The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-05

your resolution, nor in pointing out to you
how unworthy of an honest man it is for
You to have wilfully led us to what seems
certain death. BY your own statement
your course of action was premeditated,
n though you appear to have ar
ranged for the disposition of your
own affairs. you have ignored the
fact that l have left behind me n sister ms
dear to me as your own granddaughter is to
you. AS to my faithful servant Gargaridi--
"Ahl' cried Aristomene, interrupting his
masters words. and proud, even at such a
juncture, of being spoken of-''Say your
last prayer, Gargaridi, for death is very
~near!"-"Such consideration as these"
continued Maurice, Cannot affect a man who
has voluntarily stifled in himself all senti-
ments of humanity and justice. All l will
say to you is: l despise you and defy you!
! shall escape from this labyrinth by my
own means, and l will rejoin those loved
ones l have left behind!'
Cor" said the fire worshiper, s%cornfully;
"Tire yourself out, like a true Feranghi, in
fighting against the inevitable. 1t is the
faithful only who in such situations rccog-
nize the ~futility of struggling against fate,
and meet death like true philosophers.
But you, with your bravado, what mean
you to do?' *
ITO explore, through all it's windings,
this labyrinth which you would make my
tomb: to search until l discover an exit,
and then" said Maurice in a ringing voice,
then to announce to tho world the secrets
That q and yours have for SO long CON
cealed from it,"
Tho gueber's face contracted with rage
md pnin. He made q movement as II he
vyn111 hn un tAOonl I,,rp and uraI thn
audacious speaker. But, doubtless recog-
nizing his age and weakness, he sank back
once more, and let his arms fail to his side.
If any justification were required" he
said, ''for what you style my cruelty and
injustice, you yourself AVE furnished it.
dare to talk thus to me, their guardian!
Go! Perish! and may your bones be as a
monument to warn away other intruders of
the fate before them"
Then, wrapping himself again in the
folds of his cloak, the old man fell back
and crossed his arms as one who has spoken
his last word.
"Well," said Maurice turning his back
on tho fire-worshipper, 1--WE may as we'll start
at once"
"One moment, sir, if you please" said
Aristomene, who was busy foraging in his
basket, before we set out let us settle
about the provisions"
"Ah, yes! the provisions. You showed
good sense, GnrRaridi, after all. in bringing
such q supply. But what do you want to
do? They are in your care, and
"Yes. sir; but that is not what | was
thinking of. This old buster and bully
here, he, of course. deserves nothing. but
when we set out, Monsieur Maurice, it was
like three shipwrecked men upon a raft,
share, and share alike; was it not SOP"
You are a good fellow, Aristomene,"
said Maurice, moved i'll spite of himself,
and Won are right. we muSt share with orr
companion. Give a fair portion to the old
man." Gargnridi divided the contents of
the basket into three parts with mathemat-
ical precision. T%akingone portion he laid
it down before the gueber. "Therc,' he
said, 'that is how the Feranghis act, whom
you abuse SO freely. Ii you wish us to die
of hunger, we, for our part, wish to share
our last morsel with you. Doubtless you
will think it a piece of foolishness on our
part, but we prefer our own codo to you q.