Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-11-21
THE
TEETH OF THE TIGER
MAURICE LEBLANC
TRANSLATED BY
EIXElRA DE MATTOS

over the flagstones. He begged
and threatened, hungering to be
cntreated and, at the same time,
great was his natural murderous
impulse.
lis it yes, Florence? A nod,
the least little nod, and l shall be-
lieve you implicitly, for you never
lie and your promise is sacred. Is
it yes, Florence? Oh, Florence,
answer me! 1t is madness to hes
itate. Your life depends on a
fresh outburst Of my anger. Ans.
wer me-! Here, look, my cigaret
is out. I'm throwing it away,
Florence. A sign of your head
Is the answer yes or no?"
He bent over ner and shook he1
by the shoulders us if to force he1
to make the sign which he asked
for. But suddenly seized with
a sort of frenzy, he rose to his
feet and exclaimed:
"She's crying! She's crying
She dares to weep! But, wretched
girl, do you think that | don't
know what you're crying for9
know your secret, pretty one, and
II know that your tears do not
come from any fear of dying.
Youi Why, you fear nothing
No, it's something else! Shall
tell you your %secretf Oh, l can't,
| can't though the words scorch
by lips. Oh, cursed woman, you We
brought it on yourself! You
yourself want to die, Florence, as
you're crying-you yourself want
to die"
While he was speaking he hast.
ened to get to work and prepare
the horrible tragedy. The leather
pocketbook which he had, men.
toned as containing the papers
was lying on the ground; he put
it in hil pocket. Then, still trem
bling, he pulled off his jacket an6
threw it on the nearest bush
Next, he took up the pickaxe anc
climbed the lower stones, stamp
ing with rage and shouting:
"1t's you who have asked tt
die, Florence! Nothing can pre-
vent it now. It's too lateL You
asked for it and you've got it
All, you re crying! You dare tt
cry! What madness!"
He was standing almost above
the grotto, on tie right. HI.
anger made him draw himself tt
his full height. He looked terri
bic, hideous, atrocious. His eye.
filled with blood as he inserted
the bar of the pickaxe between
the two blocks of granite, at the
spot where the brick was wedgec
In. Then, standing on one side
in : place of safety, he struck the
brick, struck it again. At the
third stroke the bric.. flew out.
What happened was so sudden
the pyramid Of stones and rub
bish came crashing with sucf
violence into the hollow of the
!grotto and in front of the grotto
that the cripple himself, in spite
lot his precautions, was dragged
down by the avalanche ane
thrown upon the grass. It wa,
mot o serious fall, however, ane
he picked himself: up at once
fstammcring:
Florence Forence!"
] : Though he had SO CAREFUL,
prepared the catastrophe, ane
brought it about with such deter
!mination, its results seemed sud
denly to stagger him. He hunted
for the girl with terrified eyes
He stopped down and crawlet
round tho chaos shrouded il
clouds Of dust. He looked
Through the interstices. He saw
nothing.
Ference was buried under tn,
ruins, dead, incisible, as he ha,
anticipated.
sDcad!'' he said, with starinl
lges and q look Of stupor on hi
'Ifscd. bead! Florence is dead!'
Once again he lapsed into
EIAakl - ohan1,nAn ~--.x-AA:s.