Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-26

Il frozen hard and slippery at nightfaii.
In the higher attitudes too, a slight
covering of snow had fallen. treachrr-
Gus TO the foot, and, IN addition. hid
ing dangers that might Turk under
meath. However, they were seen 10
reach the sky line. 20 linger on the
highest level OF the snow, as n for n
short breathing space, for few min
utes, aud, resuming their tollsome walk,
70 disappear down the other side.
Herr, Lawrence, l will let you have
the beneflt OF carrying the axe on the
way down" said Grant. ''if there are
any steps TO be cut, l will let you know
IN good time"
Grant was leading, as he had done
all along since they had quilted the
stones Of the morainc. A strong rope,
some twenty yards long, with the OPP
poslte ends passing round the waist OF
each, bound them together.
Hhlt or the distance over the glacier
had been accomplished. when suddenly
the leading man slipped aud fell at a
steep part OF the descent. Before Law
renee had noticed II the loose rope had
become taut, ana In an instant he had
lost MS roofing and was following his
companion In hts rapid gllHsade. A
Few moments later. and their pace had
accelerated 10 "a dangerous degree.
though nt first the motion was pleas
ant enough, and Lawrenco's subsequent
Wild EFFORTS to retard II with the help
Of his axe We're fruitless. because OF
their wlldnesa. Their course had he
come almost headlong, when he saw
ms companion, who was somewhat In
'front.' bound on shelving mass OF
snow and then disappear. Next mo-
ment he was caught on the Same shelf.
buried TO the shoulders. and felt HIM
set almost suftocated. as the rope
tightenod around his waist and chest.
llg htt nnnUtN
nefil, ON the edge OF n crevasso. into
the depths OF which his companions
weight was alowly dragging him. To
seek 20 stay his downward course with
the help OF his Ice axe, and devise some
means OF rescue for hla friend was the
one imperative step that lay before
hun, Hut that step, though he bit
terly regretted Il after, he did not take.
a struggle OF conflicting emotions, OF
past friendship and present jealuuay
OF sympathy and despair and In one
overwhelming moment Of craven cow
nrdiec he struck blow at the rope
now strained To It's utmost tension
One OF tho strands gave way. but the
other two stun held together, though
almost Mt tho breaking point Another
blow, muttcrcd curse, and again
Wild stroke. and thon-LOwrencc was
free, his safety assured, with q aictcn-
ing feeling at heart that whispered TO
him murderer"
Without venturing 10 peer over tho
edge OF the yawnlng chasm. he crawlcd
on hands and knees from tho fatal
spot, and slowly retruced his atcps
over the glacier, He had presence OF
mind enough TO frny tho ends OF the
tell-tnil strands OF rope before reaching
MS hotel whence search party was
Immediately despatched Tor tho re-
cuvory OF the unfortunate Grant's body.
II was sunrise OF the next morning
before they reached the fatal spot.
Traces NJ the tragedy were all too
apparent on tho surface Of the snow,
but the Icy cavern hid all elae In ita
depths, a man was lowered. His
face was nshy pale whom he was drawn
up, and II was some time ere no could
speak.
u sllppcd on ledge como thirty feet
down. at last he managed TO say,
and thought my last hour had come,
Nothing below that but two walls OF lee
ns far as l could look The fall would
XIII him at once"
Those who are living twonty years
hence win find his body mt the foot OF
the glacier" said old Androna Mottlcr.
the guide, 81 remember when "a boy
u accident like IT, and the body was
found unchanged after an that time
1t was some days ere Lawrence could
set on for home, There had been a
heavy fail OF snow. ana the roads were
blocked and all travelling by dill-
gence stopped, Ills physical condl-
ton would not have allowed him to
venture Nt once 80 long n journey. and
his overHtrung nerves. had given away
completely. Nor did the manifest
sympathy OF all about him help much
TO recover his huuNanCy Of spirits, His
condition was ascrlbcd to grief for his
friend'H loss and In lesser degree to
his own Imminent perilntthe time OF the
ia 81. a. H.Ua a l.
thiSOru lave read the secrets of his
mind they would have known that he
was II prey TO bitter shame aud the
grief II engendcra, and that now his |
friends fate and his own trcachory |
were ever before him In all the horrors |
Of the situation
on the evening before his departure. |
however he summoned courage enough |
to press his suit with tho unwilling |
cause OF his crime.
Don't nsk me now, 30 soon after |
your friends death" was all she said, |
but tone aud mannormnde him feel sure |
that his subsequent wooing would be |
anything but hopeless quest.
She had promised TO write 10 him. a |
promise that, 10 his mind, practically |
assured his position, aud possibly he |
was right. No suspicion OF tho real |
cause OF the accident had occurred TO
any one. His secret was buried In two |
cold boaoms; his own and the
glaciers
Twice he had long letters from Miss
Morland, one from chur on their Jour
ncy 10 Italy, the other on their Hnfo
arrival at san Reno, and then they
suddenly ceased; nor 10 his repeated |
inquiries was any answer vOuchsafcd
IL was Now Years morning, and
Lawrence was lingering over break
fast. the paper prOpppd up on the table
In front of him. Lying amongst his
letters was a small box with foreign
Ho opened H. wondering
who had sent IL, for the writing bore
some semblancc TO n band he used 10
know we'll Wrapped In a sheet OF
Florence newspaper was a small piece
Of rope--that and nothing besides. one
end was cut straight across, two
strands Of the other also were cut
what longer and was not cut It bad
evidently broken under n heavy strain,
Ills body has been found" he NUT
tered to himself with chattering teeth,
his face now arhen pale. And then
his eyes caught the first column OF the
Newspaper as II leant on the toast-
rack in front Of him. and meohani-
rally he read.
"At Florence, on Dec. "a, by tho ROY.
r. H. Murray. Robert Henry Grant,
to Ada. only child OF Edward Nor
land"
II only remains TO add that Law
renceH companion had been rescued
by a party crossing the glBoior from
The other valley, who had come up
lust as the formers retrenting figure
was disappearing over the hill The
marks In the snow arrested attention,
a.. -.