Vi i"
CHiFTEK XXIL
TANTALIZING, VERY.
, They looked at ODe anotbe- again
With a wild surmise. The voice w8s
as the voice of some Ion? past fgn.
Could the in rot be xneakine1 tj them
In the words of seventeenth-century
g!Uh?
Kven M. Peyron, who at first ha i re
ceive . ta strange dis overv w tb in
credulity woke up bef- re long to the
importan -e of this sudden and unex
pected ri.elat on. The Tu- i!a- i!a
who had ta')L'ht Methuselah that long
poem or sc mon, wh;eb native tradit on
regarded as ion aining he central se
cret o their creed or its m sterb's,
and which the cruel and cunning Tu-
iia-:v)la of to-day believe i to be of
immense iriportan e to his sa'e'v -
i l...t T. . LT., i. il , F , U ..,1 .,. ..,," !
Willi I 1 . I . 1. illlil ji VLUtl U 3 W OOi IU
all probability, no other than nn I- n
fflish sal or. Cast on these shores
jerhiips. as they themselves had been,
by the mercy of the waves, he had
managed to mast r the language an 1
reliuion of the savages among whom
he foun i h raself thrown ho h id risen
to be the representative of the "an
n bal e'lj.l and. d iring long raa s or
years of te aous exile, he had beguiled
bis leisure by im arting to the u con-
ecio.is ears of a bird the weird se ret
o; hid uoeess, for the benefit of any
others o. bis own race who might be
sim la; ly treated by fo tune in future.
Strange and romantic? as italL-otinied.
then cou d h rdly doubt now this was
the real explanation of the bird's com
mand of t ngiisb woras. Cne problem
aione remained to disturb their souls.
Wan the bird really in possession of
any local s -cret and mystery at all. or
vr a this the whole buriien of the mes
t Buge he had brought down across the
vast a by he of time "vod save the
lc!ng, and to hell with all papists'"
' reii turned to M. i'eyron in a per
fect tutnulto 8 spense. "What ha re
cite; is long.-'' he said, interrogatively,
witli proiO ,nJ interest. ",oj have
hea,.-tl turn say much more than this at
times? The words be has ,ust uttered
are not Cose o. the sermon or poem
you mentioned.''
Mr. lo.i run opened his hanls ex
Tin ively before him. ''ub. mon Dieu,
no monr-ioir, he answerel. with ef
fu.ion. "You should hea.- him re ite
it. lie's never done. His whole hap
ters whoie cha ters. a perfect Ilen
ri e in pu-rot-talk. When once he
begu.H, t. tore's do possibility o' check
ing or stoop ng him. On. on ho goes.
Faiewolto the rest: he insists on
pouring it all f rt.h to the very last
sentence Gabble, gabbie gabble;
chatter, ch titer chatter; pouf. pouf,
ijioiif. bourn, bourn, bou u: be runs
ahead eternally in-one ong dist ordant
m'ng song monotone. The person who
tuuibttum must have taken entice
months to teach him, a ph reuse at a
'time, para? aph by aravra h. it i-i
'"Wond jr.ui bird s memory could hold to
mui'D. Hut till now, taking it for
ffr nted he stxikeonly so e wild i-outh
1-aeiiit: dia eet, 1 never paid m ch at
tention to Methuselah s vagaries."
I'Uusli. IIj s going tosticak," Muriel
cried, boliing up, n alarm, one warn
ing linger.
And tne bird, his tongue-strings evi- '
dently loosened by the strange recur
rence alter s i many yea s of t lose fa
in UUr Kng ish sounds. "Hretty Poll!
Pretty Pod " oprneJ his moula again
in a lo id h ic- le o. do ignt, and cried,
with persUtent ghri Iness. "God 8 ue
the . ing A ' g fo all arrant knaves
and ro indhea is! '
A rr.ie;ier f'.-eling than ever came
O- er the two Kngltsh listeners at thows
As.onnJing wo,K "tjreit Heavens!"
Felix exclaimed to the unsuspecting
Fre ichivian, ' he sneaks in a style of
the tuals and the Commonwealth "
The t r-n hman at rted. "po ue
Io us ,)uator e ' he murmured, trans
lating the date mo tally into his own
?hro olo v. "Two centuries since!
Oh. incri blei incredible. Meihusu
lab is old but not quite so mucu of a
patriarch as that, hven Huratwdts
pa rot could hardly have li el ..00
jears in t.ie wilds of Soath 1 merica."
J-el x r.-garded t e venerable creat
ure with a look of al os1 cup' rstitious
awe. ' Facts are fact ,." he answerjd
nhortly chutting his mouth with a lit
tli n.ip. 4 nles-t th 8 bird has bee 1
dnlibur.ttelv tiught historical di-ta Is
in an ar;hai; diction -and a ship
wrecked sai or is hardly likely to be
am i uar an enough to conceive such
i eu, he is undoubtedly a survival
from the days oi the Com mon wealth or
the estcration And yo i say he runs
on with bis ta e for an hou at a time!
iooi Heavens, what a thought! I
iv sh we could ma age to start him
now. Docs he begin it ofk-n "
"Mons enr. the Frenchman an
swered, 'when I came here first,
thoagh Metnuselah was alrealv verv
old and feeble, he was not ciuite a do-
tari and he used to red e it all every
JOiDing regularly. That was the
bo r. 1 suppose, at which ihe master,
who first taught bira this lengthy reo -tntion
used originally to impress it
upon him. In those days bis sight and
me ory were ar more clear than now.
But by degree i. since n y arrival h.'
has grown dull and stupid, j no nath ei
tll me that thty years ago, while he
wm already old, be was still bright
ad lively, and would recite toe whole
poetn whenever any.iody presented
kim with bis greatest daln y, the claw
f DMMtra-Ci-ab. Nowadays, however,
Wkwa be can hardly eat, and hardly
II utile, be is much leu persistent
l lM coherent than formerly. To
fy th truth t have dLMrouraged him
V I W mvoru, oecaiMe bit pertinacity
t wowed a. 8o 0w he seldom gets
i -rawgh ail his lessos) at one bout, as
t C-4 to do at tae Daginaing. The
wwjr to gat his on U for me toslng
I icf aw IVasjeh soars. That seems
' TJ?. """ j!1" 10 ri-1
while,
i ) sii eaalty bs-
- -ww tryiay w
':Jm,tt Mt brother
.. .. .. . .
O O tr r1 t't rtad,
I w'tn '"tense persuasion in
"1 do so want to henr it "
ber voice,
she meant
of course, the parrot's storv.
But the Irrenchuiun lx,wed, and laid
his hand on his heart. h. m dm
oisdie." he said, '-your wl,h is almost
a royal com nand. And ve-. do vou
know, it i so oug 6ince I have sun?
exietto please my elf my musi.-is
so r sty o!d pieces yoa h h ar 1
1 have to a companinient. no score
mais en.iu. we are all so far Irom
1 ai-b!"
A'uriel c'idn't dare to undeceive him
as to he meaning, lest ho should re
fuse to sing in real e .rues'., an 1 the
chance o( leariiug the pa -rot s secret
might slip by tbem irre.rei aoly. "wh,
mons eur, sue cried fitting u -r-ielf to
bishuuorat once, and s, eatihy as
ceremoniously as if she were assisting
at a musical party in the avenue V 1.--tor
Hugo, "don t ueeline, 1 bey of yo i,
on those accounts. Wo are lioth niot
anx ous to hear your bong. L'on t d .s
ap oint us pray. Please begin imme
diate y."
'Ah. mademoiselle," the Frenchman
said "who could resist such an apjieal
Vou are altogether Uo flatter ng."
And then, in the fane cheery oico
mat. eux nau ncarj on tue nrst u y
he visited the King of the Hir Js' hut,
M. i eyron began, in very decent style,
to pour orth the merry sounds of bis
ro. licking song;
' O ian l on cnmpl rs,
Q it ii ban frajitir
Oil p Dt Mt dir
Ciiu-i'trii eur
I'o tr out le laon-de
ii liiu. a itr
Terre :n l.io i-dw
y.t co'Ipl ntir '
lie had hard y got f:ir ai the en 1
of the tiit s a i. a. however when Me
thue ah. listening With h.earcociied
up most knowingly, to the French
manshong, ra.sed bis bead in i;osi
tion, and, sitt rig boit upr ght ou his
pe ch, began ton-ream forth a voiuide
stream of words in one unbroken , oo l,
bo last that Muriel co 11 hardly fol
low them. Tao bird so ce in a'thi k
and very ha su voice, and. what was
more remarkable tiii. with a fli.itin t
and ext ems v pe uhar orth v ountrv
' accent, "in t.io nineteenth year of
the reign o his mostg.acionsma esty,
King darles the Second.'' he blurte .
out vi iously, with an angry look at
thelren hman. "I, alhaniet Cross,
of the borojgb of Sundei-.and. in ibis
( ounty of iXiorhaiu, in Kn land, an
able-bodied mariner, thxn sailing the
South Seas in the .-ood I ark Martyr
Prin -e, or the jx.rt of Great Gritnsbv,
wnereof one ihomas Well-i, gent.,
unierG id. was m ster "
"Oh, hush, bush:" Muriel cried, un
able to catch the p rcious words
th oih the cranio s echo of the
Frenchman's music "Whereof one
Thorn ts Wells, gent., under God. was
master - go on, i ol.'y.''
"Heiruipie hi n-Ie
Et iOltet I;Oif . "
the rrenchinan repeal el. with a half
Oilendeu voice, linisbing his stan a.
Hu ust a-) be sto ped .ethuseiah
stop el too. an I. throwing back .is
head in the air with a triumphant look.
Stared har at his an ui-hed and
lenced Oj)iKne t out of tho-e blink'ng
gray eyes of bis 'I thou Jit I'd be too
much loryou!'' beseemed to say wrath
ful y.
" Whereof one Thomas Wells, gen .,
under God, was master," Mur.el sug
gested again, all awg with excite
ment. "Go on, good b.ri! Go on
pretty Polly."
But Methuselah was evidently put
off the sc -nt now by the unseaMinablu
inter option. Instead of contin ung
he throw hick bU head a seeoni time
with a triumphant air and laughed
aloud bots:erou iy. "1 retty J'o ly.'
he cried. "Pretty Polly anfa a nut.
Tu-Kila-!si a maroo! "Pretty I'oll
Pretty Pol v! '
"Sing again, for ile iven's sake''
F'elix exciai.iied, in a p ofo ndly agi
ta'ed mood, exp ain ng brie.ly to the
rren hmn the full significance of the
words Methuselah had just bejun to
utter.
The Frenchman struck up his tv.c;
afresh to give the b rd a start: but al
to no avail. Methuselah was evidently
in no humor for ta king just then ile
listersd with a callous, un ritical air.
bringing Lis white eelidsdown siowly
and sleepily over his bleared gray
eves. Then he nodded his bead slowly.
"So use." the i ranchman murmured
pursing his lips up gravely, "ihe
bird won't ta'k. It's going o f to sleep
now. Methuselah gets vis bly ol. er
every da , monsieur and mauemois :1 e
You are on y ust in time to cat Ji his
last accents."
CHA1-1KK XXIII.
A MESSAGE FROM TJ1K DKAO.
Early next morning, as Felix lay still
in his hut, dozing, and just vaguely
conscious of a buzz of a mos juito close
to his ear, he was aroused by a sudden
loud cry outside a cry th .t calle l his
native name three times, runn'ng
Oh King of the Bain, King of the
Bain, King of the Bain, awaite! High
time to l e up! '1 he i. log of the Uirds
sends yoa health and greeting "
Feiix rose at once; and his Shadow,
rising before him, and tinho ting the
loose wooden fastener of the door, went
out in haste to see who called be ond
the whitd talHio li.ie oi their sacie,
i-rccincts.
A native woman, tall, lithe, and
handsome, stood ihe re in the full light
of morning, beckoning. A strange
glow of hatred gleamed in her large
gray eves. Her shapely brown besom
heaved and panted heavily. Big beads
glistened moistly on her smooth, high
brow, it waa cleir she had run all
the way in haste. Bhe waa deeply ex
cited and full of eager an iety.
' Why. what do you want here ao
earl, , L la.'" the Shadow asked, in sur-
prUc-for It was Indeed she. "How
have you slipped away, as soon as the
s in U ruo irom the sacred hut of
TVM a-Kila"'
r"y eyes flashed angry Are
again," sbs cried, in revengeful tones
"aeetlM weals oa bt baekl bM my
arms mm my sooMrs, hs bas dr wa
Mood from ay wouada. Hs is the most
i lutefal of gods. I sboald love to kill
'hi. Tkaroor I slipped away .im
film witn th"! eai-! daf. n an c. Iitj tr,
cons It w tb hs enemy the i: of
the Birds, U cause I he id the -oi'.s
that the ry a of Tu-Kila Kila, who
per ade the wo.-lJ. rejKirt to the.r
m.inter. Ihe ryes hae to d him that
tbeliingo l ain, he ueen of ti.e
Ciout s. ai d the king of the li rds aro
p.otting together iu cret ag insl Tu-Kiia-Mla.
"A ben 1 hcarj that 1 kbj
g ad: I wi nt to the King ol the l.ir.
to warn biin of Lis danger and the
Mug of the Birds, concerned for your
safety bus sent me in haste to a.--K h.s
bro her gods to eo at once to bi.u.
in a minute i e ix w s up and ha 1
culled tut Mali rom the n iirhix.rii-.g
hut. "TelM.ssy ueenie,' be criea.
j "to co. e with me to we the n,un a
I oi.i oili! 'J'be mi n-a-oiii-oui has w nt
; me for us to come. She u ut make
i great haste. He warns ua iiLiue t
; iately.'
1 With a wor 1 and a sign to Toko t' a
glided away s eaithi v w thlhec u-
hxe read of the n :live Pol; i.e i..u
worn n, liack to ln-r haled hi siiai d.
ielix went oi t to thet-our in ln-iio-graphed
with Ins bright metal plate,
turned on the frenchman's bill,
"What is it "
In a iiHJineiit the answer fashul
b ck woid, "Hone uicK. if you want
to bear. Me h le'ah is recit ng "
A ew seiso ds later M.ir em.; g d
from her hut. and the two iirop aus
cloeiy followed, as always, hy 'tuer
insejtarable Sha ows, took the wind
ing side-p t.i thau I d liiro gh tne
jungle by a devioii way. a odjti the
front of Tu-hila-kila'b "tern, le, to the !
frenchman s t-otluge.
They lo.ind M. Peyron ve, -y much ex
cited by I las news of Tu Kila-Ki.a
a titude but more still by Meshuse
lah's agi'uted con iitmn "The whoe
night through, my d -ar friends," no
it eJ. sci. iiig their bun Is, liiat b
his bee chattering. Oil. moa
i ieu. (jiiel oisi-au. It si-otis as thoui.i
the words heard yesierdav fro;u m i
fiiio selie h id r ick sora.i lost clu.rl
u tiie crea'.,.re's meimr,. B .t he
a so very leeble. I lu m-e'liat iv .-li
His garru ity is the garrulity of Id
aire in its last bickering nio.in.-nts he
munioers and mutters, ile ch t-kie
to himself. If yo I -in't ln-a bis mes
sage now and at one-:, i. s my solemn
conviction you will no er hear it. '
He led them out to the aviary. where
Methuselah, in c -ct. was siting on
his perch, most tremulous and woebe
gone. His feathers shuddered viib v;
tie co dd no 1 ng r preen hiinse f.
"Li. ten lo w. at be iy.' the t rerich
man exc aimed, i a very serious oice
"It :s your lust, last i bailee. If the
secre! is ever to be unraveled at a l.
by Met h sel.ih s uid. now is. withoit
douiit, the jJiop .r moment to unra.el
it."
Muriel put out her hand and stroked
the . ird gently. "Pretty Poll " she
said, soo li nu'lv. in a sympathetic
voice. "Pt-ett .'i o 1. 1 oor I'oll! Was
he HI Was i e -.a i-ring "
At the soma, o tin 8 u ui'iar words,
unheard so long til y.-t ; i iy, .he
parrot took her tingt-r in his b -.-A; om e
more and bit it with tne tcrid.-rm-s o,'
his kind in tneirso ler iiiomenis. i'ue.i
he tlirew back his heal with a -.m-. oi
median. cal twist unJ screamed o r j
the top of i is voice, lor the lal li u i
on earth, his myterious message
"i'retty ioii. retty .oil! (io i
save the kl g Confound tft! l line .'
it rk! 1) alii to all ar, ant knaves and
roundheado
"In the nineteenth year of the reign
of his mos; gracious ma esty. King
Clianes the Second, i. .athumei ross.
of the borough of .'umii-rland, in the
County ol boorhaiii, in r upland. i.li
able I (.(died mariner, then sailing the
rout u fc-asinthe gisjd bark Mur yr
r'nee, of the ort of re.it .' r msby,
.v hereof one Thomas Wei s. gent, u.i- .
...i . .... nuo iiianv"i, nan, u iii u.
wcatiier, wre ko and cast away i n
he shores of thisislan , ca led bv .he
gentie inb.il t rits b,- the name of Lo
Parry. In which wreck, us it befe.l
Tfioai 8 Wei s, gent., un 1 his e.uip
ment were, i ydiviuedhjiosit on, kiih d
and drowned, rave, t:nd excent three
marinei-s, whereof I am one. who in
vjod's good p.o idi-m-e swa ea'e y
thro gh an ex ceding great "iskI ol
aves and lan le 1 at la t on this is an. I.
t here my two companions Owen W.il
iam , of rswansea, in the part o Wales,
and 1 ewis ie j'richard. a French II w
genott refugee, were at once by the
gentiles, c. ueliy e. treated, and lifter
great t rture rooked and raien al the
lump e of their great chief toi. loo
iveela heela. I u., I myself bav ng
through tJod's g ace found fa or in
their eyes, wan promoted to the p rt
wh.chin tne.rmiM'ch is called Korong,
be nature of w.iich tins bird, my
tro .t.ipiece, will hereulier, to yo..r
ears, more lully ditic ait."
Having said so much, inave-y jerky
way Methuselah paused, and blinked
bis eyes wearily.
TO BE X)NTJN"t'I-.f).
Why 'Mivn Are he.ifi.
"Do you know what makes pickhd
olives o cheap?" the furnisher ol de
lectable said the other day. "io.i
would'nt expect a (alilornia olive
grower to get rich when his olives
are sold at a little more than the
cost o the brine. 1 will tell you a
sccret-the trick In the olive trade.
'IHjwu in the Li ue-ec .alley
there are two great ruit farms
There is one grower who bis thirty
acres of pium tr es, 7,0 0 of them .
now I earing. Kach one yields three I
or four bushels or gieen plums 'I he '
plums are olivet-Imped, they a el
picked when green, sold to a buyer
wh i puts them In fan y labeled iit. 1
ties o. in kegs, and they are sold lor j
olives. They so much resemble the
genuine that no one but an epinum
cm detect that the ' ' not. Ti r
in nil l.ades, a.eu't there."
Acw.
Her IllUnm i.
General Dabnev Ii Maury tells In
his "i e ol ections of a Irginlbn" of
ao old lady la Fredericksburg who
was reduced to taking in boarders la
order to n ake both ends meet. On
one occasion ol imcullar stress, tho
Kood lady took to her t ed and sum
moned her servant "Nancy," she
sa d, "there's nothing io the house
lor u boarder tn eat except mush,
but give tbem that. If they am
Cbrlttiaoe, they will accept it lo ree
IkfoaUoa and thaDkfulnesa. A ad If
they are not christians, it to a
too roed for tbeaa."
T I - lntln!t Oli th- laU(? It
't4 iu allllw it Vt HiO.
SEEKING FOR THEE.
1 uru by tu t ruiy t A,
t im 1 In t b;
W ben is b-igui f m bp( h f b
k, i t ib tr wuiag k
m O 11 at .
ror I . i r g rm .
Itrf-Mt oif h c su ,
1 Uiu ro sa ur uiili' if
C uu 1, uiy ka, to tbiw.
Ovwr th bouDi1:-a mmii,
W f t bv i bf u tig W ez,
i r IC U. wm I ;
V Imm-i; ihm t i.ki aun stl I gluini,
V r. JHi ID Ita SO duu .4-ajil
( Jl o e t ,
Vi b-r !. r atrmin to a
Krikbi gfcUf- .f 1 --r f,
lI K .Ulna
Cout i, my liw. lo ibi-9.
Ov r lb xnidnlhi dey.
CZiW.riuiy o..t- i il kept
tcKiriK fur ti
lo lu ,uy j. ni., riesFt,
J o-a ib my a k is-tw-t,
V ui knK ra t
1 h'.-a w..tu tin it rtcrp 1 ftt
h eau--'r tl b v'ea il lilit,
i u bi'o ali'l ou lalicy
t-lili win 1 ntN-k lor tbe.
1 o d I J I lie avea of atri'e,
(nw ih Mtm if
X atu . - it ;
NX . ft'a u y i.icart QDiUhn,
On o .i pie lieu i an
Kb n uiy a 1.1 ;
t-i.l yu.r i. ei .ut I I ir,
t tji d b w D'-'ic t. r,
hi i.l i iu . .rea lor b
1 uv , w.rj L.uity.
TWO FRIENDS.
i.
Cne clear morn tig in January,
I nidi, leriuue au. ai ouii.ig toe
sieve wbcu lam ue was ki.ockmg at
, the Kilt'n oi .ails, M. .Vo rissot, a
tlnCK-iiiaker by tiade was strolling ,
, slowly at ing ti e outer boulevards. I
As will) Ik. wed bead and bands j
tbru-l deep mlo bis pocket', be)
I wa tcU tin eiiizru-M'd in ins own ad j
; thoughts, be mi1IhuI- stop; cd i elo 0
a man wbotii be re.ogni.cd as an old
', Incnd. ll was M. auv.ige, tvbo.-e
ac unnt incu lie hud lutde ou the '
river bank. i
t.n e.nb Sunday befoie the war
Vorrls-tit u-ed to set out at dawn
Tu 1 1 Ii l.'itiii.ui I'unn ill li Id 1 1 -.. n 1 1 n in I
a tin o strapped to his back. Be !
went by i be Argcutcuil i ahn alas!
lur as ( oIouiIk.-n i,ui t cn walked to!
the lle o. .Maiari'e. Scarccy a rived ,
at, thaLdre.imy i.lace he would beiiin I
to bsti, and wo stay there till
DiglHfall.
t,u each Sunday be used to meet a
stout jO ial lenow, M. f-auvage of
trie I. ue .Noire D.iino de . oitrite.
who was also an rit husiastic Usher
man. Th y o ten p.scd a hall d iv
t'ieiher siitiiikT si ,n uy side, their
hues iu Un; r hands a d their led
dang! ng oer the curieuL, and a
fr cn.lsbiji soon sprang i.p between
th trill
n some tlavs they would notev
fhange a wo d with one another, but
they grew tut that r c l under
stand ing which exist-, between ir
sons who hate -itniiai taste-i an I who
exfvrience miiar fiiiouoni.
liuring the b lubt p ing mornings
rs tliev sat, 1 1 ,u c. i Her in tliewai tn
minsii tie Morn-sot woal-l sav to hi j ri-ot. who wasarixiruHy watch
com,.anl..n "llu. Imw n.ce , his h," j lrl' "Utldeuly sei.i-d
ami Al. ,-auvage would reply, "1 w 1,1 a"cr "r a (icrceftil m in
know of nothing It-fer " I wl"u lalw di turbeii, and gruin-
And toward ihecio-e of an nutiim '
day. when the heatens were br got- "lsi-t il stupid to kill one another
pro (1 by the glorns or the setting i
sun. and lite IiIikc mass s oi en sou
ciouds were iiniruted on the surfite
if the treiim, an I the t-ntre laid-:
scape was bat lied in a i ond o! got eu i
llit
SaUVage WOU d l'iok a!, ll.s
companion an I sav, w,th a smile
What a picture "
And MorissoU without taking his
eyes fiom his oat, would reply:
it Is lunth better that tiie lsnile
vards, isn't Ui-"
II.
The two friends shook hands coi
diaily, but both felt a tinge of ad
lies at meet ng under such ircu in
stances. M. Sauvage sighed and
niurniiired:
What a condition of things."
Mons-ot glooailly r plied:
'And what line weather! 1 o yol
reali e that it i Ne t Year's liay'r"
bey ticgan to wa.k side by side
and Mori m.i continued
"And ou I.sti ng How pleasant
it. I to think o. H!" j
M. salivate demanded i
'Wl eu shall we ever be able t'l go 1
again "
They entered a little cafe find
drai.k together an a'-siiit.he and then
resumed their promenade along tne '
boulevard.
Aions-ot stopped sud lnQly:
"Anotner (jiasb?"
M. Sausage assented
"At, yoar pleaurc," and they went
into anoi her cafe. When they came
out M Sauvage exclaimed:
"Supposing we tfa"
Wbee.-"
'Why. fishing, to be sure."
"I'.ui where.-"
"To our old place. The F rench
a Ivan e iiosts are near Colorobes. I
know Col. Dutiiotiliu and I am sure
he iil let us pa,."
Moris-ot trembled with anticipa
tion. v nt id " he cried. "I am with
you." i.nd they parted to get their
hooks and 1 ncs.
An bou later they were walking!
side by side ou the highway, and
wmn reached the villi n wnicri th 1
ii.tniicl had i-tali ished his bead,
quarters, ile siuib-dut their re (Ucst
and good-naturedly granted them a
pas'.
Ity 1 1 o'clo k they had passed the
outer pie ets aud Colombo, and
found theiiisehes at the liorder of a
small v.neyard that sloped down to
wa.d the helne.
Ifore them lay the apparently
dead and deserMd village of Argen
teull. The heights of Orgeniant and
haunels doininatrd tbela dscape.and
the broad plain that extends aa Iu
a enter e waa a picture of desola
tion with iu leaflet tree aod grajr,
bare earth.
M. i-auvsge pointed toward the
ommlt of tne hills aod murmnred:
"The I'ruwlant are there."
"The PruMiane." At the aoaod
nt that, nam a foallntr nr tmrnr and
I OPrebeoilou Mzad 'jpoo the two
frien-ls, for although neither of
them had rver tea a PruUu, yet
U near that nanus ronouncd was
to invoke pictu t- of invading hordes
roaming Ibrougii their dear rriinte,
p.llagibif and ma-sac e Dg on every
hand. uci ternble repo U of the
lerocity of the I russiaos had crept
into U-stled laris from the ur
rouudmg countr) that a sort of m
perstilioUs txrror had aitdt bed IWelf
to ihe natural hat ed for thee all
powerfui and ylcti.rous invader.
Monssot stain me ed:
'i h.' supposing we should meet
;beui?"
M r-auvage rrlled with that I'ar
Isian joviality wb ch never dc.-eited
him:
We would offer them a friel
fish "
liul ft:ll Intimidated by tbeorninoiis
i-iiencc, ihey hesitate 1 to venture
across the field. At length M. Sauv
a:C de .(led.
"lome! Com"!" And Hot-plnf
di wd they crept through the n.e
yard, dcdgiiiif from b sb lo bush,
stra uing their eyes and cars to de
le t the slightest susp emu cf pur-
6UIL
A stretch of bate ground rcioaiiicd
to le crossed. Afler a long beila
tion thev suiiimoned l heir couiae,
and running at fuil speed attained
Ihe river bank and con calcd ibciu-
bCiVes among ihe dry neds
.Morisol I sleiie.i with his ar to
tli-gi:i .n for so lids oi pursuit, b .t
be i, card nothing, and uism this
iis-Lr.iu e ot their safely they began
to UslL
I1L
llcfore them the ubandone' Isle of
Maiaole shut out tin; View of the
oiisite shoie The little re tiuraiit
was closed, and appeared Ui have
been deserted for ears.
M. Sa age aught, the first gudg
eon, Moiissiit the second, and irom
tn-.ie lo tl . e they pulled n their
lines with a dsn wiggling on tins
,jk'
Hie sun poured its w;irm rays uiv-n
t'"- ' 10 I belr j) ist true
Wl"' h'ia 1m e" RO denied ibem,
lllH-J' "" ame cbll lo s to their
sur Dun i.igs.
, Suddenly a i ull sound scoined ti
bu si i rom tbccai in. Tne caunun.ide
was I eing resumed
Mor.s-ot t ui ned his lie, id, and away
I to toe left, he pcrceln d the great
! Mlno etie tif . t lalancn, which
bore uim its lirow a I lift of tiioke.
; SiMiii a second I of I nine shot out
from the fortress, -horUv succeedeil
by a third intonation. Then ol hers
billowed, and at regular In ervalsiho
' tuouut tin scut fori h its death-dual-lug
btcat.il and chali"d .ts niiiky
vapors which, iKing slowly In the
' cj.iu atitiosplicre, bung like a c.oud
i aisve iu
j M. ijauvage shrugged hisshou tiers,
j "Tln.-y ate t.eg.iifung again," be
' said.
" . " au-
.ti au ans rep ie i:
'They are
worse than the tx-usu
them-eivis " '
And Mo Nstit, who had
In aniituer llsb, (ieclare.l.
u-t pulied
And to thin that this sort of
thiiiK will continue as long us there
are governments ike this."
,v, auiage stnipe hiru.
'The i cpuiilic, wou d not have de
t'areil war " but Morissot luter
rujjted biiii, say.ng:
With kings you have exte nal
war, w.th rep .bli s you bavj internal
wars '
And then they began a tranquil
discos-ion and soiiitiou of Ihe great,
political problems with the I. tutted
reason of peaceful, tjuiet men , who
a.' ee . pou the one point taat ihey
never will en.oy lull liberty.
Meanwhile the thunder of Mount
alarieu con i.lnutd incessantly, at
e i ,'h di'dhirg; deinol shiog so many
French tioujes and lives, rudely i im
pelling so ru.inv hapny drca ns. so
many aut.cip .led plea-uies. and open
ing n the hearts of women and
mothers in th.s and other countries
wounds winch wd! ne er heal.
:uch Is life," dc Tared M. Sauv
age ";av rather such isdeath," lightly
replied .ViuUsot
Middenly th -y irctnbl d with fear,
real i.ing that some one marched be
hint llieiu, and turning the r heads,
they saw four Ccrinan soldiers cover
ing them wiih IbeT muskets.
Their I. tie slipped from their
bauds and fell into the rive-; and
within a few moments they were
sei.ed, hound, thrown Into a boat
and carried to the Island.
iieo u.i tne nouse wn n u.ey
I rim i,r ii L ipuii rlj.il I bnv fimnil a tn n -til
ol tieruiHii soldiers
i A bearded giant siltitig astride a
' chair and smoking a huge pipe with
porcelain bow I asked of them in ex
i eel lent French:
' well, gentleman, nave you nad
kf'Kid luck."
' ,lf repl v one of the g ildlert
'l-p'i-itcd at th" oU-ei's feel I,. i-
ba.Kei,iui ot il-n wh i li be bad taken
care to bring with blm.
The 1 rus-lan smiled.
Ah, that's not had. Cut another
thing first. Listen.
.To me you are two spies seot to
watch me 1 take you and 1 shall
shoot you. You pretend I? be lish
linr In order to olwcrve Die the lt.
j ter. l ou have fallen Into my hands
s i ma b the worse for you. ruch
le war.
"Hut as you pased the advance
post you s .rely have the pas word
with which lo return. Tell It to mo
aod 1 will release you."
The two friend, pa e aod tremb
ling, their bands agitated by a alight,
oervotw trembling, remained allaou
The o ttcer continued:
No oo will ever know It You
wl" return lo peace. The icerat will
disappear with yoa. ro refuae li In
mediate de.lh. Choose "
The two friends wale no reply.
Tbelruselao calmly said wbll
pointing towards the nrer
ThmH thui in Ut minutes yo
will be at the bottom of that stream.
In Hve luluutet You hare families?"
The two friends stood rigidly erect
and made no reply. '1 be German
gave a few orders In his own lan
guage, and then moved his cnair In
orJer not to be too ne r the prison
er. Twelve men with loaded iuua
kets then pla ed themselves at a dis
tance of twenty feet
The oMirer continued:
I will g e you one minute not a
second more. "
ile aroe and brusquely approached
the two 1-ten-buieti. Taking Mor
isot by the ar.ii be le I hi in a short
distaoce away au 1 said in a low
voice
uick. the pass w-ird. Your com
ride wib never know."
M .nsoi made no lenly.
Tlv rrus.bt i fik Sausage aside
an I mat" tne same proinsil to him.
S au ,.ge made no rp y
They again fj. n 1 th.-mseivci side
by si ic
iheofll er gave a command, and
the sold ers raised their amis
lly chance MorUsol's glance fell
up iO tne basket of dsn lying on the
ground a tew piivs aw iy. i be sinn
ing soles of the fill living (lsh
spirkied In Hi Minil-'lit. In -pile of
him-ef biseics liilcd with tears and
he stammered
.iood by, Moiisie ir Sauvige."
M. auvage responded:
'i;.iod by, Monsieur .Moris-ot. "
'J'hey shook hands. 'Ihe o.Ilcer
cried
'Kire "
The twelve report; rati; out like
one M. rauvage lell Im-a liV'k.
lorissot, who was la ler, waveied,
turned, and fell acros. his i oiopan
ioii, face upwards, a Hood Of bioo 1
ruh ng from hip breast.
The i et i.an gave a new n der,
whereupon his nu n mirchetl away,
but returnel prcsen Iy with ords
and stones, which ihey attached to
the led of the Cot j.ses
Two sol liem took Morlssot by the
heid and teet and bore him to Ihe
rncr, and two others toilnwei with
Sauvag . The In) es. nised for an
in tant, were throw ii i to the stream,
and ilescr lung a curve a they tell,
plurigid feet fortiiost Into the cur
ie nt.
Tlie water ,'oamcd and Uiiled and
then became calm, wh le a ft: l.ttle
waves reached as far as the lio e,
'J be sur ate was slightly stained w th
blood.
The otllccr. st iil serene and un milled,
quieliv remarked:
"Now it is ihe turn of th" tMios."
"Tnen, turning toward tiie house,
he noticed the baKet of fish on the
gra s- He j.icki'd il up, examined It
siti.l 1 and rk-d
'iViih in "
A Mjldier wearing a white apron
run no at bis call, and the i r...-ian,
throwing the (Ish to him. cum
m.i n 1 1 it I
i ry these for me while tlvy are
stlil a he They will he ne.ic o k"
'I ben be resumed his p:pc. Amer
ican C ltivator.
hor linx " Ch to,
In the Century, Mes rs A'leri and
f-a tit.ei eu, writing of the r wutider
ful n cycle ,ourticy a r.ss .-Ssia. say:
tin (lashing down into a viii.,ge. we
wou.d iroduct: co.isie, bat, on of
iiiiibt, t-s t-ciaily ii'iioiu the woiiiei
j and chlidie i, liutaltc,- the llr t on set,
' giggll g would verier. illy lo l .w. for
our apM.'ai'arics, cspeciaiiv Irom the
rear, scemel to st; Ue t tico us nx-
treincly rmicul ik 'J'n wheel itjlf
lreseiiieJ larious aris to tuelr
, Ignoiaiit fancies. It was called the
' 'in In 4 "ua him."' and 'fu d-goiiu car-
liage,' while sum.; even to k it for
' liie "live. wi.ee! ta t, or l"Ciiuot i ve,
i aUiut Whit h ihey ha I heard only the
vague t rumors. Their ignorance of
lis souice of motive power often
prompted the n I i name it ihe seir
jnii.viiigc.it,' just a tne native of
, Mbinghai are wont to call the elcc
! tr C light 'the self-coat tig hnani '
I In one out. ot-the way village of
, Nort'.iwe-ieru China, wo were evl
j dently taken lor soiun spec e- of cen
i t niirs. the peop e came up to examine
us wbi.e on t.iic whc-l to see wneiher
vi no iiuu aim wneei were one.
Ue bcciinufo harassed with impor
tuuitio. to r de that wn rtcre corn
polled at last to seek r.di f jn sub.
tt.Tiugo, for un ahsoluie refusal, we
found, was of no avail. V.e would
promise to ride lor a certain sum of
money, thinking thus to tino the
bur.cn or refusal on themselves,
lint, nothing daunU'd. Ihey wou d
puss round the hat. v n seieral
iM-caslons, when Uild that eggs could
,,ot, 1k. bought In the Community, an
i ..... '
. oner oi an exnitutioii woimI i.rlng
tbem out by the do,en. In the same
way we received presents of tea, and
Mils means our cash expenses were
conside ably curtailed. The into est
in the "lor Ign horses" was somu. lines
to great as to stop brines and even
amusement, a rather n taole In
cident cf this kind occurred on one
of the Chinese holidays. Ti.e , ag.
decked M reels, as we rode through
were tilled with the neighboring peal
aotry, i.ttracled by some tiaveling
theatrical iroupe engaged for the oc
casion. In fact, a periormance was
Just then In progress at the open-air
th at r close at band, i eiore we
were awaie of ll we had rolled Into
its crowd d aud torlutu The woruoo
were silting on Improvl ed benches,
fanning and gossiping, while the meo
stood about In listless groups iiut
sudden y their attention was aroused
by the counter attraction, and a gen
eral rush loi lowed, to tho great detrh
went of Ihe temporary (eddlei1
stands erected for the occasion Al
though entirely deserted, and oo
doubt consumed with ctirlos.tv. ' the
actors could not lese what, the i hlnese
call "ace" They situ continued
their dla.oguti to lb empty seal