Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-09-10

way.
1t is SO much better for two people to
70 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
liver trave lers together, except on the
high peaks, where the rope is useful.
And SO she 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 stand 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
the sky, void of snow or ice, bidding de-
hance 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 a 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 fissures
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 iceborn Arve
Then upward again, past the violet
and gentian sprinkled verdure Of the
lateral moraines and the gorgeous beds
Of rhododendrons, to which the 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. 1.-The snow
is insecure, and a 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 a snowslide swept
down here. 1t was the wind made by
its swift descent that snapped and felled
the trees yonder u
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 foot ring in
cautiously against stone
why have you brought us here,
them" he asks in whisper. There is
no special view"
mo. III 'sieur, but there is special
danger. I have waited for your return
these many years. l have wished that
we might meet here, with certain
death quivering above US. Can you not
guess why?"
Her voice rises recklessly an inhexion
higher. There is flush Of color upon
her brow. Her attitude is one Of graft
fed revenge.
'How can guess. Giselas'' he STAN
mers.
His face is blanched; his eyes dilate
with dread. Ethel, his wife, glances
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 little. Come, we
will 60 back. 1t is time -
''You will not, N cries Gisela, raising
her voice until it becomes a shrek
tYou 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.
lyon 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 l 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 stepping
wales and in and out among the vast
snow masses piled around the crags.
Thsre is trembling movement on the
face of the slope of dazzling white above
an ominous, slipping, sliding sound
"Quickl Hastenp' cried Athelstan,
seizing his wife's arm. 1.-The balance is
disturbed; the avalanche is upon us.
There is not moment to be lost.
HastenE'
They hurry TO the left, where the
ledge broadens ont upon the plateau-to
the right it nerrows more and more
leaving Gisela standing motionless,
hurling her derisive mirth at them
Surely they will escape The distance
| is not far.
But the great snow sheet, fiingfng
stones and trees and frost spray far be-
fore its thunderous advance, is gaining
fast upon them. 1t rushes headlong,
mass of overpowering majesty, terrible
in its might, adown that awful slope,
and ere the roar Of 1t in their ears can
drown the sound of that mocking mirth
the snow foam billow that curls upon
its lower edge sweeps them out into the
gulf below.
There is a woman's cry, a mans
curse, q mocking laugh cut swiftly
short, and the avalanche passes on.
1t roars along, its breath going before
it like destroying storm, and the gulf
in which the three bruised bodies lie is
filled with its snowy whiteness.
They sleep soundly there, beneath
that chilly nterpane-sheltered in
silence, shrouded in snow.-Exchange