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I believe now that madame has suffered no wrong from you. But I am a priest, and, as you say, my care is only that of souls. Madame is married. I married her " "To whom?" I cried. "To M. Louis d'Epernay, nephew of M. Charles Duchaine by marriage, less than two weeks ago in the château here." The addition of the last word singularly revived my hopes.
You are in possession of some money belonging to Mme. d'Epernay, and also of certain information that I shall be glad to receive. There is no law in this valley except my will. Give me the information I want, keep your money, and go." I waited. "In the first place, are you, or are you not, in Carson's pay?
It was as though some hidden monitor within me had taken control to guide me through a maze of unknown dangers. It was that inner prompting which had forbidden me to say "Mme. d'Epernay." I had a consciousness of some impending horror. And I was shaking and all a sweat with fear, too gripping fear! Yet the old name sounded as sweet as ever to my lips.
He shook the paper before my eyes and then he struck me across the face with it. "Who killed Louis d'Epernay?" he yelled, and Jacqueline screamed in fear. "I did," I answered after a moment. Leroux staggered back against the wall and stood there, scowling like a devil. It was evident that my answer had been totally unexpected.
That if I let you go you would betray certain things you might have discovered. But you came here because you were infatuated with Mme. d'Epernay. Well, I can afford to let you go; for, though my instincts cry out loudly for your death, I am a business man, and I can suppress them when it has to be done. In brief, M. Hewlett, you can go when you choose."
I shall believe your answer because, if you are, I shall offer you a better price to join me, and therefore it will not pay you to lie. But you will not be able to deceive me by pretending to be." "I am not," I answered. "Then why did he send you here?" "I left his employ three days before I met Mme. d'Epernay. If you were in New York you must have seen that I was not there." "Good.
He had put one arm round his daughter, and he seemed to understand that Simon was maltreating her, and to wish to defend her; but his wits were still wandering, and I saw that he understood only a little of what was passing. "Louis d'Epernay is dead!" cried Simon, shaking the old man again. "Well, well!" answered Duchaine, stroking his long beard with his free hand. "So Louis is dead!
"Now you know all, monsieur, for I remember nothing more until I found myself travelling back with M. Hewlett in the sleigh. You say I was in New York. Well, I do not remember it. "And as for Louis d'Epernay, I know nothing of him but I will die before he claims me as his wife!"
"I shall return it to Mme. d'Epernay, who entrusted me with it. Beyond that I care nothing as to its ultimate destination, though perhaps I can guess. Naturally I do not carry eight thousand dollars about with me " "Ten thousand!" shouted Simon. "Mme. d'Epernay gave me eight thousand," I said. "I do not know anything about ten thousand. Probably Mr. Daly has the rest.
"Because you become part heir of the seigniory by your husband's death!" he shouted; and then he took Charles Duchaine by the arm and began shaking him violently. "Listen, you old fool!" he cried. "Your son-in-law is dead Louis d'Epernay!" Charles Duchaine looked at Leroux in his mild way.
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