The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-10-02

began laboriously to drag the bags Of
earth into this last refuge. Before 1t
had grown quite dark had barricaded
Jacqueline and myself within a place
the size Of q hall bedroom inclosed
upon three sides with rock.
And there waited for the end.
I sat beside Jacqueline. holding her
hand with one Of mine. and my re-
volver in the other. There was faint
fiutter at her wrist. I fancied that It
had grown stronger during the past
half hour.
But l was unprepared to hear her
was alert In moment.
paul I" she said family.
"Jacquelinev
"Pauli Bend down. I want to
speak to you. Do you know l have
been conscious for long time, my
dearf have been thinking. Are you
distressed because Of met"
my dear" said; and that was all
that could say. clasped her cold
little hand tightly in mine.
"You must leave me, Paul, because
because Of what Is between us. You
must go to Leroux and tell him 80.
You love me, Paul3"
"Always, JacQueline," whispered
She put her arms about my neck.
II love You, Paul." she said. ut
seems SO easy to say it in the dark.
and it used to be 30 hard. Do you
know what admired and loved you
for, even when you thought my mind
unstable and empty7 How true you
were! It was that, dear. 1t was your
honor. Paul.
"That was why, when I remembered
everything that dreadful night In the
snow. the revulsion was 30 terrible.
ran away in horror. I could not believe
l that 1t was true-and yet knew 1t
was true.
"And Leroux was waiting there and
found me. I did not want to leave
you. but he told me there was Pere
Antoine's cabin close by, and that you
would come to no harm. And he made
me believe-you had stolen my money
as well. But I never believed that,
and only tainted you with 1t to drive
you away for your own sake"
She drew me weakly toward her and
went on:
Snow that we are to part forever
and perhaps am to die. I can speah
to you from my heart and tell you
dear. Kiss meas though were your
wife, Paul.
$50 you will 60 to Leroux." she
added presently.
us that your will. Jacqueline7"
Eyes, dear" she said. because W
Paul."
I bowed my head. knew that she
spoke the truth. I knew at last that
I was vanquished. For. now that
Jacqueline lay there 80 weak, 20 help
less, and thinking all our past was
but a dream, there was nothing but to
yield. I could not fight any more.
So left her and climbed cross the
bags and went down toward the
stream.
But before I had reached It q dark
figure slipped from among the shad-
ows Of the rocks and came toward
me; and by the faint starlight I saw
the face Of Pierre Caribou
| He stopped me and held me by both
shoulders. and he drew me into the
| recesses OF the rocks and bent his
wisened old face forward toward mine.
"Ah, monsieur, 80 you did not obey
old Pierre Caribou and stay In the
cave" he said.
"Pierre. / did not know that you
would return" answered.
'Never mind" the Indian answered,
looking at me strangely. "All finish
now. Diable take Leroux. HIS time
come. Diable show mel"
| "Howr answered, startled.
"All hnish," said Pierre ine1orably,
and, as 1 watched him q superstitious
fear crept over me. He, who had
| cringed, even when he gave the com
mand, now cringed NO longer. and
there was q look in his old face that
I had only seen on one mans before
on my fathers the night he died.
"Pierre, where 10 Lerouxr whis-
pered. "Shan surrender to him or
shall hghtr
"No matter" he said once again.
'sM'sieur. suppose yen 80 back to
ma'm'selle, and soon Simon come. His
diable lead him to you. His diable tell
you what to say. All finish nowl"
he walked past me noiselessly, a
tenuous shadow. and his bearing was
as proud as that Of his race had been
in the long ago, when they were lords
| where now their white masters ruled.
| CTo BE ,CONTINUED)
Times Changes.
Caesar used to whit DAYS to hear