Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-04-11

| THAT is n fear which my ward-m,
| wayward ward never need harbor," b.
said, with slow, broad smile; she has
| brought too much sunshine into my lionel.
life for me to wish to lose her, But change
| is inevitable some day.
| "Why?" a low voice murmured; anC
again came the mysterious illumination o
| Olives eyes.
Because. Olive-if for no other reasons
| the wears of nv guardianship will soon b.
at an end he answered steadily, alinoS
sternly. He must face the future resolutely
as benefited a teacher OF his fellows.
| And few seconds later his quick, nerv
| Gus step was echoing in the passage with
| out.
An early summer vacation in Switzerland
when the glorious Alpine flora should bt
at its loyeliest-had been the cherished
dream of wears of Bernard Ralston, and il
was realized. A woman's hand had guided
! his steps thitherward. Olive Power had
persuaded 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! Affairs when T9l
/ return, and the critics will all say that the
| last chapters are the brightest, she sale
| pleading!y. And when she added sligh
| involuntary expression of her own eager
ness for the change, he surrendered. The
| trio-Miss Ralston, Bernard's sister anC
housekeeper, was Olives chaperon-hac
| now been from England q fortnight.
They had reached the Riffel and were
thus encamped under shadow of the ma
| jestic grim and uncouth, for variations OF
epithets) Matterhorn itself. Here Olive
went into ecstacies 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
were thesGorner Graf to visit, the Corner
Glacier TO see.
At the hotel there was pleasant company
including a couple of young Americans,
who swept the ordinarily reserved and eau
tious student forward into participation
in their own reckless adventures by the
sheer force of enthusiasm. The three went
off one afternoon on a quest for edelweisS.
The gloom was thickening in gorge and
pass, and gray shadows were following the
crimson sunset glow Oh the huge crests
aloft before there was any sign of a return.
The ladies grew uneasy. Stories OF acct
dent and of awful peril were staples of the
conversational bill of fare in the hotel
salon, and invariably excrted their influence
on nervous minds. In this case the pre-
sentiment of evil was but but surely JUS
titled
Two of the venturesome explorers re-
turned weary and disheveled, but Bernard
Ralston was missing.
I'VE thought he was before us, ex-
planned Mark Croxford, the elder of the
brothers. 1--WE drifted apart among the
powders and ice ridges of glacier edge,
and we looked for him to reioin 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 a heart
in the little group of listeners. The
thought of precipices and of their hidden
and treacherdus dangers was in every one 5
mind. a search expedition was quickly
organized and started
II 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.
cheeks and agonized eyes and daunt-
less resolution, she insisted on &C
companying the seekers. 1t was at her
request Bernard Ralston had came to
Switzerland If he persisted would it
not i'll a sense be her fault? Better that
her own life should have been sacrificed
To persuade the girl to return was useless
only a loss of precious minutes. With a
muttered growl of disapprobation the
guide was compelled to allow her to pro-
coed.
Hours were spent in vain pursuit.
" Guide, is there any hope?" demanded
Il stout Cornishman, at last.
4" l fear none" he answered; at the bot
tom of yonder chasm -
His words were cut short. A cry, half
triumphant, half-fearful, slipped from Olive
Powers bloodless lips.
Listen | hear groan,' she said.
A silence that might be felt prevailed.
swered the leader in sulky despair. There
is nothing for us but to go back"
" | will not" the girl declared, until
you tell me whose voice that is. Hank it
is no sound of wind y
Again they listened, and again without
result.
Mark Croxford gently laid his hand on
Olives arm Believe me, you are mis-
taken, Miss Power he said: you do not
suppose that any one of Us would give up
the search if the least chance remained
But the guide knows best"
And yet, as he uttered his melancholy
remonstrance there was sound from over
the neighboring ice-foe, hard to credit to
even the most eerie of Swiss breeZeS.
There surely you hear it now" the
girl said.
If only to make clear the girls folly to
herself, the quest was recommended.
The quick ear of love had not blundered
after all. This time chance CLEAN of the
guides lantern over jagged precipide side
revealed dark form huddled against an
inner ledge. 1t was Bernard Ralston, in
sensible from the effects of his perilous
fall, and proving that he still lived by occa-
Sional groans.
Il beg pardon very humbly, Miss Pow
err Mark Croxford whispered.
And they tell me, Olive, that owe my
life to you, the cOnvalescent said, wheeled
out ON the broad mountain terrace
of his resting place. How shall | con-
trive to repay you, | wonder Do you
know-nay you cannot know had q
dream this morning After the doctor had
left my room dozed, and it seemed to me
that-that the dearest girl in the wide
woodland surely the bravest-came to
my side and smoothed down the pillow
and-dare ] whisper the words?-caressed
my forehead. twas singular, was it not ~
Something in the poiSe of the averted
face awakened swift suspicion-a keen
thrill of happiness.
alt cannot be that-that it was not a
dream? he queried. That my ward is
willing to be still dearer-to be my wife -
The small palm was not withdrawn, the
lovely crimsoned face was swiftly and mo-
mentarily upturned, as he had seen it twice
before. and this time look of inefIable
content was mirrored thereupon.
IF you really desire so to extend your
guardianship of your wavward ward "
mischievous accents answered And Ber-
nard RalSton's sometime problem had be-
come his dearest treasure. Love itself had
taught loves lesson.
-@----4--
a Woman's Age.
Il cold &c M oIJn- +lo,,