The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-18

1 American gashioni We climb thus on
 Chimborazol"
 He retained his attitude. advancine
 on all fours. his hat on the back ol
 hls head and his ulster trailing De-
 hind him--wery calm, and telling every
 body at the top of his voice how he
 had climbed q mountani 3O.00O Feet | high In the Andes in this fashion.
 The stop for the night was made
 at the hut Of the Grands-Mulets.
 where the old keeper exhibited his
 cheerful museum of relics--bones and
 broken ropes and other horrible sou venirs of disaster. Tartarin perceived
 from the dates that these accidents
 had happened before the ,company un- dertook the arrangement of dangerous i, ascents; yet the tales oppressed him, air. y
 Bompard followed him. Ciutching Tartarin's arm. he said: "T hope that you have had enough of this and that you will end this ridiculous sxpedl- tion."
 The great man opened his eyes with some anxiety in them and asked:
 What are you chattering aboutr
 Bompard drew a moving picture of the thousand. ten thousand, one hum dred thousand terrible deaths that menaced them.
 "Jokerr' said Tartarln. smiling. You forget that you told me the ss- cret of the company"
 Company" asked Bompard. quite puzzled. The good fellow had forgot ten his little invention entirely.
 When Tartarln repeated hts story to him he laughed: What! Did you be- lieve all that? Why, that was only a little joke. Between us people of Tar ascon. you know, of course we under stand each other. We know that what we say is-iS--"
 Then the Jungfrau was not pre- pared?" asked TartarIn. very much ex- cited.
 By no means"
 And If the rope had brokenf'
 Alas! My poor friend"
 The hero shut his eyes and became pale. For a moment he did not speak. But then this brave man recovered himself. With good guides, with a companion of such proved experience as Bompard-he would attempt Mont Blanc. real as 1t wasl
 Bompard swore that he would not The intrepid climber of the Chimboraxo had enough. But in the end. seeing the president of the Alpine Club pale but determined, he made up his mind to follow. Besides there was no way to get back except alone.
 So they started to climb again next SAANi AAAAAos ASFGlyNtAAHk went we'll XII daybreRk. Then suddenly the Ruides stopped and began to gesticulats. "Ie Is smoking his pipe" said the old guide. pointing to the top of Mont Blanc. still 4,600 feet above them, where from the highest peak a white smoke was blowing toward Italy.
 That means, monsieur" said Father the summit which will be on us ere long. It is dangerous"
 Let us return" said Bompard, with ready presence of mind.
 Yes. yes. certainly" added Tartarin. prudent as all brave men are. NO foolish swagger."
 But the Swedish tourist struck in. nothing would prevent him from Ko- Ing. He would ascend alone if no one would accompany him. "Cowardsv' l he said, turning to the guides.
 You shall very soon sec if we are towards! Attach yourselves" exelaim- l ed the chief guide.
 Bompard protested energetically | nothing would stop these men who | had been called towards. They were | aroused and insisted on going up.
 However, they made little objection | when Bompard and Tartarin declared | firmly that they for their part. would | go uoWn The descent was easy from | where they were. Even inexperienced | mountain climbers had made 1t with put trouble Still, they would not or- permit any one to go back alone; but a gentleman who was pres dent of great Alpine club and had climbed the JungfFau under such won- ierful circumstances, and a climber who had been up Chimborazo-ah. here would be no difficulty. It would De. for them. a mere saunter of three lourB
 Tn another moment the two Taraseo- iians were alone. They advanced with infinite precaution over the desert of now. attached to the same rope. Tar arin in front prodding with his alpSn- Itoek for crevesses.
 Courage and coolnesSi We shall 'xtricate ourselvesi' he said every in- tant.
 Suddenly there came a distant rumb- Ing. It came nearer and nearer. in- reassd. spread over the horizon and inally died away underground in the ,uifs of the Ice.
 Tartarin and Bompard ran lntn aA