The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-18

ly Tartarinf
 For this was none less than ne.
 When the two friends were on the two sides of the little peak on Mont Blanc the rope suddenly caught Tn Assure On the top. Each felt t jerk and stretch as if tautened by the falling of body. Each believed that his companion had slipped and was dangling over an abyss, and would | drag the other with him
 In that supreme moment-how can | one make this clear in the light of the noble oath at the Hotel Baltet?-well, in this sudden and terrible emergency, l Bompard at one end and Tartarin at the other did the same thing simui- l taneously. Each man cut the rope! Then, overwhelmed by the tragedy. each convinced that he had sacrificed the other. they fled in opposite di- | rections.
 When the spectre of Bompard ap- peared at the Brands -Muiets. that of | Tartarin reached the Italian side of the mountain. by what miracle, after how many slides and tumbles, Mont Blanc alone can tell. The daring president remained insensible for two days. As soon as he was fit he went to the nearest village. where he heard nothing but the story of the melancholy catastrophe another climber killed.
 Tartarin. torn by remorse did not dare rejoin his friends. He dared not even send for his clothes Rag ged. with scanty funds. he proceeded homeward by a roundabout way
 The distractions of the Journey be- gun, he tried to pull himself togeth- CT. After all. no one had seen him commit the crime. Nothing could prevent him from telling the tale. He began to feel better. but when he saw the fine lines of the Little Alps against the blue sky. all the remorse yes. and fear of tustice--came over him again. He left the train before 1t reached the town and entered 1t furtiveiy.
 He heard the bells. peasant on the road told him. in answer to his questton.that they were ringing for person killed in some hole In the mountains. It smote him to the heart. There was no longer room for doubt 1t was for Bompard that this lugubrious carillon of death was car- Fted by the wind to his guilty earsi
 But. courage! The great soul of the lion-kilier returned to him. He would face the club and tell them-welI. he would tell them the tragic tale of the disaster, without you understand, without-wen; without going into
 Hastily he entered the garden. which welcomed him like an Eden of safety with it's gold and it's giant poabao 1n the flower pot and it's basin or water lillies. They touched his nsan ana softened him again. But arter few moments of pensive re- nection he arose sternly, entered the best
 Bompard had at last ceased to ex- plore the frightfui crevasse, which mentioned 1t.
 Mot once." said he. sobbing, "oou,d I reach our president. NevertheIess- | could trace his fall by some debris left In the ice."
 As he spoke. he laid on the table a piece of Jawbone, some hairs from n beard. piece of waIstcoat and a buckle from a pair of braces.
 In face of this mute and affecting testimony. the transports of grief could be restrained no longer. The ladies uttered piercing shrieks. while band struck up a funeral march
 When he perceived his success, Bom- pard waved his hands over the re- mains and ended:
 There. dear friends and fellow citi- gems, is all could discover of our H. lustrious and well beloved president. The remains the glacier will render up to us-in forty yearsI"
 He was about to explain the theory of the regular process of glaciers: but the opening of the door interrupted him. Some one entered. Tartarin, pale as spirit. stood before Liml
 ''Tartarin"
 "Bompardr'
 And the Tarasconiane. so singular, so faciIe in the matter of improbable stories of audacieIs falsehoods and quick refutations, adjusted themselves so instantly to the dramatic moment that the arrival of the man whose frag- menta lay on the table before them lid not create any particular aston Shment.
 It is a misapprshension." said Tar .arln. also adjusting himself instantly Q the situation. With his hand on the shoulder of Bompard. he announced Iuietly: T did Mont Blanc on two sides on one. descended on lna 'ther-and this accounts for my dis appearance"
 He did not mention that he had de- scended mostly on his back.