The Ketchikan miner., 1909-02-27
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 Chamontx is a little village In val ley of the same name surrounded by the Swiss Alps. The chief occupation of the young men of Chamonix is that of guide to tourists.
 One of these guides. William Lubken. came home one evening from conduct, ing a stranger on a mountain climbing expedition without his charge. He re- ported that the stranger had been caught in an avalanche and carried over a precipice. Lubkin at She begin ming of the snow's movement, which was slow, had succeeded in reaching rock. to which he chung. The rope by broke. and the stranger had been borne away from him. The broken part of the rope he showed in evidence of his story.
 Albert Twingle started a suspicion that Lubkin had cut the rope to save himself: that Lubken had frayed the cut part to show that 1t had been bro ken. This suspicion grew till 1t was believed by many of the villagers, though the guides who at any time might be liable to the same charge would not hear of 1t. Lukben never recovered from the obloquy cast upon him. He left Chamonix. and the place knew him no more.
 One day twenty years later trav- eler with white hair and beard came to Chamonix. All the guides were anxious to be employed by him. but he engaged none of them. He sat all day looking up at the mountains and the glaciers. apparently suffering from melancholy. While he was at Chamo- nix traveller appeared and asked for a guide. Albert Twingle. now nearing an age when guides usually give up calling requiring both nerve and strength. was engaged. He started with the traveller to explore the Mer de Glace. In the evening Twingle re- turned and reported that while the stranger was attempting to look down into a crevasse the ice had broken and he had fallen between the cold jaws. When he told the narrowing story to the assembled people the man of mel ancholy-a name given to the unknown stranger-was sitting. as usual. on the porch of his hotel. He spoke the first words he was known to speak since coming to Chamonix.
 You lie. You have murdered and robbed himr'
 Twingle was horror stricken at the accusation. but could not prove that 1t was false. The other guides took up the matter in his behalf. and 1t was agreed that one of their number should be lowered into the crevasse to bring up the body The lot fell to one named Obers. and the next morning all went to the crevasse. the man of melancholy going with them. The sacrament had been administered to Obers before his dangerous descent and as be was about to put the rope about his waist the man of melancholy seized 1t and. encircling his own waist. said: Do you think l am coward to make this charge without bearing the brunt of a conviction or an acquittal.'
 There was something about the man which. surprised as they were at mere traveller volunteering to undergo such an ordeal. awed those looking on. They were a superstitious people. and many of them crossed themselves. thinking that he who made the offer was some guide returned from his white tomb under an avalanche or the devil himself. No one opposed him. and having placed the rope around his waist. taking bell in one hand and an alpenstock in the other to push him. self from the sharp ice edges, he was slowly lowered into the crevasse- Three times he rang his bell and each time was raised and revived from sui location. More and more the rope was paid out. while the women prayed and the men listened for some sound from below. Six hundred feet had been paid out when there came Jerk on the rope. and the men began to pull.
 The weight was doubled.
 There was breathless silence while the men pulled. but when the man or melancholy came to the surface bear ing human body shout arose from among the onlookers that long reyer- berated among the surrounding cliffs. The tourists watch and money were found on the body. Twingle was in- nocent.
 The people crowded around Twingle to congratulate him. but he broke away from them and strode toward the stranger.
 Tn heavens name. who are your he cried.
 "Who am I? am the man whom years ago you accused of cutting the rope that bound me to my charge. am William Lubkin."
 Had an averaging angel come from heaven to punish Twingle the scene could not have been more awe inspir- ing than the sight of this man who had yindicated the name of one who had blighted his life. Twingles eyes fell to the ground: his head sank upon his breast: then. staggering, he left