Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-02-07


Don Luis, gaily, land this time ]
really will go out! 1 must say you
have a nice way of sparing my
modesty!"
MY dear Perenna," replied
Comte d'Astrignac, ~ always told
you that you had every good quail.
ity and only one fault, which was
that you we're not a Frenchman.'
And | always answered, major,
that l was French on my mothers
side and a Frenchman in heart and
temperament. There are things
which only a Frenchman can do
The two men again gripped each
others hand affectionately.
Come, said the project, eve
Will say no more of your feats OF
prowess, monsieur, nor of this re-
port. | will mention one thing,
however, which is that, after two
years, you fell into an ambush OF
40 Berbers, that you We're cap
tured, and that you did not re.join
the legion until last month"
Just so, Monsieur lie Prefet, in
time to receive my discharge, as
my five years service was up"
But how did Mr.. Cosmo Morn
ington come to mention you in his
will, when, at the time when he
was making it, you had disap-
peared from view for Is months %
"Cosmo and ] used to CORE
spond."
What"
Yes" and l had informed him
of my approaching escape and my
return to Paris"
But how did you manage it?
Where We're your And how did
You find the means?*"*"
Don Luis smiled without an
swering.
Monte Cristo, this time,' said
NJ. Desmalions. "The mysterious
Monte Cristo."
"Monte Cristo, if you like, Mon
sleur lie Prefet. In point of fact,
the mystery Of my captivity and
escape is a rather strange one. 1t
may be interesting to throw some
light upon it one of these days.
Meanwhile, [ must ask for a little
credit"
A silence ensued. M. Desmalions
once more inspected this curious
individual and he could not re-
fraim from saying, as though in
obedience to an association of
ideas for which he himself was I'M
able to account:
"One word more, and one only.
What Were your comrades rcas-
ons for giving you that rather odd
nickname of Arsene Lupin? Was
it just an allusion to your pluck,
to your physical strength"
There was something besides,
Monsieur lie Project: the discov-
ry OF a very curious theft, Of which
certain details, apparently incapa-
bic of explanation, had enabled me
to name the perpetrator."
so you have a gift for that
sort of thing?"
Yes Monsieur lie Prefet. a GER
tain knack which [ had the oppor-
tunity of employing in Africa on
more than nj occasion. Hence
my nickname of Arsene Lupin. 1t
was soon after the death Of the
man himself, you know, and he
was much spoken Of at the time"
"Was it as serious theft?"
1T was rather; and it happened
to be committed upon Cosmo
Mornington, who was then living
in the province of Oran. That was
really what started our relations
There was a fresh silence; and
Don Luis added:
"Poor Cosmo! That incident
gave him an unsuitable conf
dence in my detective talents. HI
was always saying, sPerenna, if I
die murdered'--he had a fixed no
ton in his head that he would
meet with a violent death-sif I
die murdered, swear that you will
pursue the culprit.'"
Ellis presentiment was not JUS
tified,' said the project of police.
"Cosmo Mornington was not muir
dered."
That's where you make a mis-
take. Monsieur 10 Prefet," said
Don Luis.
M. Desma1ions gave a start.
What! What's that7 Cosmo
Mornington--7"
II say that Cosmo Mornington
did not die, as you think, Of a
carelessly administered injection,
but that he died, as he feared he
would, by foul play"
"But, monsieur, your assertion
is based on no evidence what