The Washington times., 1905-12-17

thing? And why?
1T would seem, fraulein. some
scheme OF the old gray devil. What
he intends. 1 canont guess: nor can Z
think how he discovered that we ara
here But there IS a thing plainly to
DO I viii start for Thusis 10 warp
those who are fastening 10 us
viii come with you. Reski.' saie
my father.
You know that cannot be. I have
no fear. with Reski 70 protect me. 7
viii CO.
Love gives great strength to woman.
and 1 spoke as one who expects to be
ooeyed. 1t was much trouble TO per-
suade them; yet from the first I did
not mean to yield. My dear father
mad barely recovered from the fatigues
OF his long journey: to let him take
this drive Of forty miles would be the
graVest folly. Yet It was not right that
we both should leave our duty to a
man Of whom we had no real knowl-
edge. Mr.. Harland and his cousin had
endangered their lives 10 save Us;
now that peril seemed to be closing
round those gallant gentlemen, We
could not both sit idle. Plainly IT was
l who should go.
II was shortly after 1 o'clock when
Reski and I rumbled of in our post
carriage across the snow-bound slopes
OF the valley 70 Ponte. Then began a
climb OF dreary monotony. Up and
up we dragged. turn after turn through
forests OF larch and Pine. with the
Engadine growing wider, and its
houses sinking into specks beneath rs
AT last We reached the crest OF the
Albula pass and trotted forward over
the snow levels till we plunged down
the steep descent OF the rock-strewn
DeVIs Hall-as the mountafneers
named 1t Of old The sun had set ere
we rattied into Breda, and the moon
had swung out from the southwark
When Bergun was reached. Half an
nour later we had passed through the
forests into the shadows OF that black
and dangerous gorge-the Berruner
Stein
Fresh snow had clogged the road on
the Aloula. and we had made slow
progress, TO our increasing anxiety IT
was now impossible that we sbould
reach Thusis before they started. brt
we had calculated that near Tjefenkas-
tell we might meet them That tho
snow had not fallen so deeplv on tha
lower slopes. and that they had
moved more quickly we could nor
know
We had passed the last bend that
turned upward, leading in a long slona
TO the entrance of the gorge. when we
stopped suddenly. Reski sprang out:
eiamoering after. L found him bv tbe
oriver. who Yas pointing with his whin
up the road The man had beer warned
10 give US notice Of any approaching
vehicle ms
1t is post carriage. ne said.
they have stopped TO breathe their
team"
The road had been carved and jofst-
ed along the cIIf side. and where We
STOOD. under the mighty wall OF rock.
Ihe shadows were gathered darkiy-
10 our LETT the rugged barrier rose
cimly into the night. clear only vvbara
its battlements broke the nea-I % -
SKY at some great height above Us.
10 oCr right. a low stone coping hid the
grim uncertainties of tho precinics
But 30 yards uD the slope the cliffs Fen
oack- and the road stepped cut into
the silver moonlight. mounting the hin
through border of stunted trees in
a simple curve. as white and well do
hned as chalk mark on a blackboar5
On Its crest L could see the patch on
the snow carpet that marked the wait
ing carriage II was. perhaps. the half
of mile away
Ihe patch OF shadow moved slovrIv
forward Suddenly. though distance
hid the suggestion of the cause. tha
pace increased Faster and YET fast
er II swept down the road; in the ubite
silence OF the night the rnuffIed boof-
beats came humping q. our ears Tn.
carriage grew clearer We could So.
how 1t rocked; IT might have been
some great ball that flew bounding
toward US.
FOR some moments we had stood mo-
uonless. helpless. before this amazing
aDDarition- II was Reski who first nv
cerstocd; II was he who seized me by
the arm, screaming in his excitement
10 run-to run down the way we had
come And in my panic I obeyed. hy-
ing wildly toward the sharp bend In
our rear. had almost reached il when
there came thought 10 me that lost
led out the remembrance OF my own
safety. turning me back. with heaven
knows what anxiety in my heart. Rob
ert and Sir Henry-could they be the
most certain death2
The runaways had but one chance
to hug the cliff. thereby giving spacA
TO clear the turn without charging tbe
low wall that guarded the rInknovr,
depth Of the gorge. But TO my horror.
saw that this was a chance our ,1riz-
er was preventing. for it was he WIN
had edged his team against the g
They would have to pass him on the
outer side
started I'D the road. shouting Ia
him; but as I did SO 1 saw ResLt
spring upon the box heard cries OF
furious alteration. and then the drrv-
er was thrown from his place. He
dropped on hands and knees: then rox.
and came running past me round ths
bend
The whip cracked. and our team
swung across the road. drawing IN on
the edge Of the precipice If the mar
who drove the runaways were rot
struck with terror. they had vet
hope of safety.
They We're not 100 yards avrav
could see in the bright MOONLIGHT hov1
The horses bounded forward. the race.
now Slackening. now tightening 70 TIA