Charlevoix county herald., 1919-07-11
Continued from Fourth Page

died, too, no one but would know the
secret Of the gold. l tried to murder
you. I blew up the tunnel"
He paused, and / heard him gasp
for breath. His fingers clutched at my
coat sleeve again and hOoped them
selves round mine like claws Of steel.
~ had q knife-once," he resumed.
relapsing into his dellrium; "but left
II behind me and the police got 1t.
Isn't Il odd, Leroux," he rambled on,
that one always leaves something be-
hind when one has killed man7 But
the newspapers made no mention about
the knife. You didn't know he was
dead, did you, Leroux, for all your
cleyerness, until that fool Hewlett left
that paper upon the table? You knew
enough to send me TO Jail. but you
didn't know that 1t was l who killed
him. Help mel" He screamed hor-
ribly. He is here, looking at me"
.There Is nobody here. Philippe"
I said, trying to soothe his agony OF
soul. What a poor and stained soul
II was, travelling into the next world
alone! "There is nobody but me, Phil
ippe"
"You lie I" he raved. Louis is here
He has come for me! He deserved to
die. He tricked me after we had found
the gold. He tricked me twice. He
told Leroux, thinking that he would
win his gratitude and get free from
the mans power. And the second time
he told Carson. Then there were three
OF US in the secret"
"what did you doT' asked. though
II was like conducting post-mcrtem
upon a murderer's corpse.
II went to New York to get my
share. l wasn't going to be ousted, 1,
who had been one of the discoveries.
I don't know how much Carson paid
Louis, but meant to demand half.
thought he had the money In his
pocket.
II followed him all that afternoon
after he had left Carson's Office.
watched him In the street. At night
he went to room somewhere-at the
top Of tall building. l followed him.
When got in found a woman there.
Louis was talking to her and threaten
Ing her. He said she was his wife.
How could she be his wife when he
had married Jacqueline Duchaine?
II didn't care-it was no business
Of mine. / couldn't see them, because
there was a curtain in the way. There
was no light In the bedroom. There
was a u0ht In tho room In which I
was. I put 1t out, so that neither of
them should see my face. She might
have betrayed me, you know, Simon.
He spun round when the light went
out, and pushed the curtain aside. ]
was waiting for that. had calculated
my blow. / stabbed him. 1t was q
good blow, though 1t was delivered In
the dark. He only cried out once. But
the woman screamed, and a dog flew
at me, and 1 couldn't find his money.
So / ran away.
"And then there were only three of
US who knew the secret. Then Simon
died and there were only two, and now
there are only Hewlett and 1. and he
is dead, poor fool, and have my gold
here. For Gods sake give me knife,
Simonl"
His fingers tore at my sleeve In his
last agony, and / was tempted sorely.
And II was his own knife that had.
The irony Of It'll
He muttered once or twice and cried
out In fear Of the man whom he had
slain. I heard him gasp a little later.
Then the hand fell from my sleeve.
And after that there was no further
sound.
"Paulp
1t was the merest whisper from the
wall. / thought II was trick of my
own mind. l dared not hope.
paul Dearest
This was no fancy born of a de-
lirious brain and the thick fumes Of
dynamite. 1t came from the wall a
little way ahead of me. I crawled the
three feet that the little cave afforded
and put my hands upon the rock, feel
Ing its surface inch by inch. There
was a crevice there, not large enough
to have permitted bird to pass---the
merest assure.
"Jacqueline Is that you, dear2"
called. you are not hurt, JacquelineT
II am lying where you left me, dear.
Paul, IL heard"
''You heardT answered DULY.
What did IL matter now2
"Why didn't you tell me, Paul3 But
never mind. / am so glad, dearest !
Gan you come through to met"
Istruggled to tear the rocks away !;
beat and bruised my hands In vain
against them.
II will come when II grows light,
Jacqueline," babbled. when II
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