The Dermott news., 1919-09-11
CHAPTER XVII.
The Little DauCer,

Leroux staggered back against the wall and sSod there. scowling like devil It was evident that my answer had been totally unexpected.
 Did you know this, madame" cried Leroux fercely to Jacqueline.
 Yes she replied.
 You He'd to shield yourself?"
 "No, to shield him." she cried. Be cause he was my only friend when I was helpless in a strange city. You did not steal my money, did you. Paul?" she added, turning swiftly upon me. "No. you have paid me. You were keeping it for me"
 You lie, d--n your yelled Ie- roux, and he struck her across the mouth as he had struck me.
 l writhed in my bonds. l pulled the heavy table after me as I tried lmpo- tently to crawl toward him, sending the wheel flying and all the papers whirling through the air l cursed Le- roux as hlasphemously as he was CUTS ing Jacqueline.
 And at the door was the pale face of Philippe Iaeroix.
 Lcroux turned on me and kicked me eayagely and dragged the table 10 the far end of the room and struck me re- peatedly. while I struggled like a mad man. The oaths and eXecrations that Streamed from my lips seemed to he uttered hy another man. for I heard them indifferently. or rather some hing that Was L deep in the maze of my personality. heard them-not that pitiful, puny. goaded thing that fought in it's bonds until 1t ceased panting and exhausted.
 There followed a long silence. while Lcroux strode furiously about the room. A last he stopped; he seemed to have made up his mind.
 I saw Jacquellne looking at me. I would not meet her gaze but at last her persistence compelled me. Then I saw her glance toward the wall
 The two hroadswords hung there within arms reach, above the broken mirror My heart leaped up at the thought of her valor She had no mind to yield.
 But I shook my head impereeptibly in answer and looked down at my bonds.
 l had been trying hard to devise some method If freeing myself. My struggles had relaxed the ropes around my wrists sufficiently to allow my hands two er three inches of move meut. and hoped, by hard work. to loosen them sufficiently to enable ms to get at least one hand free.
 Then felt that something hard was pressing into my back, just within reach of my right thumb and fore finger. let my thumb and finger travel up and down 1t. Il had the form of a tiny knife with heavy. rounded handle.
 And suddenly I knew what It was. It was the knife with which Louis d'Epernay had been killed!
 could just get my finger and thumb round the point of the blade. The ropes scored deeply into my wrists as I worked al It, but I felt the lining give. and presently l had worked the blade through and had the knife out by the handle.
 But it was made for thrusting more than cutting and l had to pick the ropes to pieces strand by strand.
 Jaequeline had been imperceptibly cdging away from her father and Le- roux; she was now standing immedi- ately beneath the rusty swords. And outside the door l still perceived La croix, motionless.
 IL flashed across my mind that he understood the girls desperate ruse. and that he was waiting for the issue. I picked furiously at the ropes which bound my hands, and a long strand un- coiled and whipped back on my wrist. Leroux seized Jacqueline by the wrists and dragged her across the floor to me.
 Look at him" he yelled. Look into his face. VIII you marry me if l let him go free?' "No!" answered Jacqueline. "I swear to you that he shall be thrown from the top of the cataract unless you give your consent within l five minutes"
 "Never r she answered firmly. 'I will denounce your fnther!" You can't frighten me with such stuff. I am not a weak old man!" You will think differently after Charles Duchaine has been hanged In | Quebec jail," he sneered. ! His words received a wholly unex- pected answer. The dotard Ieapesf I forward. stopped down and picked up | the heavy roulette wheel. He raised 1t aloft and staggered wildly toward Leroux. (TO BE CONTINUED)