The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-09-19
CHAPTER XVI.
Weber Takes His Revenge.

amazed. Florence IeVaSSeur mere .
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
evening!
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 !;
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 2
What have you come fort Why
did you not let me know?'
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 mistaken
The person whom we are expect
ing, about whom l told you, is not
this one. The other is keeping in
the background, as usual. Why
s impossible that Florence LIE
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 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 girl S
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 insoluble mystery to-
her. Her beautiful dark eyes re-
tanned their customary serenity.
She no longer wore her nurse s
uniform; and her gray gown,
very simply cut and devoid Of
ornaments, showed her graceful
figure. She was grave and UNI.
emotional as usual.
M. Destinations said:
Explain yourself, Mademois-
ellie. !"
She answered:
II have nothing to explain,
Monsieur lie Prefet. I have come
to you on an errand which ] am
fulfilling without knowing ex-f
actly what it is about
6 What do you mean? Without
knowing what it is abont?''
!. ST will tell you, Monsieur lie
Prefet. Some one in whom l have
every confidence and for whom i
entertain the greatest respect ask
cd me to hand you certain papers.
They appear to concern the ques-
ton which is the object of your
meeting today.
'''rhe question ef awarding the
bloomington inheritance ~
& Yes. "
s. You know that, if this claim
had not been made in the course
of the present sitting, it would
have had no effect I /;
ss came as as the papers
were handed to- me. 'i
Why were they not handed
to yosl an hour or two earlier 4
4 was not there Il had to
leave the house where / am stay
;iag in a hurry
eiennRs did not doubt that 1t
Mis- lhis M ,tiosi hat lrset