minutes and send the ashes
to the bottom of the well.
$50 you see, Florence, all my
measures are taken. You need
not hope for compassion from me,
nor for help from anywhere else,
since no one knows where l have
brought you, and Arsene Lupin
is no longer alive. Under these
conditions, Florence, make your
choice. The ending is in your
own hands: either you die,
absolutely and irrevocably, or
yon accept my love-"
There was q moment of silence,
then:
Answer me yes or no. A
rinvcment Of your head will de-
eide your fate. If it's no, you
die. II it's yes, / shall release
yon We will go from here and,
when your innocence is
pr"Ycd-~and III see to that--you
shalt become my wife. Is the
yes. F1orencee"
He put the question to her with
read anxiety and with a. re-
strained passion that set his voice
troubling. Hi1 knees dragged
over the Tlagstones. He begged
aud threatened, hnngering to be
entreated and, at the same time,
great was his natural murderous
impulse.
is it yes, Florcncei A nod,
tile least little nod, and ! shall be-
you implicitly, for you never
liz and your promise is sacred. Is
il. yes. Florence! Oh, Florence,
answer me, 1t is madness to hes
itstfsa44Ypnr life depends on a