Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-08-15
CHAPTER Xxx.
Leroux's DiabIe.

I went back toward the cave. But
I could not bring myself to see Jacque-
line.
had reached the verge of the cata-
ract and stood beside the little plat
form, looking dowD. I gazed in awe
at the great stream of water, sending
its ceaseless current down into the
troubled lake below.
And then I saw Lacroix. He was
peering after me from among the
rocks, and as I turned he was scut-
Ting away into the tunnel.
I followed him hotly; but he must
have known every fissure in the cliff,
for he vanished before my eyes, appar-
emily through the solid rock, and when
ance could find no sign of any pas
sage there.
And at that moment l heard Le-
roux's voice hailing me, and looked
round to see him emerge from the tun-
mel at my side. He was staring in be-
wilderment at the cataract
"By Heaven, Hewlett, 1 don't know
turn tonight" he swore. 81 have come
through that tunnel a hundred times
and never missed the path before"
He swung round petulantly, and at
that moment shadow glided out of
the darkness and stood in front of him.
It was Pierre Caribou, lean, sinewy
and old. He blocked the path and
faced Leroux in silence.
LerouX looked at him, and an oath
broke from his lips as he read the
others purpose upon his face. Squar-
ing his mighty shoulders and clench-
ing his fists, he leaped at him head
| long.
Pierre stepped quietly aside, and
Simon measured his full length within
the tunnel. But, when he had scram-
| bled to his feet with a believing chal-
lenge, Pierre was in front Of him
again.
what are you mere for?" roared
Leroux, but in quavering voice that
did not sound like his own. "Get out
Of the way or I'll smash your facew
The Indian still blocked the passage
"Your time come now, Simon. All fin
ish now," he answered.
"You come here one, two year ago.
Pierre continued. "You eat up hom,
of M. Duchaine, my master. Old M
Duchaine my master, too. I belon.
here. You eat up all, come back, ca
up some more. Then you sell Mile
Jacqueline to Louis d'Epernay. Yo1
made her run way to New York.
ask your diable when your time come
Your diable he say wait. wait. Mile
diable again. He say wait some more
Now your diable tell me he send yo
here tonight because your time come
and all finish now"
The face that Simon turned on m
was not in the least like his own. ]
was that of hopeless man who know
that everything he had priced is los
He had never covered before anyon
in his life, 1 think, but he cowere
now before Pierre Caribou.
Then a roar burst from Leroux
lips, and he flung himself upon the II
dian in the same desperate way as
had experienced, and in an instant th
two men were struggling at the edg
of the platform.
They bent and swayed, and no
Leroux was forcing Pierre's head an
shoulders backward by the weight
his bulls body. But the Indian
sinews, toughened by years of toll
steel, held fast; and just as Lerou
confident of victory, shifted his fe
and inclined forward, Pierre change
q his grasp and caught him by tt
throat.
), Leroux's face blaokened and his ey
started out. His great chest heave
and he tore impotently at his enemy
strong fingers that were shutting o
VI air and light and consciousness. Th
q rocked and swayed; then, with la
3 convulsive effort, Leroux swung Pier
off his feet, raised him high in the a
and tried to dash his body against t
d projecting rock at the tunnels mout
But still the Indians fingers he
nd as his consciousness began to ia