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

ilered no difficulties. Don Luis
Perenna comes of an old Spanisl
family which emigrated 80 years
ago, but which retained it's estate,
and property in Europe. l knew
Don Luis father in America; and
he used to speak of his only sor
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 Legion2
II recognize him. said Comte
d'Astrignac.
Beyond the possibility of a
mistaken"
Beyond the possibility of a
mistake and without the least
feeling Of hesitation"
The project of police. with a
laugh, limited:
You recognize Private Peren-
na, whom the men, carried away
by a sort of astounded admira-
ton of his exploits, used to call
Arsene Lupinq''
Yes, Monsieur lc Prefet,' le-
Piled the major sharply, 1.-THE one
whom the men called Arsene Luz
pin, but whom the officers calld
simply the Hero, the one who we
used to say was as brave as d'Ar-
taglan, as strong Us Porthos 80
And as mysterious as Monte
Cristo, said the project of police
laughing. II have all this in the
report which | received 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
Perenna, in the space OF two years
time, received the military medal,
received the Legion of Honor for
exceptional services, and was mem
toned IA times i'll dispatches, 7
will pick out Il detail here and
There"
Monsieur lie Preiet, | beg of
yoi, protested Don Luis. These
are trivial matters, of no interest
, to anybody and / do not see the
reason q Is =
There is every reason, Oh the
contrary, declared M. Des-
nations. YOU gentlemen arc here
hot only to hear Il will read. but
also to authorize its execution as
regards the only one Of its clauses
that is to be carried out at once,
the payment of a legacy Of l,00O,-
600 francs. 1t is necessary, there
fore, that all of you should know
what there is to know of the per-
sonality of the legatee. Conse-
quentiy, | propose to continue
In that case, Monsieur lie Pre-
fet,' said Perenna, rising and
making for the door, "you will al.
Right about turn! Halt 80
Eyes 'front.'" commanded Major
d'Astrignac in a jesting tone.
He dragged Don Luis back to
the middle of the room and forced
him into a chair.
Monsieur lie Prefet," he said,
~ 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
We're read out in front Of him. Be
sides, the report is here; and we
can all of lis consult it for our
selves. Without having seen it. I
second every word of praise that
it contains and I 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.
aBut 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. I have seen him perform
feats which / should not care to
relate, for fear Of being treated
as an imposter; feats so improba-
BILE that today, in my calmer mo-
ments, I wonder il / am. quite sure
that did go them. One day, at
4 0AAAAk - - S-A.a 49, -.-