The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-02-14

make havoc of his peace He waited for
the answer in q suspense that was posi-
lively harassing. At last 1t came.
mo, you may not, Olive said, unless,
me away And not even then, for can
not consent to marry a man whom [ do
not love.
Send Olive away! Was not every pulse /
in his body beating with fierce, unbidden
Joy at the verdict she had given? The
measure of his recent terror was the meas
ure of his present relief.
THAT Is fear which my ward-my
hayward wardl-never need harbor, he
said, with a slow, broad smile; "she has
brought too much sunshine into my lonely
life for me to wish to lose her. But
change is inevitable some day.
"Why?" a low voice murmured; and
again Cane the mysterious illumination of
Because, Olive-if for no other reason
the years of my guardian will soon be
at an end, +" he answered steadily, almost
sternly. He must face the future reso-
lutely, as beftted a teacher of his fellows.
And a few seconds later his quick,
nervous step was echoing in the passage
without
An early summer vacation in Switzer-
land-when the glorious Alpine fora
should be at its loveliest-had been the
cherished dream of years to Bernard Raj
ston and at last it was realized a
woman's hand had guided his steps
! thitherward Olive Power had pursuaded
him to lay aside his work and make
| playtime of the sunny weather.
! "You can finish your book on
! Vanity as a Force in Human At
| fairs when you return, and the crit
! les will all say that the last chapters are
the brightest, she said, pleadingly. And
/ when She added a slight involuntary ex-
/ preston of her own eagerness for the
! change, he surrendered. The trio-Miss
Ralston, Demands sister and housekeeper,
was Olives chaperon-had now been from
England fortnight
They had reached the Riffel and were
thus encamped under shadow Of the ma
jestic grim and uncOuth, for variation of
epithets) Matterhorn itself. Here Olive
went into ecstasies. To watch the sunrise
battle the rugged furrowed sides with
waves of liquid light was an occupation of
which she never tired. And then there
/ was the Corner Graf to visit, the Corner
! glacier to see.
At the hotel there was pleasant com
pany, including a couple of young Amer
leans, who swept the ordinarily reserved
and cautious student forward into par
ticipation in their Ownsreckless adventures
by the sheer force of enthusiasm The
three went off one afternoon on quest
for edelweiss The gloom was thicken-
ing in gorge and pass, and gray shadows
were following the crimson sunset glow
on the huge crests aloft before there was
any sign of a return. The ladies grew un-
easy. Stories of accident and of awful
peril were staples of the conversational
bill of fare in the hotel salon and inevita-
bly, exerted their influence on nervous
minds In this case the presentiment Of
evil was but too surely justified.
Two of the venturesome explorers re-
turned weary and dishevellcd, but Ber-
nard Ralston was missing.
"We thought he was before US, ex4
planned Mark CroXford the elder of the
brothers "We drifted apart among the
boulders and ice-ridges of a glacier-edge,
and we looked for him to rejoin US at the
lower end of the track. Not meeting him
we supposed he had hurried away home
ward. "
A sudden chill had gone to many heart
in the little group of listeners The
thought of precipices and of their hidden
and treacher0us dangers was in every ones
mind A search expedition was quickly
organized and started.
Il hear steps behind, said the guide,
hating on the first stage of the journey
and prominently displaying his lamp.
"Why, it is Miss Power!" cried Mark
Croxford in establishment.
1t was indeed Olive With blanched
cheeks and agonized eyes and dauntless
resolution, she insisted on accompanying
: the seekers 1t was at her request that
Bernard Ralston had come to Switzerland.
If he persisted would it not in a sense be
her fault? Better that her own life should
have been sacrificed! To persuade the
girl to return was useless-Only loss OF
, precious minutes. With a muttered growl
of disapprobation the guide was compelled
to allow her to proceed
N q
j "Guide, is there any hopper" demanded
J 8 stalwart Cornishman at last
! II fear, monet" he answered. "at the
: bottom of yonder chasm"--
His words were cut short. A cry, halt
, triumphant, half fearful, slipped ovel
{ Olive Powers bloodless lips.
Listen! l hear groan, she said.
? A silence that might be felt prevailed.
4 "The wind across the glacier, miss,
{ answered the leader, in Sulky despair,
e "There is nothing for it but to go back
a II will not, the girl declared, until
s you tell me whose voice that is. Hank
f it is no sound of wind.
Again they listened and again without
a | result.
. Mark Croxford gently laid his hand on
Olive arm. Believe me, you are mis-
a taken, Miss Power, he said; you do not
a suppose that any one of US would give Ut
; this search if the least chance remained
e But the Sulue KNOWS UeSI.
q And yet as he uttered his melancholy
remonstrance, there was a sound from
s over the neighboring ice-foe hard to credi
: to even the most eerie of Swiss breeZes.
8 "Therel surely you hear it now?" the
girl said.
( If only to make clear the girls folly to
4 herself, the quest was recommended.
The quick ear of love had not blundereC
q after all This time a chance CLEAN o.
f the guides lantern over jagged precipict
!. side revealed dark form huddled agains
j an inner ledge. 1t was Bernard Ralston
insensible from the effects of his perilous
D fall, and proving that he still lived only by
p an occasional groan.
e II beg pardon very humbly, Mis-
q Power, Mark Croxford whispered
e
!; And they tell me, Olive, that ow
my life to you" the convalescent said
wheeled out on the broad mountain ter
race of his resting place. How shall
: contrive to repay you. I wonder. Do yol
know-nay, you cannot know had
dream this morning. After the docto
q had left my room dozed, and it scenes
s to me that-that the dearest girl in tn
q wide world-and surely the bravest-
q came tn nv side and smoothed down tn