The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-08-15
%NCtOr Rousseau
ce2yriShs w. o. Chapman

another within what might have been
a cenotaph.
The chamber seemed at one time to
have been prepared for such n con-
tingency as had occurred, for there
were wool rugs on the stone floor
though they had rotted and partly dis
iniegrnted from the dampncss.
IN. Duchaine, he make this place in
case govment come take him." ex-
planned Pierre as he placed the rugs.
M can find, no can break down
stone door, Other way Simon not
know-only m'sieur and me. Old Carl
l'ou he come that way he see you tied
and know it time to come here. Soon
time to kill Simon come as WELL"
when, in heavens name, will it
Gomez" | cried.
Come soon. His diable tell me-"
answered Pierre Caribou.
II go now" he announced. ITO
morrow | come for you, take all
through tunnel. You stay here till
come; all sleep till morning"
p will go with you, Pierre" I said,
still under my obsession. But he laid
his heavy hand upon my arm and
pushed me away.
You no XIII Simon" he answered.
why you no kill him again when you
have sword? Only diable can kill him.
When time come diable tell old Carl
bou. You sleep now. | go for take
my woman and gal safe through tun-
mel to place know. When my woman
and gal safe | come back to msieur
and ma'm'selle."
lay down. The silence was loneli-
ness itself, and not rendered less
lonely by the occasional cries of the
old man and the drip. drip of water.
| could not see anything, and Jacaue-
line might have been a woman of
stone, for she made not the least move
ment.
At last | spoke to her.
"Jacquellne !"
I heard her start, and knew that she
had raised her head and was looking
after me. l crawled toward her, drag
ging my blanket after me. felt in
the darkness for the place where I
knew her hand must be and took it in
mine.
"Jacquelne !" | said again.
"Ah, M. Hewlett'-the WEAKNESS in
her voice went to my heart-''it might
have been so different-if-"
"If what, Jacqueline?"
IF there had not been the blood of
dead man between u.s." she moaned.
"If-you-had not-killed him !"
Her words were revelation to me,
for | learned that she had mercfully
been spared the full remembrance of
what had happened in the Tenth street
apartment. She thought that 1t was |
who had killed Louis d'Epernay.
And how could deny this, when to
SO would he TO bring to her mind the
knowledge of her own dreadful guilt?
The hours wore away and we three
lay there. two waiting and one dream
ing Of the old days of youth. no doubt.
! tried to light the candle TO see the
time. but my shaking hand sent it fly
ing across the cave, and when |
searched for my matches found that
the box was empty.
1t seemed an eternity since we had
come there. 1t Is one thing to wait for
dawn. and quite another thing to wait
where dawn will never come.
| resolved to follow the exit for n
little distance TO see whittier 1t led.
and If l could discover the light of
day.
So took my sword and sailed out
through the passage in the cliff.
| had only proceeded a few steps
when the air grew cold and sweet.
And before ! had traversed two hun
dred yards / saw dim light in the
distance. This was no candle light
but that of day. So l had endured all
those agonles of mind with the open
air but Il short distance awayl
AS | advanced l fancied that heard
the soft pattering of feet behind me
/ halted and listened intently. |
crouched against the wall and waited.
But | heard nothing now except the
distant ro9ring of the cataracts. How
sweet they sounded nowl
| listened intently, leaning against
the wall and facing backward. holding
my sword ready to meet any intruder.
But there was no sound from within,
except the soughing which one hears
in a tunnel. and satisfied at last that
| had been the victim of an over
wrought Imagination l pursued my
course. But | had not gone six PAGES
before l heard a scream that still
rings In my ears today, and a shadow
sprang out Of the darkness and rushed
at me. 1t was old Charles Duchaine.
His white hair streamed behind him
his face bore an expression of indelible
horror and rage. and in his hand he
held the other sword.
He struck at me, a great, sweeping
blow which would almost have cut me
in two. / had just time to parry it,
and then he was upon me, raining
blows upon my outstretched sword.