Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1900-07-05
Her Hearts
Secret
BY JEAN WARNER.

L
how monsieur slipped and sprainet
his leg. so that he could no lOnge,
| walk: l will tell him how the darl
night was coming on. and there wa:
no one near to aid for there have beel
avalancheS of late that have frightened
the herdSnen from the mountains, ant
came quickly back to ST. Gothard FOL
help"
Help. help repeated the dame
who. with the nnrcaSOning anger of 9
warmhearled woman. could not be
sooth"d. What help will avail poor
Monsieur Laponte now? What help
Will avail poor mademoiselle. who
loved her father as the apple of her
eye: All. they were everywhere to-
gether-a1 the church. and in the
groves and on the lake-poor mademoi-
sclle. who is even now. doubtless wait
il" and watching for the father who
will never GOMEZ
Her fathcr-Sybil's father-in deadly
peril: The father whose life was the
enc dark shadow en- his pathway. alone
and helpless in that vast wilderness of
ice AMI snow?
\ thousand conflicting emotions
seemed >urging like the waves of Il
lemIIestuouS sea in Herbert'S breast
as lie turned 10 tie guide and asked
him:
You came for help. YOU say: then
why do YOU not procure it: Every
moment mus be precious
Il can't find a man willing to cross
the Pass Tonight. was the gruff an
>w"r. All the best men Of st. Goth
ards have cone down to the Christmas
tide games Only the old men and the
towards are left behind. They do not
Ike the music of the SHOWS
AS he spoke. the dull thunder Of the
avalanche seemed TO give awful mean
in2 70 his words.
'SybifS father-the father whom she
loved" the words kept echoing and re-
e"liring in Herbert'S ears-''Sybil's
father in danger Of a frightful death"
All. il needed not even this echo to
Hrcl:sa the generous soul of Herbert.
y f"llgw-creaturc was in peril. and he
nuSt aid nina helpless being needed
the assistance thar he could and must
lestow
Il will 90 With you he said. turn
slron-. and do not fear the terrors Of
t1!' i.!thii'hll pass. l>tL us SldlL at
once. for every moment seems IN hour
70 the wounded. helpless man.
In vain The dame wep; and protested
against the departure of her guest-in
vai,. She warned him of the fearful av-
aiaiIcl"s; t.:.t only a few weeks before
had so, ad ruin and devastation over
AZ ci.tirn hamlet. Herbert was not TO
he ;l;lrcl FROM his purpose now and
i'll less than an Lo;ir from his Separa-
lion ilnhl Sybil Ii" WAS setting out.
armed with Il stout -llpenstock. and in
company viii! lie st1r y though mitch
abused Jean BlpriSrp. TO save her faith
or and his enemy from impending
death.
And there is no message the brave
would lpHve:" said the tear
full dame. following him TO the door.
None. raDlied Herbert, cheerfully.
"Only-only." he hesitated. tiff
should not return. let Madcmoi>ellc
Lappnrc know II AT | Went asher
knight. to my death"
As they left the village. Jean BaD-
fist" cast Il practical eye around him.
The night was still clear. but a faint
haze was gathering" around the moon.
llc guides brow d;irkele at the sight
''Mon>i"ur should know What risk he
runs" he sail. graveiy There is Il
storm comm. with the coming day-a
storm That will take brave hearts and
strong limbs TO meet.
I'VE have both was the tcrse an
swer. therefore, we should not fear.
Let Us make taste while we can
They hurried on. Soon The little
hamlet WAS far behind t..e1n-an oasis
srarcel! visible in the waste Of ice and
snow. All was white. bare, frownin.
ard Grso!ate.
Herbert seemed to have left the
beautiful Grnamland Of hope and love
forever. and TO be climbing the rugged
heights Of the frowning future alone.
Then the tempest burst uDon them
the white. driving Snow. that blinded,
dazzled and bewildarpd them--the tenn
pest that grew tiercer and wilder. until
the dull. leaden sky above them was
totally obscured. and Herbert could
Only grasp the stick the guide held ont
to him. and grope through clouds Of
falling snow and cutting sleet, know
ing rot where he ,rod.
Still Jean Baptiste kept on. silently,
led. it seemed. mere by dumb
instinct than human intelligence; pick
ing his way along precipices. over
rhaSms. sure-footed, natient and I'M
as some strong. we'll
trained beast who follows the same
track without a word or sign to guide.
Thrice the thunder Of the avalanche,
rolling from the Deighboring peaks.
had resounded with awful majesty
through the silent wastes they trod.
Thrice Jean Baptiste had paused. bent
his head and crossed himself in devout
as the danger passed.
AT last the guide stopped and turned
% Herbert.
''1t was there l left him." he said,
pointing to huge black rock, that
lifted itself from the SHOWS around
ike some grim monster watching DER
he sceLe-''just there on the sheltered
side. All. monsieur, our labor. per-
laps our lives. have been given in vain
he is buried beneath the SHOWS"
where" said Herbert, eagerly.
DO not give up hope so soon, man.
After what you have done to-day we
must make one more struggle for a
human life. There may be hope yet
ct US search"
Help. helpr' Was it sigh of the
wind or human cry, that echoed
through the snow? Help, help! in