SOME HOURS LATER 285

home. The wealth accumulated in the cave belongs to
him. If Backcup is attacked, it is with intent to steal his
possessions ; he will defend them, and he has every right
to defend them !

*M. Roch,” I began again, “listen to me.”

“ What have you to say to me?”

“This cavern into which we have both been dragyed
belongs to a band of pirates.”

My hearer would not let me proceed, I do not know
whether he even understood me. He exclaimed angrily,—

“T tell you that all the treasures stored here are the
price of my invention. They belong to me. I have
been paid what I asked for the Fulgurator, what
I was refused everywhere else,.even by my own country,
which is yours, and I shall not allow myself to be
robbed of it!”

~What could I answer to these wild assertions? I
continued, however, — :

“Do you remember Healthful House?”

“ Healthful House! where I was shut up, where Gaydon
the keeper was commissioned to play the spy, to steal my
secret from me.”

“T should never have deprived you of the profit of that
secret. I would not have accepted sucha mission. But
you were ill, your mind was affected. It was important
that your invention should not be lost. Yes, if you had
revealed it in one of your paroxysms, all the profit and all
the honour should have been yours!” .

“Really, Mr. Hart !” replied Roch, scornfully. “ Honour