Mountain advocate., 1920-01-02


lieve that ! remember nothingT" an
swered Jacquellne. "After my father
had turned NJ. Louis d'Epernay out OF
his home, whittier he had come To beg
money to pay his gambling debts, you
| brought him back. You made my ia
ther take him back in. He wanted to
marry me. But l refused, because
had no love for him. But ou,inS'ssscu'
I should marry him, becttse he had
gained you the ensfance to the selgn-
Tory and helped you TO acquire your
power over my father"
"Go on" growled Leroux, biting his
| lips. perhaps l shall learn some
thing"
Nothing thar you do not already
know, monsieur" she flashed out with
spirit. "My father came here, long
ago, a political fugitive, in danger of
Ceath. You knew this, and you played
upon his fears. You drained him OF
his last penny, and then offered him
ten thousand dollars to gamble With
in Quebec, telling him of the delights
of the city and promising him immu-
nifty" the girl went on remOrselessly.
"And for this he was TO assign his
property to Louis, thinking. OF course.
that he could soon make his fortune
Mt the tables. And Louis was to marry
| me, and in tur> sell the seigniory to
| you. And so l married Louis under
threat Of death to my father.
ooh, yes, monsieur, the plan was
simple and well devised. And l knew
nothing of il. But Louis d'Epernay
blurted 1t all out TO me upon our
wedding night. / think the shame 1f
knowing that i had been sold TO him
unhinged my mind, for ran out into
the SHOWS.
| "Now you know all, monsieur, for
remember nothing more until / found
myself travelling back with M. Hew-
lett in the sleigh. You say was In
New York. Well, / do not remem-
| her Ii.
"And as for Louis d'Epeyluy, i know
nothing of him--hU win die befOrs
he claims me as his wifel"
And then had the measure of lie
| rOuX. He laughed and he beat down
her scorn with scorn.
| "You have nndereStimated your
| price. madame" he sneered. "Slnce
you have learned so much l will tell
you more. You have cost me twenty
thousand dollars, and not ten; for be-
sides the ten thousand paid to your
father Louis got ten thousand also,
upon the signing of the marriage con-
/ tract. SO swallow that, and be proud
of being priced so hight And the
scigniOry is already his, and l am
waiting for him to return and sell me
the ground rights for twenty-five thou
sand more, and If l know Louis
d'Epernay he Will not wait very long
to get his fingers round it."
listen to me, Simon Leroux," said
Jacqueline, standing up before him, AZ
indornitable in spirit as he. "All your
plots and schemes mean nothing to
me. My only aim ia to take my father
away from here, from you and NJ.
| dEpernay, and let you wrahgle over
your spoil. There are more than four.
legged wolves, NJ. LerOux; there are
human ones, and, like the others,
when food is scarce they prey upon
| each other"
'I'ardieu. like your spirItl" exs
| claimed Simon, staring at her with
| frank admiration.
And Jacqueline's head dropped then.
UEwlttingly Simon had pierced her
dcfCnSes.
But he never knew, for before he
had time TO know the graybeGrd rose
upon his feet and rubbed his thin
hands together, chuckling.
"Never mind your money, Simon"
he said. "I'm going 10 be richer than
any of you. Do you know what l did
with that ten thousand? l gave II TO
my little daughter, and she has gone
TO New York to make our fortunes at
Mr.. Days gaming house. No, there
she is" he suddenly exclaimed. "She
has come hackl
LerOuX wheeled round and looked
from one 10 the other
"Diable! So that was tie purpose
of your visit TO New York; he asked
The girl. 'SO-yOu have not quite for
gotten that, madamel Where Is the
money!
Jacqueline's lips QuIvered. I saw
her glance involuntarily toward tina
door behind which l was standing.
And suddenly the last phase of the
problem became clear to me. Jacque.
line thought l had robbed her.
stepped from behind the door end
faced LcrOux. 81 have that money!"
/ said curtly. -
saw his face turl ;JinS. He stag
gered back, and then, with bulls bel-
low, rushed at me, his heavy fists
alOft.
But he stopped short when he saw
my automatic pistol pointing ut HIS
chest. And he saw in my face that
was ready To shoot 10 kill.