Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-09-26

He could not hinder himself from
mentally computing the fabulous
| amount of rubles that this valise must
represent. Though ignorant in such
matters, and incapable Of making
anything like an approximate calcula-
ton, he knew enough to consider the
jewels of ineStimable value. Merely
as a detraction, to shorten the road
and pass away the time, he imagined
himself in possession of this treasure
and asked himself what he would d.
with it. Dangerous as Was the bent
Of his thoughts he abandoned himself
completely to them. They soothed
the WEAKNESS of the journey and ca
ressed his hopes so sWeetly! How en-
chanting were the prospectives that
they opened before his sensitive
lovers heart!
A brief warning from the traveller
that they advanced too slowly recalled
him to the sober realities of life. He
heaved a sigh as his dreams vanished
like smoke, then a horrible thought
that sent the blood to his face, crept
for the first time into his soul. At
first he repulsed it with indignation,
but it would return, obstinate, insinu-
ating-StrOnger at last. than his will
After all, has he not taken Elsies
love, my only treasurer and this
thought, that made his clear blue eyes
f1as b, seemed to Justify i'll advance
the odious act that he felt tempted to
commit. But try as he would he could
not reassure his alarmed conscience
by false reasoning. The unqualified
an attack in the icy desert was abhor-
rent to him, whatever grievance he
had against the man WHO walked
trustingly by his side
They crossed thus, one following the
other. the Isle of Kummling, and
found themselves upon the seashore,
strewn with great powdered
rocks, bristling with hoary stalactites.
Arrived at this place, where the really
dangerous part Of the journey began,
! the two men stopped instinctiVely.
The guide scaled a peak and with his
sharp eyes scanned the way before
them. The air. mild for this season,
I was growing still warmer under the
smiles of PhOebus that yer. agreeably
replaced the icy gusts Of t. previous
evening. Before setting o. on this
lonely plain that stretched away to
meet the sky, assuring absolute Sc
J crecy, the most fatal of encOura ge-
mentS to Characterization stopped
suddenly-deepIy troubled guiltless
yet but feeble and disarmed against
passions that his coarse northern ma
| ture had never learned to curb. He
felt in advance that his better nature
would be WorSted in a combat with
his awakened greed and the seducing
I facilities of robbery and murder, and
: to remove these facilities, he returned
I to the traveller and proposed that they
pass some days in Kummling before
continuing their journey, giving as a
reason the inevitable breaking up of
/ the ice if the day continued warm.
/ eco on" repeated the guide to him.
self. angrily. You assured me Of the
! safety of the crust. We have neither
! horses nor heavy baggage. You told
: me you knew how to pick your way
over difficult places. Now you say
that it is impossible to cross. You
/ have given me your word. [ am
| hurried and you must keep it. Go
, on
! Go on repeated the guide to him
self, as his blue eyes lighted with a
devilish CLEAN. Fate has ordained it.
! We shall go on and setting out reso-
| lutely upon the ice he said, between
his teeth, Yes, fate has willed it, and
, you too, Elsie" and from his lips es-
capped these words of the damned
fatalist this excuse, mOnsrous and
blasphemous, God wills it also!'
! Notwithstanding his ominous proph-
ecy, the ice was firm and and the two
men shot over its surface like arrows.
! Behind them, upon the white plain,
an ever lengthening double furrow
marked their course. But Christien
; troubled himself very little about
: these traces in the snow. Having
hunted seals over these waters scores
of times he was aware that they went
farther from the borders they would
have to pick their way among numer-
Gus holes in the ice, any Of which
would hide his crime if he chose tC
commit it. The occasion was not long
coming to Justify his anticipation.
stop a moment" he exclaimed
our way is now dangerous, Keep close
l to me. 1t W ould be well for you Il
: let me take your satchel, because il
will be ali you can do to take care OF
yourself. AS for me it is my trade
His companion made a sign of as
!, sent. The imminence of the danger
made it an imperious necessity Il
abandon himself entirely to the young
: Alandois. 1t was not difficult then tC
, make him relinquish his precious loaC
: and press closely to the guide. 1t be
came more and more difficult to ad
, vance at each step, assures of sinister
. augury multiplied, and these, with
significant cracklings obliged them t.
make incessant turns. Now it became
necessary to sound continually anG
the merchant, pallid with fear, com
menced to rue his boldness, but to re
treat was almost rs dangerous now as
to advance.
Suddenly Christien's pick broke the
l ice and the water dubbed up menac
ingly. ''Take care" he cried, seizins
the arm of the Mortified merchant an6
I,,;,, no 81