Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-06-07
CHAPTER xl.-tcOntInued.l

ana ye nave " phOPOSN
"a plan after your own heart; DO
-FOUR courage the credit to believe IT,
monsieur. With another man, whom
had studied less exhaustively.
should propose combination OF
forces. division of profits" ORourke
made an impatient gesture But with
you Colonel O'Rourke. no. J esteem
your address and determination too
highly and-pardon me If ] speak
plainly despise and hate you too
utterly to become willingly your part
ner"
Go on begin to like We better.
Ye grow interesting.
THAT does not interest me.
The situation, then, is simplifed. Es-
gentially II involves two propositions:
hrst. we cannot combine; second, d.
yided we both fail. While both OF us
live. mon colonel, the Pool of Flame
will never earn its value"
TITS meself takes exception to
that. Let me once get me hands on
the stone. monsieur. and III back me-
self against dozen vicomtes-and
honorables.
While i've" the Frenchman stat
ed. unrufIled; you will not touch the
Pool of Flame; while you live -an-
not dispose of 1t to the best ad-
vantage. 1t would seem that one or
the other of us must die"
Il am armed" remarked O'Rourke
slowly. If We mean we've brought me
here to murder me-"
Monsieur speaks-pardon--cr crude
Iy. | asked you. you came of your
own will--to fight for the Pool of
Flame" O'Rourke started; CLINT OF
understanding danced In his eager
eyes. Il see you catch my meaning.
What ] have to propose is this: you
will take pen and paper and write
the name Of the person who offers the
reward. with his address. This you
VIII enclose in an envelope. seal. and
place In your pocket The Pool OF
Flame-you see trust you-is here
O'Rourke got upon his feet with an
exclamation: the vicomte was play
Ing bold hand. Before the freshman
had grasped his intention he had
thrown upon the table a ruby as large
or larger, than an egg; an exquisite
Jewel. superbly cut and polished
Fascinated. O'Rourke remembered
himself and sat down
You see" The vicomte's cold In
cisive tones cut the silence Slowly
he extended a hand and took up the
great ruby. replacing it in his pocket
There is he said evenly. Level
stretch of grass, beyond the veranda
The night. admit. is dark, but the
light from these long windows should
be sufficient for US. II you STAY me
take the ruby and go In peace: this
Bot"-with a contemptuous glance nj
the unconscious honorable-"will nov
er hinder you. If you die. take the
note from your pocket The Issue 4.
fair VIII you fight, Irishman?"
O'Rourke's fist crashed upon II.
table as he rose. Fight" he cried
Faith. did not think We had this II
ye Pistols. shall it he?"
Thank you," said the vicomte. Will
courtly bow, but / am an indiffer
ent shot Had you chosen rapIers a
Monte Carlo one Of us would neye
have left the field alive"
He went to side table. returnini
with sheet of paper, an envelope
pen and ink. And when O'Rourke ha,
slipped the paper into his pocket h
saw the yicomte waiting for him b
one OF the windows. two naked RI
piers. slender and cleaning and Ions
beneath his arm AS the Irishma
came up. with bow. the Frenchma
presented the hilts of both weapon
Tor his choice
Together and in silence they lei
the dining room. strobe across the We