de Leroux staggered and slipped; and with a neighing whine that burst
from his constricted throat, a shriek that pierced the torrent's roar,
he slid down the cataract, Pierre locked in his arms.

I cried out in horror, but leaned forward, fascinated by the dreadful
spectacle. I saw the bodies glide down the straight jet of water, as a
boy might slide down a column of steel, and plunge into the black
cauldron beneath, around whose edge stood the mocking and fantastic
figures of ice. The seething lake tossed them high into the air, and
the second cataract caught them and flung them back toward the Old
Angel.

Their waters played with them and spun them round, caught them, and let
them go, and roared and foamed about them as they bobbed and danced
their devil's jig, waist-high, in one another's arms.

At last they slid down into the depths of the dark lake, to lie forever
there in that embrace. And still the cataracts played on, sounding
their loud, triumphant, never-ending tune.

I was running down the tunnel again. I was running to Jacqueline, but
something diverted me. It was the face of Lacroix, peering at me from
among the crevices of the rocks with the same evil smile. I knew from
the look on it that he had seen all and had been infinitely pleased
thereby.

I caught at him; I wanted to get my hands on him and strangle him, too,
and fling him down, and stamp his features out of human semblance. But
he eluded me and darted back into the cliff.

I followed him hard. This time I did not mean to let him go.

Lacroix was running toward the gold-mine. He made no effort to dodge
into any of the unknown recesses of the caves, but ran at full speed
across the open space and plunged into the tunnel leading to the shore
by the _chateau_.

I caught him near the entrance and held him fast.

He struggled in my grasp and screamed.

"Go back! For the love of God, go back, _monsieur_!" he shrieked.
"Let me go! Let me go!"

He fought so desperately that he slipped out of my hands and darted
into the mine again, taking the tunnel which led toward the Old Angel,
and thence wound back toward the _chateau_.

I caught him again before the cave where Jacqueline lay. I wound my
arms around him. A dreadful suspicion was creeping into my mind.

He made no attempt to fight me, but only to escape, and his face was
hideously stamped with fear.

"Let me go!" he howled. "Ah, you will repent it! _Monsieur_, let me
go!