The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1908-04-15


casion.
There ID more, much more brea'
and bacon, where this came FROM" b.
replied. "Will you be graciousl.
pleased to accept something of on
bestw
IF you please. then l. too, shall b.
pleased" she said. Guilty. she re
membered Miss Portman. but the dea
Letitia could not be considered now
II she were alarmed, she should b.
well consoled later.
II and some friends Of mine have {
"a sort Of hut round the corner from
this plateau and a short distance on.
announced the chamois hunter, with Z
gesture that gave the direction. "Nt
woman has ever been our guest, bu
! invite you to visit 1t and lunch there
or, II you prefer, remain here and In
few minutes will bring such food
AZ we can offer. At best it's not much
to boast Of. We channels hunters are
poor men. living roughly"
The princess smiled, imprisonina
each new thought of mischief which
few into her mind like trapped bird
I've heard you're rich In hospitality
she said. "I'll go with you to your
hut, for 1t will be a chance to prove
the saying"
The eyes of the hunter--dark, bril-
liant and keen as the eagles to which
she compared him-pierced hers. "You
have no fearr' he asked you are a
young girl, alone. save for me. In q
desolate place. For all you know, my
mates and I may be band Of brig
ands."
'Baedeker doesn't mention the ex-
istence of brigands In these days
among the Rhaetian Alps" replied
Virginia, With quaint dryness. eve
always found him trustworthy. Be
sides, I've great faith In the chivalry
Of Rhaetian men, and II you knew how
hungry l am you wouldn't keep me
waiting for talk Of brigands. Bread
and butter are far more to the point
Even search for the rare edelmann
may waitY'
"Yes; the edelmann may walton
me-" The last two words she dared
but to whisper.
"You must pardon my going first
said the man with the bare brown
knees. 'The way Is too narrow for
politeness.
"Yet | wish that the peasants al
home had such courteous manners as
yours" Virginia patronized him pref
tily. "You Rhaetians need not go tc
court, I see. for lessons In behavior"
1.-THE mountains teach us something
maybe"
Something Of their greatness. which
we should ali do well to learn. But
have you never lived In a town.
"A man Of my sort exists In a town
be lives In the mountains" With this
response the tall figure
swung round corner formed by q
of rock. and Virginia gave q
little cry Of surprise. The hut OF
which the chamois hunter had spoken
was revealed by the turn. and 1t was
Of an unexpected and striking descrip.
ton. Instead Of the humble erection
Of stones and wood which she had
on, the rocky side Of the
itself had been coaxed to
give her sons a shelter.
A doorway and large square openings
for windows had been cut In the red
veined. purpllsh brown porphyry, while
| heavy slab of oak and wooden frames
illed full Of glittering bottle glass pro
.ected such rooms as might have been
followed out within from storm or
,old.
Even had Virginia been ignorant of
her hosts identity she would have
been wise enough to guess that here
was no semmhutte. or ordinary abode of
.ommon peasants who hunt the cham
bis for a precarious livelihood. The
work of hewing out In the solid rock
/ habitation such as this must have
lost more than most Rhaetian channels
aunters would save In many year.
But her wisdom also counseled her to
express no further surprise after her
irst exclamation.
my mates are away for the time,
hough they may come back by and
,y." the man explained. holding the
ieavy oaken door that she might pass
nto the room within, and. though she
vas not invited to further exploration,
The was able to see by the several
loorways cut In the rock walls that
his was not the sole accommodation
he strange house could boast.
On the rock floor rugs of deer and
.hamois skin were spread. In rack
II oak ornamented with splendid ant
ers and studded with the sharp point
ID horns Of the chamois were suspend
d guns of modern make and brightly
polished, formidable hunting knives.
rhe table In the center of the room had
,een carved with admirable skill, and
he half dozen chairs were oddly fash
oned of stags' antlers shaped to hold
ur cushioned wooden seats. A carved
lresser OF black oak held store Of the
oarse blue. red and green china made
~ peasants In the valley below,
through which Virginia had driven yes
erday, and these bright colored dishes
we're eked out with platters and great
ankards Of old pewter, while In the
leep fireplace gypsy kettle swung
yer a bed Of fragrant pine wood en-
'ers,