n these solitudes. Do you recollect the races, where
thousands can be won in a few minutes, when your horse romps home by a
neck? And the gaming-tables, where a thousand dollars is but a pinch
of dust, and the bright lights and the chink of money--and you winning
it all away? You can have horses and carriages again, and all houses
will be open to you, for your little error has long ago been forgotten.
And you are not an old man, Charles."

"Yes, yes, Simon!" cried the old man, fascinated by the picture. "It
is worth it--by gracious, it is!"

Jacqueline swung round on Leroux. I saw her fists clench and her
bruised lip quiver.

"Never, Simon Leroux!" she said. "And, what is more, my father is not
competent to transfer his property, and I will fight you through every
court in the land."

"I was coming to you, _madame_," sneered Simon. "I don't know much
about the courts in this part of the country, but you will marry me to
save the life of your lover."

"No!" she answered, setting her teeth.

He seized her by the wrists and dragged her across the floor to me.

"Look at him!" he yelled. "Look into his face. Will you marry me if I
let him go free?"

"No!" answered Jacqueline.

"I swear to you that he shall be thrown from the top of the cataract
unless you give your consent within five minutes."

"Never!" she answered firmly.

"I will denounce your father!"

"You can't frighten me with such stuff. I am not a weak old man!"

"You will think differently after Charles Duchaine has been hanged in
Quebec jail," he sneered.

His words received a wholly unexpected answer. The dotard leaped
forward, stooped down, and picked up the heavy roulette-wheel.

He raised it aloft and staggered wildly toward Leroux.

CHAPTER XIX

THE HIDDEN CHAMBER

Simon turned just in time. The wheel went crashing to the floor and
bounded and rebounded out of the room and along the little hall.
Philippe jumped in terror from the place where he crouched.

And then the last strand broke, and I was free to slip the cords from
my limbs.

"You old fool!" screamed Leroux, catching Duchaine by the wrists. But
Charles Duchaine possessed the strength of a madman. He grasped Leroux
round the waist and clung to him, and would not be shaken off.

"Kill him!" he screamed. "He is a spy! He has come to betray me to
the government!"

What followed was the work of a moment. I saw Jacqueline pull down
both broadswords from