The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-02-07

offered no difficulties, Don Luis
Perenra comes of an old Spanish
family which emigrated 80 years
ago, but which retained it's estates
and property in Europe. | knew
Don Luis father in America and
he used to speak of his only SOL
with the greatest affection. 1t was
our legation that informed the son
three years ago Of his father
death. | produce a copy of the
letter sent to Morocco"
and | have the original letter
here, among the documents for.
warded by Don Luis Perenna to
the project of police. Do you,
major, recognize Private Perenna,
who fought under your orders in
the Foreign Legion7
II recognize him." said Comte
d'Astrignac.
Beyond the possibility Of q
mistaken"
Beyond the possibility Of a
mistake and without the least
feeling of hesitation"
The project Of police, with q
laugh, limited:
"You recognize Private Peren-
ma, whom the men, carried away
by a sort Of astounG ID admira.
ton of his exploits, used to call
Arsene Lupin7"
"Yes, Monsieur le ~I'refet,". re.
piled the major sharply, ''the one
whom the men called Arsene Lu.
pin, but whom the officers calld
simply the Hero, the one who we
used to say was as brave as d'Ar
tagnan, as strong as Porthos go
And as mysterious as Monte
Cristo,' said the project of police
laughing. ~ have all this in the
report which | re- eived from the
Fourth regiment of the Foreign
Legion. 1t is not necessary to read
the whole OF it; but it contains the
unprecedented fact that Private
Pcrcnna. in the space Of two years
time, received The military medal,
received the Legion of Honor for
exceptional services, and was men,
toned n times in dispatches.
will pick ont IA detail here and
there
Monsieur lc Prcfct. | beg of
YOU protested Don Luis. These
are trivial matters, Of no interest
to anybody and | do not see the
reason =
There is every reason, on the
contrary" declared NJ. Des-
nations. You gentlemen are here
not only 20 hear a will read, but
also to authorize it's execution Us
regards the only one Of it's clauses
that is to he carried out at once,
the payment of a legacy OF 1000
0O0 francs. 1t is necessary, there
fore, that all Of you should know
what there is to know of the per,
~Sonality Of the le@atee. Conse-
quently, | propose to continue
#%sS
"ln that ease, Monsieur lie Pre-
fct,' said Perenna, rising and
making for the door, you will al
Right about turn. Halt \
Eyes 'front.' commanded Major
d'Astrignac i'll a testing tone.
He dragged Don Luis back to
the middle Of the room and forced
him into a chair.
Monsieur lie Prefet," he said,
81 plead for mercy for my old
comrade in arms, whose modesty
would really be put to too severe a
test if the story of his prowess
were read out in front Of him. Be-
sides. the report is here; and we
can all of us consult it for our,
selves. Without having seen it, !
second every word of praise that
it contains and l declare that, in
the course Of my whole military
career, | have never met a soldier
who could compare with Private
Perenna. And yet | saw plenty of
fine fellows over there, the sort OF
demons whom you only find in the
Legion, and who will get them,
selves cut to bits for the sheer
pleasure Of the thing, for the lark
of it, as they say, just to astonish
one another.
"But not one of them came any.
where near Perenna. The chap
whom we nicknamed d'Artag,
nan, Porthos, and de Busy de.
served to be classed with the most
amazing heroes of legend and his,
tory. / have seen him perform
feats which l should not care ia
relate, for fear of being treated
as an imposter; feats SO improba,
BILE that today, in my calmer mo-
ments, I wonder if I am quite sure
Tint I did see them. One dav. Al