Evening star., 1896-01-04

shop. and If you take your alpenstock to him.
! he will, for a few francs. brand on it all the
rames 1t VIII hold, from the Ortler to Mont
BiaEc My friend was weak enough to have
aH the climbs he intended to make
branded on the alpenstock he bought the
moment he entered Switzerland They al
ways buy an alpenstoeis the first thing. He
never had the time to return to the noun
tairs, but gradually he came to believe that
ne had made all the ascents recorded by fire
ana iron ON his pole. He is a truthful man
on every other topic than Switzerland
But you must have had some very dan
gereus experiences among the Alps, Mr.. Sew
erance. Please tell me of the time YOU were
In the greatest PERIL
II am sure it would not interest you"
ON, 1t would; it would. Please go on and
aon require so much persuasion. I am Just
longing to hear the story
1t isn't much of story because you see,
there Is no alpine glow about it. i"
archie glanced at the girl and it flashed
across his mind that he was probably then in
tne greatest danger he had ever been In, in
ms life. She bent forward toward him. her
elbows on her knees and her chin-such a
pretty chin-.n her hands Her eyes were
full upon him. and Archie had sense enough
to realize that there was danger in the.r clear
peluc1d depths, so he, too, turned his own
from them and sought refuge in his old
friend the Stockholm
Il think the narrowest escape I ever had
was ABOUT two weeks ago. went up"
With how many guides? interrupted
Bessie breathlessly.
with none at ALL" answered Archie
with a laugh
isn't that very unsafe? 1 thought one
always should have a guide
sometimes guides are unnecessary.
TOOK none on this occasion because / only
aseended as far the Chateau in Thun
some 800 feet above where we are sitting,
and as l went by the main street of the
town, the climb was perfectly safe in all
| weathers. Besides there is generally a
policeman about
"Oh." said the girl, sitting I'D suddenly
very straight. Archie was looking at the
mountains and did not see the hot anger
surge up into her face.
You know the steps leading down from
the castle; they are covered in, and
very dark when one comes out of the
bright sunlight Some fool had been eat
ing an orange there. and had carelessly
thrown the peel on the steps. 1 did not
notice 1t and SO trod on a bit. The next
| thing l knew 1 was In a heap at the foot
or that long stairway. thinking every bone
in my body was broken. 1 had many
bruises. but no hurt that was serious,
nevertheless l never had such fright in.
my nfe' and 1 hope never to have such
another" Bessie rose up with much dig
| nifty.
II am obliged to you for your recital,
Mr.. Severance" she said freezingly. IF l
should, it Is perhaps because l am not ac-
customed to being laughed at"
Il assure you, Miss Durand. that I am
not laughing at you, and that this pathetic
ter to me. The Stockholm has no such
danger lying in wait for man as q bit Of
orange peel on dark and steep stairway.
Please do not be offended with me. 1 told
YOU my stories have no Alpine glow about
them. but the danger is undoubtedly
there"
Archie had risen to his feet, but there
Vas no forgiveness in Miss Durand's eyes
as she bade him Good afternoon" and
went into the hotel. leaving him standing
there.
During the week that followed Archie
had little chance of making his peace with
Miss Durand, for in that week the Sander
SON episode had its beginning, it's rise, and
Its elimination. Charley Sanderson, EN-
boldened by the sudden departure of Well
man, became the constant attendant of
Bessie. and everything appeared to be in
his favor until the evening he left. That
evening the two strolled along the walk
that borders the north side of the river,
leading to the lake. They SAID they were
going to see the Alpine glow on the snow
mountains. but nobody believed that for
the glow can be seen quite we'll from the
terrace In front of the hotel. Be that as it
may, they came back together shortly be-
fore 8 o'clock, Bessie looking her prettiest
and Sanderson with a black frown on his
face, evidently in the worst of tempets.
He flung his belongings in a bag and de
parted on the $40 train for Berne. AS
Archie met the pair, Bessie actually smiled
very sweetly upon him. while Sanderson
glared as if he had never met Severance
before.
That episode is evidently ended" said
| Archie to himself as he continued his walk
| toward Lake Thun II wonder if it Is pure
devilment that induces her to lead people
on to proposal and then drop them. 1
suppose Charley will leave now. and we
will have no more games of billiards. 1
wonder why they all seem to think 1t the
proper thing to go away. 1 wouldn't. A
woman is like difficult peak. If you don't
succeed the first time, you should try again.
believe shall try half dozen proposals
| with BESSIE myself. If l ever come to the
| point, she won't find 1T 50 easy to get rid
of me she does with all the rest
Meditating thus he sat down on bench
Under the trees facing the lake. Archie
| wondered IL the momentous question had
been asked at this spot. 1t seemed Just
| the place for 1t, and he noticed that the
gravel on the path was much disturbed. as
| If by the iron-shod point of agitated
mans cane. Then he remembered that
| Sanderson was carrying iron-pointed
cane. As Archie smiled and looked about
| rim, he saw on the seat beside him neat
| little morocco-bound book, with a silver
! clasp. 1t had evidently slipped from the
Insecure dress pocket of. a lady who had
been sitting there. Archie picked 1t up and
turned 1t over and over in his hands. 1t is
a painful thing to be compelled to make
excuses for one of whom would fain
speak well, but it must be admitted that at
| this point in his life Severance did what he
| stould not have done. He actually read
| the contents of the book although he must
| have been aware before he turned the Sec
| end leaf that what was there set down was
meant for no eye save the writer's own.
Archie excuses himself by maintaining
| that he had to read the book before he
could be sure it belonged to anybody in
| particular, and that he opened 1T at first
merely to see If there were a name or a
| card inside, but there is little doubt that
| the young man knew from the very first
| whose book 1t was, and he might at least
| have asked Miss Durand If it were hers
| before he opened it. However, there is lit
| tie purpose in speculating on what might
have been. and as the reading Of the note
| book led directly to the utterly unjusti-
| fable action of Severance afterward, as
one wrong step invariably leads to an
other. the contents of the little volume are
here given, so that the reader of this
tragedy may the more fully understand the
| situation.
u.-BESSIE'S CONFESSION.
August 1.-The keeping of diary is a
silly fashion, and I am sure I would not
bother with one, If my memory were good
| and If had not great object in view
However, 1 do not intend this book to be
more than collection of notes that will be
| useful to me when 1 begin my novel. The
| novel is to be the work of my life, and 1
| mean to use every talent I may have to
make 1t unique and true to life. 1 think