Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-12-27

lures ia
trasin. and Davos.
Meanwhile Grant seized the opportu-
rity !, engage Miss Morland IN u lew
min mes earnest conversation apart,
whics, pleasant as 1t seemed to Dotn
na rties. did not appear to promote
a%,yrence's eq~uanimity. But 1t re-
nm;ysd the sharp eye Of Mrs. Morland
~ dstect this much, for the artist was
at no time accustomed TO wear MS
heat upon his sleeve" However
without further episode, the gentle
men took their leave and together
returned to their hotel.
Next morning rose bright and cloud
less, and found the two pedestrians
already we'll on their way to the upper
slopes. where, fiarked on either hand
by crags and cliffs, and pinnacles or
rock, lay the glacier they were o
to cross. 1t had been arranged that
thew should make the descent into the
adjoining valley by the Stieffer Pass
to the village of Fluela, which they
would reach In time to catch the DILL
gence in the evening, and so return to
| Dorfi. A guide had been dispensed
with. md. indeed, with their expert
! enGe III IlOuuIdlltCi lhS oho N~
narrative ease of the present eXpedl-
ton, there was no occasion for one
The few early watchers from the no.
tel balconies could easily descry them
when they cleared the wood and pro
ceeded to make their way oyer the
grassy activities on to the mordlne,
and thence to the glacier.
Over this their courst was tollsome
and slow. The suns heat OF the pre-
vious day had slightly melted he sur
face of the snow, only to have 1t frozen
hard and slippery at nightfall. In the
higher attitudes, too, a slight covering
of snow had fallen, t~reacherous to the
foot and in addition hiding dangers
that might lurk underneath. However,
they were seen to reach the skyline, 10
linger on the highest level Of the snow,
as if for a short breathing space, for a
few minutes, and resuming their toll
some walk to disappear down the oth-
er side.
Here. Lawrence, I will let you have
the benefit Of carrying the X on the
way down." said Grant; IF there are
any steps to be cut I will let you know
in good time"
Grant was leading. as he had done
all along since they had quilted the
stones of the moraine. A strong rope
some twenty yards long, with the op
posite ends passed around the waist
Of each, bound them together.
Half OF the distance W. the glacier
had been accomplished, when sudden
" the leading man slipped and fell a
a steep part Of the descent. Before
Lawrence had noticed 1t, the loose rope
had become taut, and in an instant IN
had lost his footing and was follOwln!
his companion in his rapid glissade
A few moments later, and their pace
had accelerated to a dangerous de
gree. though at first the motion wa
pleasant enough, and Lawrence's sub
seuuent wild efforts to retard ii witt
the help OF his X were fruitless. be
cause Of their wildness. Their COurs
Lad become almost ~headlong, when h
saw his companion, who was some
what in front, bound off a shelving
mass of snow and then disappear. Mex
moment he WAS caught on the sam
shelf, buried to the shoulders, an,
felt himself almost suffocated, as tn
rope frightened around his waist an
chest.
He was safe so far, but In deadl
! peril, on the edge of a ~crevasse, int
. the depths Of which his companion
weight was slowly dragging him. L
, seek to stay his downward course wit
the help Of his ~ice-axe, and dcvis
I some means Of rescue for his frient
l was the n imperative step that Ia
: before him. But that step, though /
bitterly regretted 1t after, he did NJ
take. A struggle of conflicting en-
tons, Of past friendship and preser
4 Jealousy, Of sympathy and despair, an
In one overwhelming moment Of CT
ven cowardice he struck a blow
: the rope now stretched to its utmO
0 tension. One Of the strands gave wa
but the other two still held togethe
though almost at the breaking poiI
Another blow, a muttered curse, al
s again a wild curse, and then--La'
Il renee was free, his safety assured, wi
r a sickening feeling at heart that VIII
I pered to him Murderer"
y Without venturing to peer over Z
: edge of the yawning chaSm, he crawl
e on hands and knees from the fat
l. spot, and slowly retraced his ste
J. ever the glacier. He had presence
mind enough to fray the ends Of t
e t~ell-tale strands Of rope before reac
l, ing his hotel. whence Il search paI
Re WAS Immediately dispatched for {
recovery of the unfortunate Gran
I body. 1t was sunrise Of the next MOI
D" ing before they reached the fatal sp
d Traces Of tho tragedy were all too /;
q, parent on the surface Of the sno
v but the Icy cavern hid all else in
depths. A man was lowered. Ills fl
IS was ashy pale when he was dra'
re up, and it was some time ere he co,
IF speak.
y 81 slipped Off a ledge some thil
feet down." at last he managed to S
IN land | thought my last hour had cor
IT Nothing below that but two walls
Id Ice rs far as / could look. The
Id would have killed him at once.
Id Those who are living twenty We
In hence will find his body at the foot
t. the glacier" said old Andreas Nett
- the guide. IL remember when a
u; an accident like 1t. and the body '
found unchanged after all that time.
n 1t was some days ere Lawre
OF could set Off for home. There had b
FL q heavy fan of snow, and the TO