The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-11-07
CHAPTER XIX.
The Bait That L-ured.

ton OF lie Well Ange, picking my wa!
very carefully, peering into the numer
Gus small caves and assures In th'
wall on either hand. And I was abou
half way through when / saw a shadow
running In front of me and making n,
sound.
1t was Duchaine. There could be M
%mistaking that tall, gaunt figure, JUS
visible against the distant day.
l raced along the tunnel after him
But he seemed TO be endowed with the
speed Of a deer, for he kept his dis
lance easily, and / would never have
caught him had he not stopped for an
instant mt the approach Of the ledge
There, just as he was poising him.
self TO leap, / seized him by the arm,
He did not attempt violence but
gaZed at me with hesitation and pa
thetic doubt.
IN. Duchaine," I pleaded, won't
you come back with me and let us talk
II over? Jacqueline Is with me"
mo, no." he cried, laughing. "You
can't catch me with such a trick as
that. My little daughter has gone to
New York to make our fortunes at M
Days gaming house. She viii be back
soon, loaded down with gold"
"She has come back" / answered.
"She Is not fifty yards away"
with gold?" he inquired, looking at
me doubtfully.
"With gold" / answered, trying to
allure his imagination as LerOux had
done. "She has rich gold, red gold,
such as you will love. You can take
up the coins In your fingers and let
the gold stream slip through them.
Come with. monsieur"
I grasped him by the arm and tried
to lead him with me. My argument
had moved him. ] thought l had won.
But just as I started back into the
tunnel, holding the arm Of the old
man, who fingered reluctantly and yet
began to yield, a pebble leaped from
the rocky platform and rebounded
from the cliff. I cast a backward
glance. and there upon the opposite
side | saw Leroux standing.
"Bonjour. M. HEWLETT |" he called
across the chasm. Don't be afraid of
me any more than I am afraid Of you.
Just walt q moment. I want to talk
business"
II have no business to talk with
you," I answered.
"But I did not say 1t was with you,
monsieur" he answered In sneering
tones. at is with our friend Duchaine.
Hola, Duchaine !"
At the sound Of Leroux's voice the
old man Strengthened himself and be-
gan muttering and looking from the
one to the other Of us ~undecidedly.
Suddenly I saw him turn his head
and fix his eyes upon Leroux. He
craned his neck forward; and then.
very slowly, he began to walk toward
his prosecutor. l Grained my neck.
Leroux al holding out-the rou-
wheel!
Some along, Charles, my friend"
he cried. "Come, let us try our for
Don't you want to stake some
money upon your system against me?"
The old figure had leaped forward
the ledge, and In a moment Lee
r0ux had grasped him and pulled him
Into the tunnel.
/ fastened back to Jacqueline and
her In the passage just
where the light and darkness blended,
standing with arms stretched out
against the wall to steady herself; and
in her eyes was that look which tells
q man more surely than anything, i
think. can, that q woman loves him.
"Oh, I thought you were dead" she
sobbed. and fell into my arms.
/ he'd her tightly to support her.
and I led her back to the gold cave.
In a few words ! explained what had
occurred.
SNOW JacQueline. you must let me
guide you," i said. Don't you see that
there Is ne chance for us unless we
leave your father for the present
where he Is and make u own escape2
We can reach Pere Antoine's cabin
500 after midday. and we can tell
him your father is q prisoner here. He
would not come with us. Jacqueline,
even II he were here"
She did not respond. 1t was the
safety of us two and her fathers life
assured, against a miserable fate for
her, and I knew not what for me,
though ! thought Leroux would give
little shrift once I was In his power
again.
She was so silent that / thought I
had convinced her. / urged her to her
feet. But suddenly / heard q stealthy
football close at hand, between the
cave and the cataract.
/ thought 1t was Charles Duchaine.
/ hoped 1t was Leroux. / placed my
dnger on Jacqueline's lips and crept
ytealthily to the passage, revolver In
hand.
Then. in the gloom. I saw the villain
Gus face Of Jean Petitjean looking into
mine. twelve PAGES away. and In his
hn ia was q revolver too.
We Ared together. But the gdyprise
his aim. for his bullet whis-
$500 ma Y think nv nhOt nfvnrk