The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-21
Maurice Leblanc

ne sergeant replied to the cues.
uons put to him by producing the
o1aer which the adjutant on duty
mad given him. and which the adj !.
!utant himself had received that morn.
ing IN orderly room. The order
stated that No. company of the
| fourth battalion was to see that the
goods and ehattels deposited NJ tho
Haiieux crossroads. in the Forest
OF Argues. were delivered At three
clock to M. Georges Devanne. the
owner of Thibermesnil Castle. IL
bore the signature Of Colonel Beau
vel.
i found everything ready for Us
at the crossroads" added the ser.
geant. laid out on the grass. under
the charge of any one passing. That
struck me as queer. but. well, sir, the
order was plain enough"
One of the officers examined ne
signature: it was a perfect copy. but
forget.
The band had stopped. The war-
ons were emptied, and the furniture
carried indoors.
In the midst o. this excitement
Nellie Underdown was left standing
alone at one of the terrace, She
was grave and anxious, full of vague
thong ITS, which she did not seek to
formulate. Suddenly she saw Vclmont
coming up to her. She wished to avoid
him. but the corner of the balustrade
that borders the terrace hemmed her
IN on two sides. and 4 row of great
tubs OF shrubs-orange trees, laurels.
and bamboos-left her no other wav
OF escape than that by which Vel.
mont was approaching. She did not
move. A ray of sunlight quivered ON
her golden hair. shaken by the frail
leaves of bamboo plant. She heard
soft voice say:
Il have kept the promise I made
you last night"
Arsene Lupin stood BY her side.
and there was no one else near them.
He repeated. in hesitating attn
tude and timid voice:
i have kept the promise I made
you last night"
He expected word of thanks, =
gesture at least. to prove the interest
which she took in his action. She
was silent.
Her scorn irritated Arsene Lupin.
and at the same time he received =
profound sense of all that separated
! him from Nellie. now that she knew
the. truth. He would have liked to
exonerate himself, to seek excuses, to
show his life in its holder and greater
aspects. But the words Jared upon
him before they were uttered. and he
felt the absurditt and the impertin-
enee of any explanation. Then, over
come by flood of recollections. he
murmured, sadly:
How distant the past seemsi Do
you remember the long hours on the
deck of the Proyence1 All, stay. One
day you had = rose in your hand, a.
you have today. a pale rose. like this
one. / asked you for it: You seemed
not hear. However. when you had
gone below. found the rose. You
had dropped it, no doubt. / have kept
it ever since"
She still made no reply. She seem.
ed very far from him. He continued:
For tie sake of those dear hours.
do not think Of what you know. Let
the past be Joined to the present. Let
me be not the man whom you saw
last night, but your fellow passengeei
on that voyagei Oh. turn your eyes
and let them look At me, il only foeI
q second. rs they looked At me thea.
/ implore you. Ara I not the same
man that was5"
She raised her eyes, ~ he asked,
and looked at him. Then, without q
word. she placed her finger on . ring
which he wore on his right hand.
Only the eirclet was visible. but the
bezel, turned inward. was formed 81
a marvellous ruby.
Arsene Lupin blushed scarlet. The
ring belonged to Georges Devanne.
He gave bitter smile:
"Yc. are right" he said. what hael
been will always be. Arsene Lupin 10
and can lie no one but Arsene Lupiusl
and not even memory can exist bel
tween you and him. Forgive me. II
ought to have understood that my|
very presence near you must SEEM
an outrage"
He made way for her, hat in hand
and Nellie passed before him along
the balustrade. He felt tempted to
hold her back. to beseech her. His
courage failed him, and he followed
her with his eyes. as he had done on
the day long past when she crossed
the gang plan on theif arrival ae