Arsene Lupin

g with the bric-a-brac on the cabinets, shifting the pieces about, interrupting Sonia to ask whether she preferred this arrangement or that, throwing herself into

ne asked her whether she should wear her heliotrope or her pink gown at a forthcoming dinner at Madame de Relzieres'. Five times Sonia said, wit

pened, and Alfred st

e called to see yo

Du Buits," cr

give their

ime of life and a youn

, mi

t so. Sho

ders for me to give Victoire wh

you start

Paris; we shall only reach it at nine in the morning. That will give us just time to

rything

taken the heavy luggage to the station. All

M. du Buit and his bro

and disposed herself in an attitude of

ck against the tall back of the chair, her e

this?" she crie

without raising her eyes from t

the panes has been taken out. I

the fastening," said Sonia. And

ticed it before

s must have fallen o

ay from meeting the eyes of any other human being. Behind him came a slim young man, dark and grave. For all the difference in their colouring, it was clear that they were father and son: their eyes were set so close together. The son se

air of some surprise and uncertainty: t

Charolais, young ladies-M. Charolais-retired brewer-chevalier of the Legion of Honour-landowner at Rennes. Let me i

tea for them?"

her breath; then, louder, she said to M. Cha

ng any meeting with hers. "The footman told us that M. Gournay-Martin was out, but that his daughter was at home. And we were

n aback, looked at one a

teau, papa!" sai

" said M. Charolais, looking round the

was a

ateau, young ladies,

at is it you have calle

l, we've come about the advertisement we saw in the RENNES ADVERTISER, that M. Gournay-Martin wanted to get rid of a motor-ca

t's not for sale. My father is even u

we saw in the stable-y

es rushing hills, as you say, we have a hundred horse-power car which my father wants t

n the search for the photograph. They had barely turned their backs, when the hand of young Charolais shot out as swiftly as the tongue

nothing else, yet, without moving a muscle of his face, set in its perpetual

n scowled as

t it back!" hi

ith the same quickness, and th

Charolais, as Germaine turned and came to him wi

pince-nez. "A hundred horse-power car. Well, well, this is

Germaine. "You must see my father. He will be back fro

ow, and come back presently. I'm sorry to have intrud

t all," murmured

lais; and he and his son went to t

they do buy the hundred horse-power, papa will be awfully pleased. It is odd about that pane. I wonder how it happen

come either," said Sonia.

are you wasting your time for?" she added sharply, raising her v

rly finished

et on with them, can't

cheeks marked her sense of Germaine's rudeness. After three years as companion to Germaine Gourn

chair for twenty secon

. "Jacques is late. It's the fir

he chateau, set on the very crown of the ridge, looked down. The road, running with the irritatin

tom the Duke does not care very much for the Baron de Relzieres. They always look as though the

is concerned-he's-he's so indifferent. None the less, when we were at th

arply, with a sudden uneasin

ey said good-bye to one a

ey shook hands

bowed as if each of the

rting up with a frightened air;

ne, a little startled by

ur de Relzieres'

't think it wa

the Duke's manner this morning-

quite possible-in fact it

ider-just consider! Suppose somethin

" cried Germaine proudly, with a li

ear had chilled the lustre from her skin; her breath panted through her

e fighting a duel about her was far beyond the wildest dreams of snobbishness.

le swordsman-you said so yourself," Sonia muttered in a t

o her eyes as if to shu

as staring at herself in a mirro

which must come the tidings of weal or irremediable woe. She

forward, rigid, all her being c

Mademoiselle Germ

id Germaine, com

e!" said Sonia, waving

he galloping!"

's the Duke!

so?" said Germ

re of i

f extreme satisfaction. "He knows that I hate to be kept waiting. He

o go all the way round the park. There's

coming in a straight

he meadows straight for the brook. In twenty seconds he reached its tr

"My father gave three hund