Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-07-05

sturdy help. is at hand. Once more.'
Here. here!' cried the faint voic,
at the right Of the rock. 81 am we'll
nigt persisted. Who is it that has com,
to aid me: Who are the brave me1
who have dared a storm like this t.
save friendless man?'
''Tis l. monsieur" said the guide. az
| he and Herbert lifted the giant form
Of Col. Laponte from its recumbent pc
sition-"I, Jean Baptiste Fevre. youl
| faithful servant, and this brave young
monsieur, who so kindly gave me-
his"
Herbert Give" AS the helpless
man was lifted in those strong young
arms his dark eyes fell full upon his
savior's face Herbert Give" he re-
peated, hoarsely. "You-you. What
avenging fate has sent you here?"
Il came to save your life" was the
quiet reply-"a life which is dear to
one who is dearer than life to me-
and you have periled your life for
me-for me- repeated the helpless
man. in a husky whisper. "For me,
the sworn and eternal enemy of you
and yourS:'
'Of my own will l have made no
man my enemy" answered Herbert.
gravely What I have done for YOU
l would have done for any fellow
creature in peril This faithful fellow
beside me has the only claim on Your
gratitude. He knew the dangers of
the search; did not"
Il told monsieur" said the honest
Jean. who felt this an impuration on
his fair dealing-"I told monsieur the
risk. and he took it all. We cannot go
back this evening. but there is hut
mile away from here. to which we can
carry Monsieur Laponte till the worst
of the storm is passed"
oh. see. he has tainted. Thank the
good Gcd we came NOT moment too
soon.
Not moment. for the powerful man
lay in their strong. brave arms passive
and helpless as child. Thus they car
ried him. painfully and perilously,
through the driving SHOWS. until the
deserted hut was reached: and through
the long. dreary hours of the stormy
night that followed, while the winds
rcared wildly through the mountain
pass. and the dull thunder of the ava
them. they watched beside the couch
Of straw where the dark-browed man
lay motionless and silent-buried, so it
seemed, in heavy stupor from which
he could not awake.
What he saw, what he heard, what
he thought and felt, in that seeming
trance. no mortal ever knew. Once
only he started up wildly. and. as Her
bert fancied, whispered hoarsely his
fathers name-the name Of Robert
Clive.'
BY the morning the storm was over:
the sun rose in unclouded majesty over
the snow-clad heights, and a party of
stout young men from the neighboring
valley came up to find the brave res
cuers. whose story had reached fitting
ears at last.
The still unconscious patient was
borne home on litter. and with the
bright sunlight gliding the dazzling
peaks around. and the blue of an Alp
inc sky abOve-with the Christmas car
OILS OF the gay young mountaineers ecl1-
cling from the icy crags. and the sweet
peac" that follows Il noble deed filling
his b|a>t. Herbert found no terrorS
in his second journey through the
pass.
There seemed strange stiffness in
the little village as he reached it-a
sort of Sabbath hush in the air Good
Dame Marguerite forgot her matronly
and fairly Rugged the re-
wanderer as he crossed the
''Ah. Monsieur Give. Monsieur Give!
to think my sharp tongue should have
sent you and poor Jean Baptiste on
such a search. All mademoiselle heard
Of it. you may be sure. Poor made
.oiseIlc. who is nearly wild with ter
FOR and grief. All. ah. l forgot the let
ter monsieur was waiting for is here.
All. mon Deu. how black and sad it
loolls!' And Dame Marguerite turned
the black sealed envelope over in her
hand. Il trust it has no sad news
from monsieur's home"
Herbert broke the seal with trem-
bling hands: then sunk. with low
lroan. into the seat behind him. His
father was dead-the master of Give
Towers was peramptorily summoned
home.