The San Francisco call., 1906-05-27
N5he ChrOMcze/a: @.D01 O

thousands and thousands of pounds"
II think Il likely you would realize
a quite enormous sum-" returned Don Q.
coldly.
| IF you believe that. why do you re-
fuse7" cried Japsley. Come. see it, 7
Name your price, then. Speak, man,
speak,
Don @. regarded his captive with a
baleful eye.
you will do well to restrain your
further with your sordid proposals.
Should you persist shall be forced to
deal with you at once"
But Japsley was at the point of des-
| peration- II must speak" he gasped.
''and you must listen! Hear me. Lives
! have already been paid for this knowl-
edge. I watched my two old sisters
starve because I could not give them
help without cutting off supplies from the
/ laboratory, and so much-so much was
needed to test and perfect my discovery.
Did any man ever make such sacrifices?
And now-now at the moment when I
could live again-when existence offers
me something to enioy-you-
Japsley met Don as eyes and fell
abruptly silent. Then the brigand spoke
slowly. with the air Of one who habitu-
ally weighs his words.
''You have he said. according to your
own showing, spent all the best years Of
your manhood-you have broken the ties
OF blood-in perfecting a weapon which
you intend to level against the human
race Had you done this with any high
and lofty purpose such as the cause of
| freedom and TO aid the oppressed, or had
you been impelled by patriotism, your
action might appear pardonable in some
eyes. perhaps even praiseworthy. AS it
| is fear can find no palliation of your
conduct"
/ What? Do you count for nothing the
long devotion of my life to the interests
of science?"
Pardon me- the interests Of science
have had but little to do with the incen-
| tive to your labor. You have toiled for
yourself. For money, power. or pleasure
IL know not but always for yourself
And you have told me that this Internal
| invention of yours will make a coward
the equal of a brave man. 1t is individu-
ais like you who kill out the manliness Of
the world. But Destiny orders all things.
and, senior, 1 think Destiny has sent you
10 me-
What do you mean?''
IT cannot believe that Nature herself
will permit you to buy career Of ease
at the cost of thousands Of lives"
| Don O. clapped his hands. and before
the scientist could speak again Robledo
stood at the entrance to the cave. You
will guard this captive. Robledo. with
unceasing care and lead him. when the
dawn breaks to the Mono Blanco. II is
there. senior" he added. turning to Japs-
lev. that 1 will conclude with you this
matter.
I For a long day and night. and for the
\ greater part of the day following. the
1 kt,of~-
prisoner wended their way upward. At
| first Japsley travelled on mule-back. later
| on foot, but always in dead silence. He
endeayored to press his escort with
anxious questions. then with promises.
but he spoke to deaf ears. Two words
only fell from the grim lips Of Gaspar.
as with a nod he indicated mountain
ahead.
mono Blanco," he said, and fell back
/ into dumbness.
| Gradually with every stage Of the jour-
ney the marvellous white peak rose higher
and higher into the sky The second
evening found them on the high slopes
below this towering summit They had
| come by a thousand turnings, they had
leaped riffs which caused the heart OF
Japsley to sicken even in the retrospect,
breakneck gorges lay behind them; but at
length, as the sun wheeled slowly TO the
H.
the bare shoulder OF the mountain. a
black figure which he recognized The
men quickened their pace. and shortly left
their prisoner at the side of Don O.
The air was very still. Japsley. looking
down, saw the forests through which he
had mounted showing as mere blue
smear far below his feet Above him I
hung the beetling white brow of Mono
Blanco; and all at once the pitiless sense
of distance. of remoteness. seemed to
suffocate him. He turned to Don Q. with
sudden. dreadful shrek.
You have brought me here to kill me-
You are going to kill me alone in this
terrible place. he sobbed.
mo, senior. 1 shall not kill you. though
II do not deny the temptation to do so
has been very strong But / have over
come it," Don Q. ended with sigh.
You are going to release me?''
II cannot reconcile it with my con-
science to do that. either. II I permit
you to depart. you carry your secret with
you, and"
Then at-what-what-?" Japsley's
voice rose thin and vibrant
Don @. raised his hand II have said
that Destiny brought you to me. for a
purpose no doubt Here is your four
hundred and forty-nine pounds 1 want
none of it. This stupendous secret OF
yours raises you above my jurisdiction
1t is an issue too large for me. There
fore / have brought you here. and here
will leave you in the hands of the wise
old Mono Blanc0'-he lifted his hand
higher and pointed at the huge snow-clad
summit far above-"the Aged White One.
who has watched generations of pigmies
like you and me pass through their day
on earth.''
go on What are you about to do
with me?''
"Only to leave you. See below. where
a bridle-path runs; 1t is the way to the
plains. You are free to reach them
if you cam"
But have no guide
Exactly. So the affair passes out OF
my hands into those OF Destiny. With
God. senor."
Japsley watched the little line of three
men moving away. AT intervals he
caught sight of them here and there in
the windings of the mountains. till night
| fell; then he rolled himself in his blanket
and laughed with a newborn contempt.
for he felt sure that with sunrise tornor-
row he could find his way to safety. The
weather was clear. and had he not had