The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-12-30


had been saying something sentimental,
and she showed she understood 1T.
But they must not be engaged. The
threat of Gideon Grasper had been too
significan | should have interfered
had not the boat stopped at orr landing
place. We went ashore. Grasper was
not there, and l began to breathe more
| freely. We went to the hotel all together,
and when we reached Miss Katie's room
she turned and saiG,:
MRS. Farmer, l think it is only right
to tell you, who have always been so
good to me, that Full mean Mr.. Full.
cher Nevill-has proposed to me, and l
have told him that
"You promised Gideon Grasper year
ago." said.
Mrs. Farmer you are unkind-rude!
| | told Mr.. Neville that if he held to his
| opinion in three months l would become
engaged to hIm-if don't change my
mind" she added with little laugh.
Miss Kate, excuse me; Ina an elderly
| woman-leastways a married woman and
mother. Take my advice-don't lead
him too far. Make up your mind. Re-
| member Grasper; he is almost desper-
! ate."
'Let him be wholly desperate, then.
| Am not to amuse myself at all? Mr..
GrasPer, indeedv'
Gle is determined man, miss"
And l am determined woman.
Lucy, if l may call you SOL defy Gid
con Grasper and all his works. l shall
do as please"
After awhile we reached our destina-
ton; and to this day am not certain
whether the place was in the Tyrol or
Swissland. | say was, not Is, for not
vestige of the village remains to tell the
tale which know to be so true. Zwle-
bergthal was the place and there was a
mountain an each side of it, fine, rugged,
tir-fringed, snOw-clad mountains, much
bigger than our country hills, but not so
| green,
We found Miss Kate's relatives living
on what they call pension, though the
family is well off, and what the pension
is for | can't say. Mr.. and Miss Neville
came to the same boarding house. He
was a pleasant, well-spoker gentleman,
and no one could blame girl for falling
in love with him.
One day Miss Kate and had assembled
little way up one of the Zweibergs. we
had climbed up alone. for a wonder; and
while l was resting my companion went
on. She had been gone some time when
| heard a scream above me, and looking
up saw her running down pursued by a
man, who, as he came nearer, perceived
was Grasper
He was excited and angry. He yelled
at her to halt, but she only ran the
faster, passing me without stopping.
Gideon saw me in his way, and stood as
| held out my arm to check him. He
was glaring like wild bull; the man
was going mad, thought.
tGSha cball navar hn biS-nAVerI he
screamed. "If l have to move the
mountains to fall on her she shall die!'
Then he turned away toward the snow,
which lay thickly above us, glintng in
the hot sun. Hot, indeed! 1t was beau
tifully warm; and to think of so much
heat near so much snow was wonderful
| said as much to the man at the pension,
who spoke some English.
Yes" he said, lit is hot, great deal
too hot for the time of year. We don't
like it,"
I'VE do" said 1; ami off l walked,
thinking there was something odd in his
manner.
l found Mss Katie all of tremble.
Gideon had frightened her and threaten
ed her, but she was more than ever de-
termined to be engaged to Mr.. Neville.
So when three days afterward when he
suggested a little picnic to small hut
on the side of the mountain, where there
was lovely view of lake and a fine
waterfall, she gladly assented, and did
all she could to make up a pleasant
party.
was to go, and Mr.. and Miss Neville,
Miss Katie's cousins, aud two German
students. A guide and porter were en-
gagged to show the way, to help any one
who wanted help, and to carry the bas-
kets. 1t was a lovely, bright morning,
not breath of air stirring, only the hum
of insects or the sound of a cow bell
could be heard; and, as we proceeded,
the roar of a cataract from the melting
snow field above us.
The guide and porter walked in front
by themselves, chatting. Another man,
some one III skins and bare knees, with
a high feathery hat, came behind, as if
watching us; but no one noticed him.
| Ny only fear was about Grasper, and for
his interference, and of something the
| landlord said about the snow falling.
We reached the hut and had lunch,
and after it Miss Katie and Mr. Neville
rambled off, and so did l. Although we
took opposite directions, they soon came
round near me; and as l sat in dreamy
wondering way, thinking of home,
could occasionally hear their voices.
Mr.. Neville was pleading hard, and
Miss Kate was yielding, He seemed
quite satisfied, for l heard him say,
Then, dearest, you are miner" when
another voice in threatening tone sound
ed close by knew too well who it was
Gideon GIasper!
l jumped up. There was the man in
the Tyrolese hat grasping his gun. That
man, then, was Gideon. He was speak
ing sternlY, firmly, but without apparent
anger Every now and then he glanced
up the mountain in a half alarmed man.
ner, as if some presentiment weighed
upon him. But approached, and soon
understood his words.
marry her at your peril!' he shouted,
handling his guu.
Mr.. Neville thought he was going to be
shot, and leaped upon Grasper. There
was a struggle and Miss Katie screamed.
| The guide, the Germans and the porter
were all shouting at something or some
body in warning tones. Suddenly the
gun went olf-bOth barrels atOnce-wiJh
| a tremendous roar. The echoes came
back over and over again in the still air;
the conclusion seemed tremendous.
Suddenly hiss was heard-a roar; a
great big lump of snow had tumbled
| from the Overhanging mass and had
fallen in the belt of fir trees some yards
higher up than we were.
"Come back! come back" shouted the
| Germans in English. Miss Katie's cOus-