The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-10-10
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Continued,

And then-and then, even sup
posing that all the chances were
favorable, was it not too late !?
Taking for granted that they
hunted down the wild beast, that
they drove him to bay, would he
mot meanwhile have killed his
prey9 Knowing himself beaten,
would a monster of that kind hes
atate to add one more murder to
the long list of his crimesg
And this, to Don Luis, was the
browning terror. After all the
difficulties which, in his stub
ibornly confident imagination, he
had managed to surmount, he was
brought face to face with the hor-
lrible vision of Florence being sec
Eificcd, of Florence dead!
ooh, the torture of it - he
stammered. | alone could have
succeeded; and they shut me
npp'
He hardly put himself out to
inquire into the reasons for which
M. Desmalions, suddenly chang
ing his mind, had consented to his
arrest, thus bringing back to life
that troublesome Arscne Lupin
with whom the police had not
hitherto cared to hamper them
selves. No, that did not interest
him. Florence alone mattered.
And the minutes passed; and each
minute wasted brought Florence
nearer to her doom.
He remembered similar oc-
cassion when, some years before.
NE waited in the same way for the
door of his cell to open and the
German Emperor to appear. But
how much greater was the sol
aemnity Of the present moment!
Before, it was at the very most
his liberty that was at stake. This
time it was Florence's life which
fate was about to offer or refuse
him.
St. Florence Norence!'' he kept
repeating IN his despair.
He no longer had a doubt of
her innocence. Nor did he doubt
that the other loved her and had
carried her off NOT so much for
the hostage Of coyerted fortune
AS for love spoil, which man
destroys if he cannot keep it.
Florence! Florence!'
He was suffering from an ex-
fraordinary fit Of depression. His
defeat seemed irretrievable. There
was no question Of Fastening
after Florence, Of catching the
murderer. Don Luis was in pris-
on under hi own name Of
Arsene Lupin; and the whole
problem lay i'll knowing how long
he would remain there, for
months or for years
IT was then that he fully real
lied what lis love for Florence
meant. He perceived that it took
the place in his life ofrhis former
passions, his craving for luxury,
his desire for mastery, his pleas
are in fighting, his ambition, his
revenge For two months he had
been struggling to win her and
for nothing else. The search after
the truth and the punishment of
the criminal were to him no more
than means of saving Florence
from the dangers that threatened
her.
IL Florence had TO die, if it was
too late to snatch her from the
enemy IN that case he might as
well remain in prison. Arsene
I4upin spending the rest Of his
DAYS ii a convict settlement was
q fitting end % the spoilt life ofs
q man who had not even been able
tosWin the love- Of the only woman
he Ind really loved.
n MAS q passing mood and. be-
tptaliy opposed to- Don Hllis 81
il,ss 1lIl3sned abruptly III III u
state of ntt conf dc iHi which
nj longer admitted the least par
ticlc Of anxiet ~ doubt The
sun had risen The cell gradual
ly becaiise 81 wiit til daylight.
And Don Luis ren enlbcrcd that
cfl rS he'd his office on
q ass Raanveau at o'clock
Ilsi morning