Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1920-03-05
~ ~NNN Az
Golden
River

q cenotaph.
The chamber seemed at one time TO
have been prepared for such a con-
tingency as had occurred, for there
were wool rugs on the stone floor,
though they had rotted and partly dis
integrated from the dampness.
M. Duchaine, he make this place in
case gov'ment come take him." ex-
planned Pierre as he placed the rugs.
mo can find, no can break down
stone door. Other way Simon not
know-only m'sieur and me. Old Carl
bou he come that way; he see you tied
and know 1t time to come here. Soon
time to kill Simon come as WELL"
When, in heavens name, will It
come l cried.
Come soon. His dlable tell me-"
answered Pierre Caribou.
81 go now" he announced. "To-
morrow come for you, take oil
through tunnel. You stay here till !
come; all sleep till morning."
IL will go with you, Pierre" said,
still under my obsession. But he laid
his heavy hand upon my arm and
pushed Inc away.
"You no kill 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 I come back to m'sieur
and ma'm'selle."
lay down. The silence was lonell-
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 JacQue-
line might have been woman of
stone, for she made not the least move
ment.
At last l spoke to her.
"JacQueline
heard her start, and knew that she
had raised her head and was looking
after me. ! crawled townrd her, drag
cling my blanket after lie. / let In
the darkness for the place where l
knew her hand must be and took II IN
mine.
"Jacqueiine" said again.
"Ah, NJ. Hewlett"-tEe WEAKNESS in
her voice went TO my heart-"it might
have been so different-if-"
"If what, JacquelineT"
eff there had not been the blood of
n dead man between u.s." she moaned.
"If-yOu-had Not-killed him!"
Her words were a revelation to me.
| for 1 learned that she had mercifully
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 be 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
II tried to light the candle TO see The
time, but my shaking hand sent 1t fly,
ing across the cave, and when
Searched for my matches found that
| the box was empty.
1t seelaed an eternity since we had
come there. 1t Is one thing to wait fol
dawG, and quite another thing to walt
where dawn win never come.
resolved to follow the exit for {
little distance TO see whittier 1t led
and if 1 could discover tho light 81
day.
So took my sword and sailed gu
through the passage Ia the cliff,
had only proceeded a few step
when the air grew cold pAd sweet
And before had traverSe6 two hun
dred yards I saw dim light in tn
distance. This was no candle ligh
but that of Jay. SO had endured al
those agoDles of mad with the opel
air but short distance away!
IadNanced . fancied that hear
the SOFT patter.ng of feet behind me
l halted gAd listened intently.
croyched AGAINST the wall and waited
But heard nothing now except IN
distant soaring of the cataracts. He
sweet they sounded nowI
l listened intentlT leaning again'
t the wall and facing backward, holdin
, ms sword ready to meet any sntrude
But there was no sound from With
4 except the sOughfng which one heal
in a tunnel. and satisfied at last thi
+ had been tine victim of an owe
b wrought imagination i pursued N
course. But had not gone six pac'
: before l hsard a scream that sti
r rings In my ears today, and a shade
n sprang out of the darkness and rushS
/ at me. IL was old Charles Duchain
8 His white hair streamed behind hin
T. his face bore an expression of indelib
d horror and rage. and In his hand
a. held the other sword.
He struck at me, a great, sweepii
* blow which would almost have cut
II In two. had just time to parry
n and then he was upOa me, rainli
H.. - -, .o.tatV az chad sword