Evening star., 1909-03-07

may visit St Moritz while remain here, and
shall try to find you.
Christian Stampa," he said, using five long
drawn-out and euphonous syllables. He
| seemed to be on the point OF adding something
| but checked himself Christian Stampa," he
| old Stampa the guide. If / am not there, and
you 90 to Zermatt some day-well, just ask for
Stampa. They will tell you what has become
| of me-.
| She found it hard to reconcile this broken,
care worn old man with her CHEEKY companion
| of the previous afternoon. What did he mean
She understood his queer largon OF ltaEanized
German quite clearly; but there sinister
ring in his words that blanched her face. She
could not leave him in his present mood. She
| was more alarmed now than when she saw him
rising ghostlike from behind the screen of grass
and weeds
Please walk with me to the village" she
said "AIl this beautiful land is strange to me.
1t will divert your thoughts from mournful
topic if you tell me something about its Won
ders."
He looked at her for instant. Then his
eyes fell on the church in the neighboring hol-
low, and he crossed himself, murmuring few
words in Italian. She guessed their meaning
He was thanking the Virgin for having sent to
his rescue girl who reminded him OF his lost
Eta.
"Yes," he said, Il will come. If l were re-
naming IN the Maloggia ird"le1n, should beg
you to let me take you to the Forno, and per-
haps to one of the peaks beyond. Old as am,
and lame, you would be safe with me for your
guide
HELEN breathed freely again. She felt that
she had been within measurable distance
of tragedy. Nor was there any call on her
wits to devise fresh means of drawing his mind
away from the madness that possessed him
few minutes earlier As he hmped unevenly by
her side, his talk was of the mountains. Did
she intend to cmbe Well, slow and sure was
the golden rule Do little or nothing during
four or FIVE days. till she had grown accustomed
to the thin and keen Alpine air. Then go to
Lake Lunghino,-that would suffice for the
first real excursion. Next day. she ought to
start early and climb the mountain that over
looked the same lake,-up there, on the other
side of the hotel,-all rock and not difficult.
If the weather was clear. she would have
grand view of the Bernina range Next she
might try the Forno glacier. 1t was simple
thing, She could 60 to and from the cabin in
ten hours. Afterward, the Gina di Rosso Of
fered an easy climb: but that meant sleeping
at the hut. All of which was most excellent
advice.
The Gina di Rosso was in full view at that
instant. Helen stopped.
DO you really mean to tell me that if wish
to reach the top of that mountain, must de-
vote two days to it," she cried.
Stampa. though bothered with troubles be-
yond her ken, forgot them sufficiently to laugh
grimly. 1T is farther away than you seem to
think, frdnlein; but the real difficulty is the
ice Unless you cross some of the crevasses in
the early morning, before the sun has had time
to undo the work accomplished by the nights
frost, you run great risk And that is why
you must be ready to start from the cabin at
dawn. Moreover at this time of year, you get
| the finest view about six o'clock"
THE mention of crevasses was somewhat awe
L some. {" Is it necessary to be roped when
one tries that climb?" she asked.
IF any guide ever tells you that you need
not be roped while crossing ice or climbing rock,
| turn back at once, frdnlein. Wait for another
day and 60 with man who knows his business.
That is how the Alps get a bad name for acci-
| dents. Look at me! have climbed the Mat
| terhorn forty times, and the Jungfrau times out
| of count, and never did or anyone in my care