The Portland daily press., 1896-09-05


go thus, with one trusty guide, than to
loiter' in parties, she says, as they are
crossing the meadows in the valley.
There il less danger Of accident with
fewer travellers together, except on the
high peaks, where the rope is useful.
And SO shs leads them on, stepping
over the furious river and climbing the
precipices by rugged path, now wind
ing amid the frs and now through the
verdant grass until they reach Montau-
vert, where you can stApd on the edge
OF the plateau and look down on one
side into the frozen sea and on the other
into the vale of Chamouni.
| From the surface of the sea of frozen
pillows the granite needles rise toward
she sky, void of snow or ice, bidding de-
fiance alike to the lightning and the
tempests and the glacier sweeping past
their base. They are grand, impressive,
sublime, says Gisela, leading her COM
panions by the side of the ice, where
the rock and gravel are raised in gigan-
tic furrow by the frost and the av-
alanches and the crystal ocean grinding
down it's mountain bed; then, taking
them out little upon the bosom of the
frozen sea and showing them the assures
and crevasses where the ice glitters
clearer and up from the depths rolls the
| thunder Of the ice masses falling from
the roof of the crystal cavern at the foot
OF the glacier, where at intervals, bend
ing low. you may hear the ripple Of the
rills that are fastening down to join
and issue in the cold and muddy torrent
Of the ioeborn Arve.
Then upward again, past the violet
and gentian sprinkled verdure of the
lateral moraines and the gorgeous beds
Of rhododendrons, to which tho bees Of
Chamouni resort for honey, past the
grassy slopes where the shepherds drive
their herds across from Montauvert
every year, Gisela leads them, talking
fast but thinking faster, until they
stand on narrow ledge Of rock at the
foot Of glittering snow slope that
overlooks the Glacier des Pelerhines
and the cascade Of that name.
"Speak softly here. she says, lower
ing her voice to a whisper. '"The snow
is insecure, and sudden jarring of the
air will surely bring an avalanche upon
us. have heard the shepherds and the
guides caution each other against this
place, for once before snowslide swept
down here. It was the wind made by
its swift descent that snapped and felled
the trees yonder. 7"
! Athelstan gazed down at the twisted,
broken and Frustrated trunks with a
suddenly awakened fear. They are
mutely, fiercely. eloquent Of what fate
awaits him and his wife should word
be spoken heedlessly or a foot ring in
cautiously against stone.
''Why have You brought us here,
then?" he asks in whisper. ''There il
no special view"
"No. m'sieur, but there is special
danger. I have waited for your return
these many years. I have wished that
we might meet here, with a certain
death quiyering above us. Can you not
guess why?"
Her voice rises recklessly an infiexion
| higher. There is flush Of color upon
her brow. Her attitude is one Of graft
fed revenge
"How can guess. Gisela?'' he STAN
mers.
His face is blanched; his eyes dilate
with dread. Ethel, his wife, chances
from her husband to the girl with terror
| stricken amazement.
"What does she mean, Sydney? Ex-
plain it to me-
'She is mad, Ethelp' he returns, col
lecting himself a little. Come, we
will 60 back. It is time"
"You will not, cries Gisela. raising
her voice until it becomes shrek.
"You will not. You will not escape my
vengeance so easily" Long smolder-
ing resentment at her base desertion has
burst forth into the quenchless fame Of
hopeless jealousy, and she is careless
what she does-careless of her own life.
"You made me love you," she goes
on fiercely, that summer so long past
now; made me give up Giotto and grieve
my parents and estrange my friends for
your sake. and now you think to live
happily with your English wife.
"You do not know that Giotto killed
himself in his jealous anger, that my
mother died Of broken heart, that my
father died poor because / left them to
60 after you-though my search was
vain. You do not hear the cry for retri-
button that rises from the ground where
they sleep. You do not, but do. Hal
hal''
The sound Of her laughter rings
among the rocks and down the sleeping
wales and in and ont among the vast
snow masses piled around the crags
There is trembling movement on the
face Of the slope Of dazzling white above
IAN ominous. slipping. sliding sound.
"Quickl Hastenl" cried Athelstan,
selling his wife's arm. 1.-THE balance is
disturbed; the avalanche is upon us.
There is not q moment to be lost.
Hastenl'
They hurry to the left, where the
ledge broadens out upon the plateau-to
the right it narrows more and more
leaving Gisela standing motionless,