The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-09-19
CHAPTER XVI.
LIZ IIt L.
Weber Takes His Revenge.

Florence, whom he had left in the
train under Mazeroux's super
vision and for whom it was ply.
sically impossible to be back in
Paris before eight o'clock in the
tevening!
Then, despite his bewilderment,
he at once understood. Florence,
knowing that she was being fol
lowed, had drawn them after her
to the Care Saint-Lazare and
simply walked through the rail
way carriage, getting out on the
other platform, while the worthy
Mazeroux went on in the train to
keep his eye on the traveller who
was not there.
But suddenly the full horror of
the situation struck him. Florence
was here to claim the Inheritance f;
and her claim, as he himself had
said, was a proof Of the most ter
rible guilt.
Acting on an irresistible i'm
pulse, Don Luis leaped to the
girl s side, seized her by the arm
and said, with almost malevolent
force:
"What are you doing here
What have you come fort Why
did you not let me knowf'
M. Desmalions stepped between
them. But Don Luis, without let
ting go Of the girls arm, ex-
claimed: =
"Oh, Monsieur lie Prefet, don't
you see that this is all a mistake
The person whom we r expect
ing, about whom l told you, is not
this one. The other is keeping in
the background, as usual. Why
it's impossible that Florence Lee
vasseur -
Il have no preconceived opin-
ion on the subject of this young
lady" said the Project of Police,
in an authoritative voice. "But
it is my duty to question her
about the circumstances that
brought her here; and l shall GER
tainly do so."
He released the girl from Don
Luis's grasp and made her take
a seat. He himself sat down at
his desk; and it was easy to see
how great an impression the girls
presence made upon him. 1t af-
forded so to speak an illustration
Of Don Luis's argument.
The appearance on the scene OF
a new person, laying claim to the
inheritance, was undeniably, to
any logical mind, the appearance
on the scene Of a criminal who
herelf brought with her the
proofs of her crimes. Don Luis
felt this clearly and, from that
moment, did not take his eyes off
the Project of Police.
Florence looked at them by
turns as though the whole thing
was the most insolublc mystery to
her. Her beautiful dark eyes re-
tanned their customary serenity.
She no longer wore her nurses
uniform and her gray gown,
very simply cut and devoid Of
ornaments, showed her graceful
figure. She was grave and un-
emotional as usual.
NJ. DesmaliOns said:
Explain yourself, Mademois-
elle."
She answered:
II have nothing to explain,
Monsieur lie Prefet. / have come
TO you on an errand which / am
fulfilling without knowing ex-
actly what it is about"
what do you mean? Without
knowing what it is about?'
II will tell you, Monsieur lie
Prefet. Some one in whom | have
every confidence and for whom l
entertain the greatest respect ask
ed me to hand you certain papers.
They appear to concern the ques-
ton which is the object of your
meeting today
"'TLc -uestioa &C awarding IT,"
Mornington inheritance!'
Yes
"You know that, if this claim
had not been made in the course
of the present sitting, it would
have had no effect'"
II came as soon as the papers
were handed to me-
why were they not handed
to you an hour or two earlier9'
II was not, there. ! had to
leave the house where | am stay
ing, in n hurry
PerenDa did, NOT doubt that it
was his intervention that upset
the enemy's plans by causing
Florence to take to flight.
The Project continued:
80 you are ignorant Of the