nd arms round Larolle's body, and
in an instant swept him, shouting, to the verge of the precipice.

It was done in a moment. By the time our startled wits and eyes were
back with them, the two were already tottering on the edge, looking in
the gloom like one dark form. The sergeant, who was the first to find
his head, levelled his carbine, but, as the wrestlers twirled and
twisted, the Captain, shrieking out oaths and threats, the mute silent
as death, it was impossible to see which was which, and the sergeant
lowered his gun again, while the men held back nervously. The ledge
sloped steeply there, the edge was vague, already the two seemed to be
wrestling in mid air; and the mute was desperate.

That moment of hesitation was fatal. Clon's long arms were round the
other's arms, crushing them into his ribs; Clon's skull-like face
grinned hate into the other's eyes; his bony limbs curled round him like
the folds of a snake. Larolle's strength gave way.

'Damn you all! Why don't you come up?' he cried. And then, 'Ah! Mercy!
mercy!' came in one last scream from his lips. As the Lieutenant, taken
aback before, sprang forward to his aid, the two toppled over the edge,
and in a second hurtled out of sight.

'MON DIEU!' the Lieutenant cried; the answer was a dull splash in the
depths below. He flung up his arms. 'Water!' he said. 'Quick, men, get
down. We may save him yet.'

But there was no path, and night was come, and the men's nerves were
shaken. The lanthorns had to be lit, and the way to be retraced; by the
time we reached the dark pool which lay below, the last bubbles were
gone from the surface, the last ripples had beaten themselves out
against the banks. The pool still rocked sullenly, and the yellow light
showed a man's hat floating, and near it a glove three parts submerged.
But that was all. The mute's dying grip had known no loosening, nor his
hate any fear. I heard afterwards that when they dragged the two out
next day, his fingers were in the other's eye-sockets, his teeth in his
throat. If ever man found death sweet, it was he!

As we turned slowly from the black water, some shuddering, some crossing
themselves, the Lieutenant looked at me.

'Curse you!' he said passionately. 'I believe that you are glad.'

He deserved his fate,' I answered coldly. 'Why should I pretend to be
sorry? It was now or in three months. And for the other poor devil's
sake I am glad.'

He glared at me for a moment in speechl