FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  
I knew, wouldn't you know?" It was an evasive answer. But he did not insist, resolving to watch her at the opportune time; and he asked her, for he had not yet been told all the details: "Then it's not known what became of Daubrecq?" "No. Of course, one of the Growler's bullets struck him. For, next day, we picked up, in a coppice, a handkerchief covered with blood. Also, it seems that a man was seen at Aumale Station, looking very tired and walking with great difficulty. He took a ticket for Paris, stepped into the first train and that is all..." "He must be seriously wounded," said Lupin, "and he is nursing himself in some safe retreat. Perhaps, also, he considers it wise to lie low for a few weeks and avoid any traps on the part of the police, d'Albufex, you, myself and all his other enemies." He stopped to think and continued: "What has happened at Mortepierre since Daubrecq's escape? Has there been no talk in the neighbourhood?" "No, the rope was removed before daybreak, which proves that Sebastiani or his sons discovered Daubrecq's flight on the same night. Sebastiani was away the whole of the next day." "Yes, he will have informed the marquis. And where is the marquis himself?" "At home. And, from what the Growler has heard, there is nothing suspicious there either." "Are they certain that he has not been inside Daubrecq's house?" "As certain as they can be." "Nor Daubrecq?" "Nor Daubrecq." "Have you seen Prasville?" "Prasville is away on leave. But Chief-inspector Blanchon, who has charge of the case, and the detectives who are guarding the house declare that, in accordance with Prasville's instructions, their watch is not relaxed for a moment, even at night; that one of them, turn and turn about, is always on duty in the study; and that no one, therefore, can have gone in." "So, on principle," Arsene Lupin concluded, "the crystal stopper must still be in Daubrecq's study?" "If it was there before Daubrecq's disappearance, it should be there now." "And on the study-table." "On the study-table? Why do you say that?" "Because I know," said Lupin, who had not forgotten Sebastiani's words. "But you don't know the article in which the stopper is hidden?" "No. But a study-table, a writing-desk, is a limited space. One can explore it in twenty minutes. One can demolish it, if necessary, in ten." The conversation had tired Arsene Lupin a little. As he did not wish t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136  
137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Daubrecq
 

Sebastiani

 

Prasville

 

Arsene

 

stopper

 
Growler
 
marquis
 

Blanchon

 
charge
 

inside


guarding

 

detectives

 
suspicious
 

inspector

 
informed
 

declare

 
concluded
 
writing
 

limited

 

hidden


article

 

Because

 

forgotten

 

explore

 

twenty

 

conversation

 

minutes

 

demolish

 

instructions

 

relaxed


moment

 
disappearance
 

principle

 

crystal

 

accordance

 
enemies
 

covered

 
handkerchief
 

picked

 
coppice

Aumale
 

Station

 
ticket
 
stepped
 

difficulty

 

walking

 
insist
 

resolving

 
opportune
 

answer