The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1913-10-25
"Raoui! RaouI,"

We were now all talking at once
on either side OF the wall. Christine
sobbed: she was not sure that she
would find M. dc Chagny alive. The
monster had been terrible. II seemed
had done nothing but rave, waiting
for her to give him the yes" which
she refused. And yet she had prom
ised him that yes" II he would take
her to the torture-chamber, but he
had obstinately declined. and had ut
tered hideous threats against all the
members OF the human race! At last.
after hours and hours of that hell, he
had that moment gone out. leaving
her alone to reflect for the last time.
Hours and hours! What Is the
time now7 What Is the time. Chris
timer"
1T Is eleven o'clock. Eleven O'Clock.
all but FIVE minutes!"
But which eleven o'clock"
The eleven o'clock that Is to de-
eide life or death! lie told
me SO Just before he went {.
He IL terrible. He is quite
mad; he tore on his mask and his
yellow eyes shot flames! lie
did nothing but laugh! He
said. 81 give you fve minutes to spare
your bushes! Here, he said. taking
key from the little bag OF life and
death, here ia the little bronze key
that opens the two ebony caskets on
tho mantelpiece in the Louis. Philippe
room. In one OF the caskets,
you will find scorpion. in the other,
grasshopper. both very cleverly i'm
itated in Japanese bronze; they will
say yes or no for you. II you turn
the scorpion round, that will mean
to me, when l return, that you have
said yes. The grasshopper will mean
no. And he laughed like a drunken
demon. | did nothing but beg and
entreat him to give me the key or the
torture-chamber, promising to be his
wife II he granted me that request
But he told me that there was
no future need for that key and that
he was going to throw 1t into the
lake! :. And he again laughed
like drunken demon and left me-
Oh. his last words were. The grass
hopper! BE careful OF the grasshop-
per. A grasshopper does not only
turn 1t hops! 1t hops! And 1t hops
jolly hight"
The five minutes had nearly elapsed
and the scorpion and the grasshopper
were scratching at my brain. Never
theless. had sufficient lucidity left to
understand that. II the grasshopper
were turned. 1t would hop :.
and with 1t many members OF the hui
man race! There was no doubt but
electric currcpt intended to blow up
the powdermagazine!
NJ. de Ctagny. who seemed to nave
recovered all his moral force from
hearing Christine's voice. explained to
her, IN a few hurried words, tho stu.
aticn in which We and all :he opera
were He told her to turn the scor.
pion at once.
There was a pause.
Christine" ! cried. where are
your
by the scorpion"
Don't touch it,"
The idea had come to- me-for |
knew my Erik--that the monster had |
perhaps deceived the girl once more
Perhaps 1t was the scorpion that
would blow everything up. After all,
why wasn't he there? The five min.
utes were long past and he
was not back. Perhaps he |
had taken shelter and was waiting for
the explosion! $3.50. Why had be |
really expect Christine ever to con.
sent to become his voluntary prey!
Why had he not returned?
Don't touch the scorpion!" said.
Here he comes!" cried Christine.
II hear him, Here he isr'
We heard his steps approaching
the Philippe room. lie came
up to Christine. but did not speak.
Then raised my voice:
Erik! It Is I! Do you know me-"
With extraordinary calmness. he at
once replied:
$50 you are not dead in there?
Well. then. see that you keep quiet"
tried to speak. but he said coldly:
Not word, daroga. or shall blow
up" And he added, The
honor rests with mademoisel.e. i
Mademciseiie had not touched the
deliberately he spoke!
has not touched the
grasshopper"--with that composure!
but 1t Is not too late to do the
right thing. There. open the caskets
without a key. for l am a trap-door
lover and ! open and shut what
please aud as please. open the
little ebony Baskets; mademoiselie.
ook at the little dears inside. Aren't
hey pretty? II you turn tho grass
hopper. mademoiselle. we shall all be
blown UP. There Is enough gun
powder under our feet to blow up a
whole quarter OF Paris. II you turn
he scorpion. mademoiselle. all that
powder will be soaked and drown
10 celebrate our we'd '