The Portland daily press., 1882-09-23


cribs valley always brings happy thoughts |
to me-" said Linton half to himself.
Cant wonder at it, returned Hardy as
be gave finishing touch to his chin. ssYou |
were laid up for week with sprained an
kle somewhere about here, think, two
years ago, weren't you? And we nearly
lost ourselves last night trying short
cut"
That was happy time, JACKIE
"Which?'
'When sprained my ankle. was
nursed by the most charming girl. Won
der if she lives here now. We were like
brother and sister before l went away"
''Fye seen her, my boy. But you must
take care; she's got strapping young fellow
hanging around who's as jealous as Othello.
| am afraid Eve caused little heartburning
already. Oh, am a sad dogr'
'What fool you are, jack"
"All right, don't you make yourself one as
well. Here's the old dragon"
Fraulein Schwartz had heard voices and
came out to welcome the new arrival. She
well remembered Linton, and received him
with effusion.
''Nina win be back in minute or two, sir.
| She has only gone to milk the goats. She
| has grown since you saw her, SIR"
"Ah, she was girl then; suppose she is
| a woman now"
''You shall see, sir. Here she comes"
! Linton watched her as she came down the
road, not altogether pleased to see a tail
| young fellow with her.
On the other hard, Walter was so vexed at
| seeing two strangers, evidently waiting her
1eturn, tint he had half a mind to turn back
| and retreat over the pass in anger. But his
| jealousy kept him near his betrothed: he
could not let her out of his sight.
swell, Nina" said Linton, as she came up
1--WE come back, you see, as you asked me
| two years ago.
81 am glad to see you, SIR she replied de-
murely, for she felt that Walters eyes were
| on her.
"Fraulein Schwartz made me expect to
| find you quite woman, but you are still my
little Nina, see. Are you grown too big to
be kissed now
s'Don't be fool, Charley" whispered
Hardy to him; "can't you see that fellow
looks as if he would like to murder you?o
But the question had been already decided
by Nina's drawing back hes hand from
Lnton's and wslking up to Walter. The
latter, however, did not look at her, but
gazed modify down the valley.
"A sweet youth that,' remarked Linton
carelessly.
In the meantime Walter was clenching his
| hands in his pockets and muttering to him
self; s'she told me that she did not know
| Wucfo Nc was, anu nc WAS III tu6 uOu6S oil
the time. And he would have kissed her."
| CHAPTER II.
''Well, Charlie, suppose we are to push
on to Werhausen today said Hardy as they
sat outside the cottage next morning over
their breakfast.
eyes, suppose SO. Where's Nina
| vanished? | want some more mill -
you've about pint left, let Nina alone
my boy. AS it is, that fellow w alter seems
to be unpble to make up his mind whether
to be angrler with you or with MINI. Look
at him now; his scowl is enough to turn
milk sour.
"Oh, bother Walter! I've come twenty
miles out of my way to see Nina, and shall
ignore Walters existence for the next hour.
| 81 )pose We ought to start at g."
Eyes, and we shall have all our work cut
out, for don't mean to try any more short
cats without guide"
"Perhaps Nina can tell us whether we
can get one. l am going to see at any rate.
Nina.
She came running out, and Linton made
her sit down while he questioned her about
the possibility of obtaining guide to Wer-
hausen'' His excuse for OBTAINING her was
not very happy one, for she at once sad
th-t Walter was returning In that direction
today and would be glad to guide them.
Hardy looked at Linton interrogatiyely.
| WISH, JACK, your Try anu arrange IL
with him" said the latter; he wont do it if /
ask him, I'm afraid, and ltime is an object
now.'
Gail right. Pll try what I can do,",
replied Hardy. 81 think he'll come If only
to Insure our being at distance from
Nina"
Walter was not very tractable. At first he
refused, but presently yielded, apparently
because of some idea which had struck him.
L 10 lad hat cfo WI he 10 nj
once, to which no objection could be well
made, so the friends packed up their KNAPP
sacks and were soon redy.
"Good-by, Nina,' said Hardy, holding
out his hand; "don't forget me before this
afternoon"
"Good-by Nina, "echoed Linton. ssCome,
Hardy. Pm ready. By Jove though, I've
left my alpenstock in our room Just get it
for me, Walter.
Walter had brought out the baggage from
the room, so he could not refuse to do as he
| WIS requested. The moment he DISAPPEARED
Linton drew Nina to him and kissed her."
That's a good-by kiss, fo- suppose you
will be married long before come to Switz-
erland again. Mind you don't tell Walter"
But, as Hardy knew, there was no need to
tell Walter. The bed room window over
looked the group, and the lover had been a
spectator to what had happened. Hardy
saw his face for a moment with an angry
flush upon it, but he did no. see the intense
hatred which shot from his eyes as he drew
back into the room. However, in few mo-
ments he came out apparently calm. He
kissed Nina and the fraulein. whosonly came
, cut at the last minute with the bill which
| she had been connecting, and soon the trav-
ellers were only speck in the distance to
{ the inhabitants of the cottage. Linton did
moi give thought to the jealousy he excited
IN Walters mind in fact, he was scarcely
aware of its existence. He did not know
that the guides was an intensely passionate
and suspicious temperament; that for one
thing he knew he imagined dozen; that he
always made his visits to Nina unexpectedly
in order to know whether she had any other
admirers but himself. Had he known all
this he might have taken seriously the tact
tutn way in which the guide plodded on
never offering an observation, and replying
as little as possible to what was said. He
even refused cigar which Hardy offered
him, very rare thing for guide to do.
81 shan't be sorry when we drop our new
acquaintance" remarked Linton; che is
very embarrassing"
81 shant care if that's his worst fault,
replied Hardy.
'sHe certainly has one rather more annoy
ing; he seems to be able to pick out the
worst bits of ground in the district Pm
getting tired already, and We halen't walked
three hours"
'And with one rest. This is most
wretched sort of wilderness. Have you
never been here before?'
''Never. Pm utterly out Of my reckon
ing
sit seems to me-" said Hardy, "that
Werhausen lies good deal more to the north
while he is working us continually to the
west"
''Ask him.
l Ixx 4 1,,4 liz al