The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1905-02-03
: In the Glaciers
Keeping
RI ALAN VAUDEVILLE

4 ~ ALAN VAUDEVILLE /
i
- 4 PRETTY tough climb, isn't it.
n MAXI"
The speaker was a tall Englishman
of perhaps SO, but looking as hard ana
tough and generally fit as most men
Of half his age.
.s"Yes, SIR" said the guide, who STOOD
before him at the inn door; land Wen
have to- start early if We are to get
back the same day."
Sir Robert Ballard turned and re-
entered his room. From a desk ne
pulled out a sheet of paper, and, pick
Ing up q pen, sat down at tacle ana
began letter.
"My dear Harry" he wrote, Il am
afraid I have not been quite falr 10
you. Thinking over things again. i
can see that your foolish pranks, when
20 much offended me, may have been
indeed. no doubt were-the results OF
sheer youthful high spirits. am,
therefore, again altering my will, ana
instead of my cousin, James Rennle,
being my residuary legatee, you will
ind the bulk of my property WILL
eventually come to you. l trust tn's
will have been lesson to you, anu
that you will grow up a man worthy
Of the trust am reposing IN YOU
Your affectionate uncle,
Robert Ballard"
Sir Robert sealed and stamped the
letter, and then on sheet OF toolscap
proceeded rapidly to redraft his WILL.
It seemed an easy enough matter,
and took but few minutes. You would
hardly have imagined the amount IN
question was something like 9So,0OO.
The rapid pen ceased flying over the
paper and Sir Robert touched the bell
Call Max Schneider" he said to the
waiter. "and you, too, come in. want
you to witness this signature for me. ="
He signed the document, the two
men affixed their signatures, and then
he folded it, placed it in an envelope
and slipped it into an inner pocket OF
his Norfolk jacket.
what time do we start tomorrow,
Maxi" he asked.
MOT later than half-past three, sir"
answered the guide.
VERY we'll, then. shall go to bed
1T once, and l suppose you'll do the
same"
And 20 minutes later he was sleep
ing like boy.
"Great luck having such lovely
Weather-eh, MAXI"
Lovely indeed, Sir Robert; but pray
don't say anything about 1t till we're
clear of the ice. It's the worst of bad
luck. sir"
Sir Robert laughed-the laugh OF a
strong man who is thoroughly pleased
with himself.
Indeed he had reason to be pleased.
Few men had ever climbed the teetling
cliffs of the Aiguille Vert at all. Few
or still could boast Of having accom-
olished the feat within the hours OF a
single day.
Half an hour later they reached the
edge of the ice. The sun had now set,
and the air, chill with approaching
night, was no longer clear as it had
been. Pale wreaths of smoky mist
hung in light bands, which seemed to
shift and change kaleidoscopically,
though no breeze was felt.
Still roped together, as they had been
during the entire time, they crossed
the moraine and started steadily
tramping across the rough ice, whose
surface was broken by hundred deep
riffs and lumpy, yawning crevasses.
The fog closed and fell thicker and
thicker.
Some three hours later that night
one of the guides burst into the k1tch-
en- of the ,Montvert inn.
His face was white and drawn, and
he was almost speechless with excite
ment, misery and fatigue.
At last he managed to gasp out his
plteous story-how they had missed
their way in the fog; how he had heard
a sharp cry of warning from Max, who
was leading the party; how next he
had been jerked off his feet b. tre-
mendous pull at the rope round his
waist; and how he had desperately
saved himself by driving his alpen-
stock into the ice. Next thing be knew
he was alone-alone on the edge of a
giant creVasse, whose misty depths
yawned silent as grave.
The instant they understood him a
rescue party was formed, under the
guidance of Herman, the innkeeper.
All night the devoted men worked,
and most of next day. But it was use
less. The glacier does not easily give
up its prey.
A big, broad-shouldered, cookbook
Ang young fellow Of about :ight-and-
twenty was sitting in a dingy little
room in Bloomsbury, answering let
ter he had just received.
Harry Ballard had been looking out
for chance of accompanying read
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