Arsene Lupin

ndale bureau, took a cigarette from a box which stood on the ledge of it, beside the morocco case which held the pendant, lighted it, and went slowly out on to the

om which rose the slender column of a pattering fountain. The figure of a Cupid danced joyously on a tall pedestal to the right of the basin. The Duke sat down on the bench, and was still, with that rare stillness which only comes of nerves in perfect harmony, his brow knitted in careful thought. Now and again the frown cleared from his face, and his

a group which stood at the further corner, near the en

er owing to the extreme whiteness of the whiskers which stuck out on either side of his vast expanse of cheek. As he came up, it struck the Duke as rather odd tha

a man who has cultivated the art of brow-beating those with whom he

or leave it. You can say Yes, or you can s

said M. Charolais,

e any one else sell a hundred horse-power car for eigh

tested M. Cha

g you have a magnificent car for which I paid thirteen hundred pound

rotested M.

t of his life by the ve

seen how it goes," s

s very dear," sa

t's what you are. But don't say an

on his brown face, and said: "Now, Jean, take these gentlemen to the garage, and run them

harolais, you're too good a man of business for me. You're hot stuff, that

something of the air of whipped dogs. When they had gone round the corner the millionaire

d surprise me," said the Duke blan

flowed over the distended skin of his face like little ripples over a st

, and it's not worth a pipe of tobacco. And eight hundred pounds is just the pric

o of them. They made but a small oasis of light in a desert of dim hall. The millionaire let himself down very

don't ask me the result of my offici

ews?" said the

self decorated. I hope you feel a happy man," said the millionai

" said the Duke, with

ing decorated. After that, and after a volume or two of travels, and after you've published

ed from his usual coolness. "But I'v

naire solemnly; and his little e

t," said the Duke, watching

hand with his bigger right. "I've no prejudices-not I. I wish to have for son-in-law a duke who wears the Orde

essible laugh br

e millionaire, and a sudden lowerin

he Duke quietly. "Only yo

iness, and I love art, pictures, a good bargain, bric-a-brac, fine tapestry. They're first-class investments. Yes, certainly I do love the beau

your collection in Paris, prove i

I have-the coronet of the Princesse de La

little wearily. "I don't wonder

creaked as the mi

e!" he roared. "Don't me

is letter," said the

roared the millionaire. "I was in this very hall where we are now, chat

. Firmin came clumping down the room, and sai

s into his eye, he went on, "Yes, Firmin brought me a letter of which the handwritin

ke, jumping in his chair at the

WRITING!" gasped the millionaire. And he let himself

s waving in the air as the chair-back gave. There was another

of the waving arms, and jerked the flabby giant to his feet wi

his is nonsense! What do you mean b

mistake about it?" spluttered the millionaire. An

ey grew larger and larger-they

he said

AR

rs go, one Velasquez, one Rembrandt, and three paltry Rubens. You have a great many more. Since it is a shame such masterpieces should be

very si

NE LU

gging," sai

e millionaire. "There's

e Princesse de Lamballe during these three years, I shall avail myself of th

m choking!" gasped the millio

staggered and dropped on to a couch, which was fortuna

he Duke. "A glass of water!

re, who gasped: "Telephone! Telephone

n from its case hanging on the wall, and fanned him furiously. Fi

nd Germaine and Sonia, alarmed

melling-salts!

-salts in her hand. The Duke took it from her, and applied it to the millionaire's nose. The millionaire sneezed thrice with terrific vi

ring helplessly at

the matter

said the Duke. "A

pin was in the neighbourhood,

agging himself upright. He seemed to have recover

gamekeeper by the shoulde

id it come from? Who

t the bottom of the park. My wife found it there," said

ire, with an air of desperation. "It's exactly the sa

his hair; then, rememberin

head," said the Duke, with quiet fir

illionaire. "Was it a

this robbery with which you're threa

id the mi

-Sunday, September the third. T

t of it?" said

espectful acquisition of them in your Paris

morning'-what of it?

oax, and we needn't bother about it; or the threat i

hinking of?" said the millionaire. A

ndness for warning people will have gi

at the telephone,"

ne's no good," s

millionaire, dashing heav

; "the telephone doesn't work

onaire st

t's appalling

er. You can always tel

You can't get a message through. It's Sunday; a

telephone, and mopped the beads of anguish from his brow. They looked at him, and they looked at

uke. "There must be some

said the m

retired to be out of the reach of his excited master, with a look of perplexity on his stolid face. They all watched the Duke with the air of people waiting for an oracle to deliver its message. The millionaire kept mopping the beads of anguish from h

the Duke at last. "

lionaire, rising and comin

said the Duke, pu

a silver turnip. There was a brisk dispute between Germaine and the millionaire about which of their watches was right. Firmin, whose watch apparently did

is. I ought to get there, bar accidents, between two and three in the morning, just in time to inform th

e rushed out

h me. I couldn't wait idly here, to save my life. And I can't leave you here, either. This scoundrel may be going to make a simultaneous attempt on the chateau-not that there's much here that I really value. There's that st

fore the servants," said Germaine pettishly. "Think

eady. Your bag ought to be packed. Where are my keys?

the bureau,"

and tell Jean that we shall want both cars. I will drive one, the

t of the hall, driving