The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-23

by no danger. Then why was his heart
beating like mad bull? Was it that
sleeping woman that impressed him.
that life so close to his own?
He listened, and seemed to distin-
guish rhythmical breathing. He felt
treasured. as though by friendly
presence.
He found his way to the chair, and
then. with little, imperceptible move
ments. crept toward the table, cropping
in the darkness with his outstretched
arm. His right hand touched one of
the lags of the table.
At lastl He had only to rise to his
feet, take the black pearl, and go. 1t
was as we'll, for his heart was again
beginning to thump in his chest like
a terrified animal, and SO noisily that
it seemed impossible that the countess
should not wake.
He quoted it with a violent effort
of will; but just as he was trying to
rise his left hand struck against an
object lying on the carpet, which he
at once recognized as candlestiek-
an overturned candlestick; and at the
same moment another object offered
to his touch; a clock-one of those
little travelling clocks in a leather
case.
What did it all mean? What had
happened? He could not understand.
The clock, the candlestick? Why were
they not in their usual places? Oh,
what was happening in the frightful
darkness?
And suddenly a cry escaped him.
He had touched oh, such strange,
nameless thing! But no, no, fear must
be affecting his brainl For twenty Sec
onds, for thirty seconds, he lay mo-
tionle:;, terror struck, with his tenn
pies bathed in perspiration. And his
finger; retained the sensation of that
touch.
With a relentless effort he put out
his arm again. His hand once more
grasped the thing-the strange, name
less ing. He felt it. He insisted that
his hand should feel it and take stock
of it. 1t was head of hair, face
and the face was cold-almost icy
cold.
However terrifying a reality may
be, man like Arsene Lupin masters
it as soon as he is aware of it. Quick
ly he pressed the spring of his
lamp. A woman lay before him cover
ed with blood. Her neck and shout
ders were dishgured by hideous
wounds. He stopped over her and ex-
amined her. She was dead.
Dead dead" he repeated, in his
bewilderment.
And he looked at those staring eyes.
that grinning mouth, that livid flesh,
and that blocd-all that blood, which
had flowed upon the carpet, and was
now congealing, thick and black.
He rose and switched on the cleo
trio light. He now saw that the room
was filled with signs of a desperate
struggle. The bed was entirely disor-
dered, the sheets and blankets torn
away. On the floor lay the candlestick,
the clock (the hands pointed to TWEEN
ty minutes past eleven), and, farther
off, an overturned chair and blood on
every side-blood in pools and
splashes.
"And the black pearl?" he muttered.
The box of stationery was in its
place. He opened it hurriedly. 1t con-
tanned the jewel case. But the case
was empty.
1.-THE DEVIL" he said. "You boosted
of your luck bit too soon, my friend
Arsene Lupin. The countess murder
ed, the black pearl gone. 1 can't con-
graduate you on the positioni We
must be off, or you will have heavy
responsibility on your shoulders"
Nevertheless. he did not stir.
"Be off? Yes, another would be off.
But Arscne Lupin 2. Is there nothing
better to be done? Come, let us pro-
coed by order. After all, your con-
science is easy. Suppose that you
were police commissary, and had
to make an inquiry? Yes, but for that
we should need a clearer brain. And
mine is in such stated"
He fell into chair, pressing his
clinched fists against his burning
Torch cad.
The murder in the Avenue Hoche is
one of the most puzzling of recent
years, and I should never have been
able to tel. the story if the part play
ed in it by Arsene Lupin had not
thrown a special light upon it. There
are few who suspect the nature OF
this part. In any case, no one knows
the enact and curious facts.
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