Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-02-02
ROYAL VENGEANCE.

On the road from Geneva 20 the won.
derful valley Of the Chamounix, the trav-
elcr finds the romantic, beautiful aud much
sough: Sal,na grotto. Across the Arva,
which waters the valley. this cave makes
its way int" the moaa,siu for as much as
seven hundred feet. Some three or four
hundred feet from the entrance an i'm
mense abyss opens its yawning mouth
just under your feet. and the rush Of sub
tcrrauean waters comes boiling up from
the depths. The cave is naturally one Of
the most favored resorts of the whole re-
gion for the curious traveller.
In the Summer of 1888 three Young
Frrnchmen came to visit the grotto. The
Sandinian Government had stationed a
widow woman there for the greater accom-
m"dation Of travellers. and had given her
the exclusive privilege of all that could
be made from the position. and only re-
quircd her to act as guide to all who
wished to 60 through the cave. The
widow had yonng girl to help her. and
the latter was called out to show the three
gentlemen the sights OF the locality aud
guide them in their tour Of the grott6.-
Shortly after the party hal disappeared
in the cave another traveller. with u sin
gle servant slapped and demanded the
usual cnur,esics. The widow herself tool,
him under her direction and began the
tour Of inspection.
When the three young gentlemen who
had arrived first came out of the cave. the
young girl handed them the travellers $
register, asking them to write their names
on il. as they had neglected tn do so on
entering. Onc Of the three answered that
they never did this. The speaker SEEM
ed to occupy position of superiority
among his comrades. although there was
nothing in his age or dress to indicate a
cause for this. The veung man. though
refusing to sign, kept the book for few
moments. running over its pages and read
ing aloud some of the names. while they
all laughed and jokei about some of the
registered travellers.
But when his eve fell at last upon
the linal name in the list, his face flushed
instantly, and he asked if the stranger
who had just written his name was still
in the cave. The young girl answered
that he Was. They had met him once or
twice in the tour. but had not bern able
to distinguish his features by the flicker
ing light Of the torches, and had only
caught occasional words of tad French,
at which they had laughed immodera,e-
ly.
The young man who was looking over
the book now called his companions. who.
as soon as they saw the name. looked at
each other with mingled expressions OF
rage and aS,onishmcut.
Suddenly the first one snatched the
book out of their hands. and cried out:
God has throan him in cur way that
We may punish him for his villainy as he
deserves"
Lets go after him at once..' cried an
other. and he had scarcely spoken before
all three sprang toward the entrance O:
the grc!to, one Of them sna,ched the torch
from the young girls hand. Such was
their haste that they struck themselves
agains. the rocks ani s,alac,i:es So forci-
bly, As 10 draw blood. but they rushed on
withou, paying any attention TO this
The girl WAS almost frightened TO death.
for she felt that there was something wick
ed in their intentions. The three friends
came back almost Immediately. seized her
aud forced her TO go along with them. in
order that they nigh; not lose ,henselyc.
in the cave
All four hurried for tune through the
diiTeren, galleries without meeting the
stranger, when the sound of voices in their
vicinity told them thai the man they were
looking for vas separated from them only
by the distance Of a pathway.
! The poor girls heart beat wildly. fol
she feared the worst. Iadeed, the three
friends pushed forward rs soon as the,
heard the voices. and. throwing her Il
one side. sprang upon the stranger.
The next thing the girl heard was [.
piercing ou;ery for help. aud. pressing
forward as rapidly as possible. she say
that the three young met had seized tl.'
J stranger BY the throat and we're si,aiin;
; him with all their might. he himself ery
ING cut rissoasly for hslp. snd HE s-rvsa;