The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1919-07-05


the tunnel. But. when he had scram-
bled to his feet with a'bellowing chal-
Ienge. Pierre was In front Of him
again.
"What are you here fort" roared
Leroux. but In quavering voice that
did not sound like his own. "Get out
of the way or I'll smash your facet"
The Indian still blocked the passage.
"Your time come now. Simon. All fin
ish now" he answered.
'sYou come here one, two year ago."
Pierre continued. "You eat UP home
OF M. Duchaine. my master. Old M.
DuchaIne my master. too. belong
here. You eat up nll. come back. eat
up some more. Then you sell Mile.
Jacqueline 10 Louis d'Epernay. You
made her run way to New York.
ask your dlable when your time come.
Your dIable he say walt. Iwnit. Mile.
Jacqueline come back. ! ask your
dlable again. He say walt some more.
Now your diable tell me he send you
here tonight because your time come.
and all finish now
The face that Simon turned on me
was not In the least like his own. II
was that OF hopeless man who knows
that everything he had priced Is lost.
He had never covered before anyone
in his life, / think. but he covered
now before Pierre Caribou.
Then roar burst from Leroux's
lips. and he flung himself upon the In
dian In the same desperate way as I
had experienced, and in an instant the
two men were struggling at the edge
OF the platform.
They bent and swayed. and now
Leroux was forcing Pierre's head and
shoulders backward by the weight of
his bulls body. But the Indians
slnews. toughened by years OF toll TO
steel. held fast: and Just as Leroux.
confident of victory. shifted his feet
and inclined forward. Pierre changed
his grasp and caught him by the
throat.
Leroux's face blackened and his eyes
started out. His. great chest heaved,
and he tore impotently at his enemy's
strong fingers that were shutting out
air and light and consciousness. They
rocked and swayed; then. with last
convulsive effort. Leroux swung Pierre
Off his feet. raised him high In the air,
and tried to dash his body against the
projecting rock at the tunnels mouth.
But still the Indians fingers held.
and as his consciousness began TO fade
Leroux staggered and slipped; and
with a neighing whine that burst from
his CONSTRUCTED throat a shrek that
pierced the torrents roar. he slid down
the cataract, Pierre locked In his arms
cried out In horror. but leaned for
wnrd, fascinated by the dreadful spec
tncle. saw the bodies glide down the
straight Jet OF water, as n boy might
slide down column OF steel, and
plunge into the black caldron beneath.
around whose edge stood the hooking
and fantastic figures of ice. The seeth-
ing lake tossed them high into the
air, and the second cataract caught
them and flung them back toward the
Old Angel.
At last they slid down into the
depths of the dark lake. to lie forever
there In that embrace. And still the
cataracts played on, sounding their
loud. triumphant. never-ending tune.
was running down the tunnel again.
I was running to Jacquellne. but
something diverted me. 1t was the
face OF Lacroix. peering at me from
among the creyices Of the rocks with
the same evil smile. knew from the
look on II that he had seen all and had
been Infinitely pleased thereby.
i caught at him; ! wanted TO get my
hands on him and strangle him, too,
and fling him down. and stamp his
features out of human semblance. But
he eluded me and darted back into
the cliff.
] caught him near the entrance and
held him fast.
He struggled in my grasp and
screamed.
'Tet me gof" he howled. "Ah. you
Will repent III Monsieur. let me gol
j will give you half-share In the gold.
What do you want with meT
What did want? ! did not know.
1t must have been the same instinct
that leads one to stamp upon a noxi-
Gus insect. think II was his Joy In
the hideous spectacle beneath the cata-
ract that had made me long 10 kill
him.
But now dreadful fear was dawn
Ing on me.
"JacquelIne screamed.
IT have not seen her." he replied.
"Now let me col All. mon Dieu, will
you never let me goi II Is too latei"
Suddenly he grew calm.
ut Is too late" he said In a monot-
onous voice. "you have killed both OF
usr"
And. with the sweat still on his fore
head. he stood looking maliciously AT
me.
III you had let me co." he said.
"you would have died Just as you are
going 10 die"