human
But you don't actually know how Frank Langlois was killed?
gpt
No, I do not,
human
Oh, as to that, said Johnny.
gpt
Didn't Pant tell you?
human
Pant? I haven't seen Pant since the fight to save Mazie.
gpt
Isn't he with the bunch?
human
No--nor hasn't been. Jarvis says his goggles were smashed in the fight. Says he saw him without them. No one's seen him since.
gpt
You don't think they got him?
human
Not Pant. He can't be got, not by a mere band of Orientals. But what's this he told you about Langlois?
gpt
Oh! He stayed up there, you know. He went into Mine No. 1 and prowled round a bit. Found where the yellow bunch had run a high-tension insulated wire through a crevice in the rock to the head of that pool into which Langlois drove his pick. They ran a second wire to the base of the pool and connected the two to a heavy battery circuit. They had discovered that the pool rested upon a chalk rock which was good insulation. There was, therefore, no ground to it. But the damp spot on which Langlois was standing when he swung the pick was grounded. The minute he struck the pool the whole current passed through his body.
human
Electrocuted!
gpt
Yes.
human
Well, that's settled, said Dave, after a moment's reflection.
gpt
Now what about Pant? Where is he?
human
Let's go ask the gang.
gpt
Where's Pant?
human
On his way to America, said one of the men.
gpt
Saw him on the steamer not a half hour ago. He told me to tell you he'd left the gold for you up at the Red Cross.
human
Have his goggles on?
gpt
Nope.
human
And his eyes?
gpt
Steamer was pullin' out; I was too far away to see 'em.
human
Oh!
gpt
As for that, said Jarvis,
human
I seen 'im plain enough the night of the scrap. 'E'd 'ad 'is goggles smashed to bits. I saw 'is eyes plain as I see yours.
gpt
An', Jarvis went on,
human
You'll die for it, or say you're wrong, anyway, about the panther part,
gpt
D' y' mean to say I lied?
human
Not exactly that. You saw what you expected to see, that's all. As far as the panther part is concerned, you're dead wrong.
gpt
You see, he smiled,
human
All the same, he maintained stoutly,