, M. Hewlett, and neither Raoul nor
Jean Petitjean knows the secret--only Leroux and I. One cannot light
upon this place save by a miracle of chance, such as brought you here.
God put this treasure in these hills, and He did not mean it to be
found."

I grasped him by the shoulder. "Do you see what this means?" I shouted.

"It means a glorious life!" he cried. "All the wealth in the world----"

"No, it means _death_!" I answered. "It means that if Leroux succeeds
in killing me, he will kill you, too! Don't you see that we must stand
together? Do you suppose that he will share his hoard with you?"

"No, M. Hewlett," answered Lacroix quietly. "And that is precisely
what I wanted to say to you. You are not a hog like Leroux; I can
trust you. And then you are a gentleman, and we gentlemen trust each
other. I will give you a share in the gold, and you will get
_mademoiselle_. She has no love for Louis. She left him half an hour
after the marriage had been performed. Leroux witnessed the ceremony,
and he hurried away with Pere Antoine, and then she ran away. She
loves you! And Louis will not trouble you!"

"Faugh!" I muttered. "I don't want to hear your views on--on Mlle.
Jacqueline, my friend. But it seems to me that our interests are
mutual, and, as it happens, I was on my way back to have it out with
Leroux when I stumbled upon this place."

"But I can show you the way," he exclaimed. "Come with me, _monsieur_.
I don't know how you got into the wrong passage, but it is
simple--straight ahead. Come with me! I will precede you."

I followed him into the darkness, and very soon heard the sound of the
cataract again. And then once more I was standing at the tunnel
entrance, under a brilliant moon, and the _chateau_ was before me.

It was all dark now, except for a glimmer of light that came from two
windows on the far side, visible indirectly as a reflection from the
snowy steeps beyond. That must be Duchaine's room.

Leroux's I did not know, of course, but I surmised that it was one of
those on the same story, which I had passed while making my previous
tour of discovery. But this ignorance did not cause me much concern.
I knew that, once we were face to face together, I should gain the
victory over him.

And I would be merciless and not falter.

And Jacqueline! If I won, should I not keep her? She was mine, even
against her will, by every rule of war. And this was a world of war,
where