"What is this new idea?"
As I spoke I looked about for Eg-Anteouen, whom I had seen in
conversation with Morhange the previous evening and several minutes
before. He was quietly mending one of his sandals with a waxed thread
supplied by Bou-Djema. He did not raise his head.
"It is simply," explained Morhange, less and less at his ease, "that
this man tells me there are similar inscriptions in several caverns in
western Ahaggar. These caves are near the road that he has to take
returning home. He must pass by Tit. Now, from Tit, by way of Silet,
is hardly two hundred kilometers. It is a quasi-classic route[6] as
short again as the one that I shall have to take alone, after I leave
you, from Shikh-Salah to Timissao. That is in part, you see, the
reason which has made me decide to...."
[Footnote 6: The route and the stages from Tit to Timissao were
actually plotted out, as early as 1888, by Captain Bissuel. _Les
Tuarge de l'Ouest,_ itineraries 1 and 10. (Note by M. Leroux.)]
"In part? In very small part," I replied. "But is your mind absolutely
made up?"
"It is," he answered me.
"When do you expect to leave me?"
"To-day. The road which Eg-Anteouen proposes to take into Ahaggar
crosses this one about four leagues from here. I have a favor to ask
of you in this connection."
"Please tell me."
"It is to let me take one of the two baggage camels, since my Targa
has lost his."
"The camel which carries your baggage belongs to you as much as does
your own mehari," I answered coldly.
We stood there several minutes without speaking. Morhange maintained
an uneasy silence; I was examining my map. All over it in greater or
less degree, but particularly towards the south, the unexplored
portions of Ahaggar stood out as far too numerous white patches in the
tan area of supposed mountains.