The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-10-24
XVI.
Louis d'Epernay.

LIZ uAhCANA III OaIi III LONh WV
steps backward, but / saw that he was
unarmed and that he realized his help
l~essness. He flung his hands above his
head and stood facing me, surprise
and terror twisting his features into
a grimacing grin.
II have something of Importance to
say to you, monsieur" he began.
II can believe that" I answered. at
is about lie Well Ange, Is 1t not?'
by God, / did not meant swear
to you. monsieur-llsten, monsieur,
one moment only" he stammered.
Lower your pistol. You see that I
am unarmedl"
! lowered It. well, say what you
have to say" / said to him.
"Leroux Is a devilw he burst out.
with no pretended passion. 9" want
you to help me. nj. Hewlett, and I
can help you in a way you do not
~drenm d. M. Hewlett, how much do
you think this seigniory is worth?"
Some hdlf a million dollars. per-
naps."
He came close to me and Kissed into
my ear: Monsieur, there Is more gold
In these rocks han anywhere in the
world! Look herel HereI"
He stopped down and began tossing
pebbles at my feet. But they were
pebbles Of pure gold and each one Of
them was as large a the first joint of
my thumb. And / had misjudged his
courage, ! think, for 1t was avarice
and not fear that made him tremble.
ut is everywhere, monsieur" cried
Lacroix. SIN this stream, in these
hills, too. You can gather a mortar
full Of earth anywhere and 1t will show
color when 1t is washed. We found
this place together"
"You and LerouxY
"Noi / and"
He broke off suddenly and eyed me
with furtive cunning.
"YeS, yes, monsieur, Leroux and I.
And we two worked here together.
with nothing more than picks and
shovels and mortars and pestles. Lee
roux and !. There was nobody else.
1t Is the richest gold deposit In the
world, M. Hewlett, and neither Raoul
nor Jean Petitjean knows the secret
only Leroux and /. One cannot light
upon this place save by a miracle Of
chance, such rs brought you here. God
put this treasure In these hills. and he
did not mean 1t to be found"
I grasped him by the shoulder. "Do
you see what this means?" / shouted.
1T means q glorious life" he cried.
"All the wealth In the world"
"No. It means death" I answered.
att means that IL Leroux succeeds In
killing me he will kill you tool Do
you suppose that he will share his
hoard with your
"No. M. Hewlett" answered Lacroix
quietly. Sand that is precisely what
I wanted to say to you. You r not
q hog like Leroux; / can trust you.
Come with me, monsieur. I don't know
how you got into the wrong passage,
but 1t is s~imple-straight ahead. Come
with mel / will precede you"
I followed him into the darkness,
and very soon heard the sound Of the
cataract again. And then n c more
I was standing at the tunnel entrance.
under a brilliant moon and the chateau
was before me.
4 strobe steadily across the snow
and opened the door in the dark wing,
entered the hall and assembled the
stairway. took the turn to the right
and passed through the little hall. !
heard Leroux's harsh voice within,
and II I stopped outside 1t was not
IN indeclsion but because ! meant to
make sure Of my man this TIME.
II want you, JacQueline." I heard
him say in a voice which betrayed no
throb Of passion. "And ! am going to
have you. I always have my way. ]
am not like that weak fool Hewlett
1T was I sent him away. not you
she cried. do you think he was
afraid Of your
14eroux looked at her in admiration,