The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-12-12

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| lunch baskets"
As | waited I'm the little salon one Of
! our cipher kilograms was handed 10
me. 1t ran: Height, five feet eight;
dark, clean shaven. spare good voice,
musical; tattoo portrait on right up
| per wrist, travelling In Europe; where
! abOuts unknown" Well. our new
friend corresponded pretty well so far
10 his description,
II was half an hour before Nine. Du-
tour appeared, clad in a bewitchlngly
smart and workmanlike costume, the
promise Of which her performance on
the snow utterly belied.
"Oh, monsieur, I'm pity, one moment;
was ever poor woman so puffed" she
would exclaim. "You can run up ice
mountains. but be merciful and look
at the view, that / may breathe!'
TO feel irrltatcd was brutal; convent
walls do not produce deep-chested,
frce.limbed climbers such as her native
hills Of Arran had made my Kirstine.
Still IL was disappointing TO see my
bride only rs one Of four black dots on
the SHOWS whlteness-for the advance
party had taken both guides-durlng
the best part OF the morning.
AZ lunch time, at last. they awaited
us on "A little plateau. into which the
path widened before the sleeper part
Of the ascent began.
Instantly / observed that not Hans
and Amsler. but two new guides, were
unshouldering the baskets.
"A thousand apologies! Three Of my
countrymcn who arrived late last night
were anxious TO attempt the Kurhans-
bcrgh. and begged the more cXper-
fenced guides" explained the Prince,
following my eyes. THAT with us
they are only part of the mise on scene
and my friends are pressed for time
is my plea for forgiveness"
"Of course, it doesn't matter, Prince
said Kirstine.
"Of course cot" added.
But the Prince must have known
that lie was watched from that mo-
mcnt
After lunch Kirstine and | made cof-
fee, while Stcphanlc and Prince di
Congrat2a smoked many cigarettes.
What a nice picnic it is" said my
wife The Prince Is so merry and
charming, and he has been telling me
all about the revolution and his lost
prlncipalty. DO You know, | begin
quite to like him"
"Kirstine," | said softly, and stoop-
ing low over the little brazier, will
you do something for me?"
/ saw my wifes expression change
suddenly. She nodded.
The sun will be hot on the sleeper
path If it makes your head ache you
will have TO return
Looking i'm her eyes l saw she under
stood.
A moment later handed the Prince
the coffee cup.
Make a long arm, Prince"
laughed. leaning across the tablecloth
which was still spread on the snow.
As ne did so | saw his right wrist
white and bare between the bronzed
hand and linen cur,
There was no tattoo mark!
Suddenly | heard cry from Kir-
stine she had fallen dangerously near
the plateau's edge.
AS ran to her she struggled up.
mo, I'm not hurt. Maurice. | only
tripped on something; it must have
been stone"
ayes. l think II was stone" said
Nine. Dutour rs | stopped to brush
the snow from Kirstine's gown.
That is absolutely my last clear rec
objection. The next is a binding cloud
of snow-clutching a crumbling white
-falling-falling-and-darkness--
When l crept out of that strange
blank felt numhed and stunned. My
first impulse was To rise. In red-hot
physical anguish | realized that l
could not move-my right side was
helpless!
The sweat stood on my forehead.
With held breath and clenched teeth |
made another effort-merciful heavens,
Then lay without other thought than
my fierce agony.
Slowly cruelty slowly-it lessened
20 the bearable. and began TO think.
liar 20 that whereon we had picnicked
SO gayly. series OF which, l knew.
formed the pathlcsS side of the Zenner.
What had happened? With my left
hand assured myself feverishly Of the
safety OF the N" Papers, and then re-
membered with q throb of satisfaction
that when fell the Prince had been at
the other end OF the plateau. The melt
ing snow on the trcacherous edge must
have broken under my weight.
What was that? In the clear air |
heard n chipping sound. and, looking
UP. saw my wife alone on the preci-
pice. cutting each foothold. 4 move
mcnt might he fatal. closed my eyes,
held my breath. and prayed for the
first time for ycars-prayed God To
give her a steady head and hand-just
that, no moreover and over again.
4 sudden blunt thud-kirstinc's fec
axe had failed beside me.
In that supreme moment l met my
| wife'S brave eyes. as she stood cling
ing to rock about twenty feet above
me-
THANK God, Mauricel knew He
wouldn't let you die
"Oh. kirStinc. kirstinel Why did
you Gomez was all could say.
Because Stcphanie pushed YOU over!
I saw her do it. They are coming up
from below now. They never imag-