The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-16

iHsSlIPtlOiI Oll ito I'll tilat nv
ment the door OF his cell opened. He
had jun second in which to throw
the cigar into the drawer of the table
and to move away. The warden
came in to tell him that it was time
to, take his exercise.
II was waiting for you, old chapp
cried Lupin, with his unfailing good
humor.
They went cut together Hardly
had they turned the corner of the
passage when two men entered the
cell and began to make a minute
examination. Ono of these was In
spector Dieuzy, the other Inspector
Folenfan..
They wanted to have the matter
settled once ana al. There was
no doubt about it: Arsenc Lupin
vas keeping up correspondence
with the outside world and commit
nicating with his confdants.
Therefore, he was sending letters.
Therefore he was receiving letters.
Therefore, it was certain that he was
preparin~ the escape which he had
so 'arrogantly announced.
The pc siticn was becoming intoler-
able. By arrangement. with the ex-
a1nining magistrate, M. Dudouis
himself, the head of the detective
service, went to the Sante to explain
tine prison governor the measures
which it was thought advisable to
take, and on his arrival he sent two
OF his MEN to the prisoners cell.
The men raised every one of Aae
fagstones, took the bed to pieces, did
all that is usually done in such cases,
and ended by discovering nothing.
They were about to abandon their
search when the warden came run
ming in, and said:
"The drawer look in the
drawer OF the table! 1 thought !
saw Lii shut it whe1 l came in just
now"
They looked, and Dieuzy exe1airn-
ed:
cad, we've caugh. our customer
this timel"
Folenfant stopped him.
Don't do anything. my lad; let the
chief take the inventory"
".Still, this Havana ="
"L.eave it alone, and let US tell the
chief"
Tw minutes later Nj. Dudouis was
exploring the contents OF the drawer.
He found, first, a collection of press
cuttings concerning Arsene Lupin;
next, a tobacco pouc', pipe, and
som. foreign post paper. and, lastly,
two books.
He investigated the tobacco pouch,
the pipe. Then, taking UP the mag
nihcent cigar i'll it golc band:
"By Jovel" he cried, "our friend
does himself we'll A Henry Clay!
With the mechanical movement OF
a smoker he put it to his ear and
cracked it. An exclamation escaped
him. The cigar had given way under
the pressure of his angersl He ex-
amin it more attentively. and soon
| perceived something that showed
| wL4se between the leaves of the to-
bacco. And carefully, with the aid a
pin, he drew out scroll of very
thin paper, no thicker than tooth
| pick. 1t was a note. He unrolled it.
and read the following words. in q
small, female hand:
Maria has taken the others place
Eight out of ten are prepared. On
pressing outside foot. metal panel
moves upward. H. P. will wait from
10 to 16 daily. But where? Reply al
once. Have no fear: your friend is
looking after YOU"
M. Dudouis reflected for a momen,
and said:
That's clear enough. . Maria
partinents. Twelve to sixteen;
that is, from II to a o'clock. ="
But who is H. Pr Who is to wait
III. P. stands for horsepower. Of
course-a motor car"
He rose and asked:
Had the prisoner finished his
1unch1"
"Yes."
"And, as he Las not yet read thi.
message, asfhe condition of the cigar
shows, IT,: chances are that he hae
only just received it."
"By what means"
"How can 1 tell? In his food; in
dc a roll or potato"
That's impossible. He was onl,
permitted to have his meals from thu
outside so that we might trap hin
and we have found nothing"
I'VE will look TO- Lupin's reply
this evening. Meantime keep hin
c of his cell. 1 will take this fe
Monsieur Bowler, the examining
magistrate. If he agrees, we .vil
have the letter photographed at once
and in an hours time you can pu
these other things back in til,
drawer, together with an exactly
similtr cigar containing the origina
message. The prisoner must not b,
allowed to suspect anything"
1t was not without certain curios
ity that M. Dudouis. accompanied b.
Inspector Dieuzy, returned to the Of
of the SantL in the evening. II
corner. on the stove. were thre,
plates.
Has h. had h9 dinner?"
Eyes," replied the governor,