or something--to
hear something that I did not hear. Then I knew that it was the sound
of the waterfalls. In place of them there was only the gurgling of a
brook.

My elbow grated against the tunnel wall. I stepped sidewise toward the
centre, and ran against the wall opposite. Now, by the stronger light,
I could see that I had strayed once again into some byway, for the
passage was hardly three feet wide and the low roof almost touched my
head.

It narrowed and grew lower still; but the light of the stars was clear
in front of me and the cold wind blew upon my face; and I squeezed
through into the same scooped-out hollow which I had entered on the
same afternoon during the course of my journey toward the _chateau_.

I had approached it apparently through a mere fissure in the rocks upon
the opposite side and at a point where I had assured myself that there
could be no passage. The little river gurgled at my feet, and in front
of me I saw a candle flickering in the recesses of a cave, so elfinlike
that I could distinguish it only by shielding my eyes against the moon
and stars.

I grasped my pistol tightly and crept noiselessly forward. If this
should be Leroux, as I was convinced it was, I would not parley with
him. I would shoot him down in his tracks.

My moccasined feet pressed the soft ground without the slightest sound.
I gained the entrance to the cave. Within it, his back toward me, a
man was stooping down.

As I stepped nearer him my feet dislodged a pebble, which rolled with a
splash into the bed of the stream.

The man started and spun around, and I saw before me the pale,
melancholy features of Philippe Lacroix.

CHAPTER XVII

LOUIS D'EPERNAY

He uttered an oath and took two steps backward, but I saw that he was
unarmed and that he realized his helplessness. He flung his hands
above his head and stood facing me, surprise and terror twisting his
features into a grimacing grin.

There was no man, next to Leroux, whom I would rather have seen.

"I wanted to see you, M. Hewlett," he babbled.

"I can quite believe that, M. Lacroix," I answered. "You have looked
for me before. But this time you have found me."

"I have something of importance to say to you, _monsieur_," he began
again.

"I can believe that, too," I answered. "It is about _le Vieil Ange_,
is it not?"

"By God, I did not mean--I swear to you, _monsieur_--listen,
_monsieur_, one moment only," he stammered. "Lo