t? Then see: as I die I will shriek out so loud that she
can hear me, and she will understand. She will go mad, and give you over
to the law. And then--and then! Did you ever think what will become of
your child, of your Zoe, if you go to the gallows? That would be your
legacy and your blessing to her--the death of a murderer; and she would
be left alone with the woman that would hate you in death! Voila--do you
not see?"

Jean Jacques saw. The terrific logic of the thing smote him. His wife
hating him, himself on the scaffold, his little Zoe disgraced and
dishonoured all her life; and himself out of it all, unable to help her,
and bringing irremediable trouble on her! As a chemical clears a muddy
liquid, leaving it pure and atomless, so there seemed to pass over Jean
Jacques' face a thought like a revelation.

He took his hand from the lever. For a moment he stood like one awakened
out of a sleep. He put his hands to his eyes, then shook his head as
though to free it of some hateful burden. An instant later he stooped,
lifted up the ladder beside him, and let it down to the floor of the
flume.

"There, go--for ever," he said.

Then he turned away with bowed head. He staggered as he stepped down
from the bridge of the flume, where the lever was. He swayed from side
to side. Then he raised his head and looked towards his house. His child
lived there--his Zoe.

"Moi je suis philosophe!" he said brokenly.

After a moment or two, as he stumbled on, he said it again--"Me, I am a
philosopher!"

CHAPTER X. "QUIEN SABE"--WHO KNOWS!

This much must be said for George Masson, that after the terrible
incident at the flume he would have gone straight to the Manor Cartier
to warn Carmen, if it had been possible, though perhaps she already
knew. But there was Jean Jacques on his way back to the Manor, and
nothing remained but to proceed to Laplatte, and give the woman up for
ever. He had no wish to pull up stakes again and begin life afresh,
though he was only forty, and he had plenty of initiative left. But if
he had to go, he would want to go alone, as he had done before. Yes, he
would have liked to tell Carmen that Jean Jacques knew everything;
but it was impossible. She would have to face the full shock from Jean
Jacques' own battery. But then again perhaps she knew already. He hoped
she did.

At the very moment that Masson was thinking this, while he went to the
main road where he had left his horse and buggy t