The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-01
TWO BOYS In THE ALPS.
BY ALICE oRossETTE HALL.
WRITTEN ESPECIALLY FOE THE HELENA INDEPENDENT.

d~reamliks, we've the peaks OF tAs Bsrnsr
Overland.
II am bound to see il from the top" said
Richard, making a fresh scramble over the
rocks.
Toward tho top the WAY grew easier.
They had now drifted uneonsciously into
a sort of natural pathway which led around
to the opposite aide of the summit from
the one by which they had intended TO- ap-
proach it. Full of their talk and laughter,
they had not noticed the divsrgenes' nor
that they were on the dangerous side.
ALI was now ahead. Then came = break
in the path caused by u landslide which had
carried away all foothold. Spanning the
breach was q moderate sized branch OF .
tree, it's smaller branches and twigs still
adhering to it. II looked substantial
enough.
All had already stepped upon II and
Richard. bringing up the rear. wns spscu-
lating as to how such a branch Game to be
in such a place. when there was . snap. and
the next instant ALI, branch and all, were
shooting down the slide. a long, steen de-
clivity. Terminating = sharply jutting
rocky ledge or shelf, above a sheer preci-
pice. seemingly to unknown depths below:
All Richard could see was . confused
msss of broken branches, flying dust and
stones, then q dark object hurled over that
friahtful ledge.
For an instant no seemed turnsd to stone.
h with an agoRized cry of "Alf, All" he
was about to start headlong dew the pre-
eipitous walls that extended to the depths
his friend must have fallen. The worry
madness OF 1t stopped him. II he did mot
lose his " life it would be but q slow and
toilsome process getting TO the bottom.
10 retrace his way. long and roundabout
as it was, to reach tie plateau aud go
around and up again TO the bottom Of the
precipice was, after all, the surest, doUbt-
less the quickest way. He did not stop to
reason it out. IL came to i'm like a fash.
Then, with one wild desire to reach his
life, he turned and sped downward over the
same route up which he had just climbed 10
toilsomely. 1t was too rocky and difficult
for the safe use of his alpsnstook, but he
| did not care. trusting himself to it Dlindly,
swinging himself reeklessly ever the rocks
with many a bruise from their Jagged
points.
But the outward bruises were nothing to
the inward eoadings of his conscience. The
one thought that stood out with vivid dis
tinotness amid the wild tumult of his brain
was that 1t was he who had led Alt to his
horrible death.
Then came the glacier. Now his progress
was more rapid and here his alpenstock did
good execution, for by its aid he flung him
self alorg with tremendous leaps. But the
snow blinded him. and rapidly softsninR
against the ice, he would slip and founder
and fall.
One Of these flying leaps brought him
above the crsvasss which he had quite for
gotten. By adding an impetus to the for
ward motion he was landed %sprawlinQ on
the farther edge of the chasm, the upper
part OF his body on the rock, but his legs
o~verhanging the crsvasse.
On that perilous edge he would almost
inevitably have slipped into the ohssm, had
not the point OF his alpenstook. rs he
slipped and foil, planted itself so firmly IN
the opposite ice wall Rs to hold him in his
position, and enable him to regain his foot
with terror at the thought of himself at the
bottom of the erevasse. alone and helpless,
with night coming on and his poor friend
dying alone. Now the glacier was past and
he had reached the sharpsst descent Of all,
yet growing more and more reckless as he
proceeded.
Then there was q slip, and he was hurled
forward with his shoulder striking against
a rock. his head just escaping a sharp point
that might have given a death blow. His
alpenstoek, which but a few minutes befor G
had, doubtless, saved his life, had now all
but bsen tho means Of his losing it. It had
broken under the great strain. Richard
flung it from him as he gathered himself
up groaning from hiS bruises.
Fortunately he was near the plateau.
There was the first rock where he and All
had lsnched SO happily. 1t ssemed ages
ago. On he sped along the plateau, then
up again until he came within sight of the
fatal ledge. II was as he had feared; below
it a sheer precipice over which no human
being could fall and not meet death. He
climbed on. and W, with an icy dread upon
him of what he was doubtless soon to see.
What he did see. however, was only a
huge bank of sand, and crumbiing stone,
the accumulation of years. That was all
| no trace OF any human being.
All, ALT, ALT" he shrleked IN a mental
agony that almost crazed him as the echo
went reverberatlng among those strange
solitudes, giving him Il sense of solitariness
that seemed absolutely unbearable.
What sound was that? was it an echo?
was someone hooking him? was it a human
voieeS "Alf," rang out again o n the still
ness more desperately than before.
Hello" came family from some POINT
far above him. What miracle was this?
Looking up, Richard caught sight of some
taken his downward slide, just visible
above the ledge.
Did his eyes deceive him? Had ii isally
lodged on its way down-in fact, never
come over that dreadful precipics at ALP
Surs!y, it WAS from the midst of it that
Alt's voice had come.
SALT, Alf." he called again. feeling q
sense of relief utterly indescribable. Are
you really there. and not killed?"
mo, Im not killed." came back family.
But I feel all smashed up. Don't try to
come up here, but get someone to help me
out of this"
Richards thoughts few to the shepherd
lad. Betwesn them they could, doubtless,
extricate the POOR boy.
Pm going for Julius,'' he shouted.
He picked up Alf's alpsnstosk and was
speeding back, flying it seemed to him. in
apite OF his bruises and aching legs.
How he reached the shepherds hut he
scarcely knew. Ths setting sun was light
ing up the snowy peaks with q rosy glow az
he approached it, bringing into bold relief
all it's surroundings. especially the welcome
form Of Julius, who was standing just out
had not changed his position since morning.
Richard quickly told the story. Selling
his stout walking stick. his constant noun
tain companion, and, like a faithful shep-
herd, taking one look about at tbs COWS
and goats. Julius was off like tho wind,
leading Richard a chase to keep up. These
shepherd beys are expert climbers. His
feet clattersd over the stones, even with
those POOR apologies for shoes, wooder
soles, with pisces of leather to hold & ZEN
on
But there was something which Richard
did not know, that lent Swiftness to Julius
headlong speed. Four years before. to Ill
up come idle hours and do a good deed, as
he thought, In the interests of tourists, he
with the help of one tsof his goats, haG
dragged up and placed across the breach il
the path. the same branch which, gradually
decaying. and at last made worthless b,
time and weather, had broken upder Ar
weight. He WAS goaded on to thu rescu,
under n ssnse of his own responsibility in