I hurried on again, and in another minute I saw a faint light in front of me. Presently it grew more distinct. I was approaching the tunnel's mouth. But I stopped again. I was waiting for 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. "Lower your pistol. You see that I am unarmed!" I lowered it. "Well, say what you have to say," I said to him.