The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-13

marriage of Marguerite and George when vendale's income should have reached a certain amount. He had resolved that the young man never should obtain that abount of income. He had laid a plan by which he thought he could ruin Ven dale and at the same time enrich nirD- self. But for the mistake of the Neucha- tel firm in shipping some red wine in place of champagne, which opened mp a direct correspondence between the Neu- chate1 house and Wilding & Co. and led to the forged receipt business, the plot would not have been discovered. Three months more would have seen it in full operation and vendale would have been ruined It was complicated plot skillfully thought out, the details of which can not be told in a short space.
 Suffice it that Obenreizer, comprehend ing at once from the incautious words of George that his plot had failed and that he himself was in danger, accompanied George to Switzerland with the sole pur- pose of getting from him the forged re- ceipt-and If necessary killing him to ger it. Perhaps he would kill him anyway If he could do so safely, he thought. Where shall I rob him if I can? Where shall I murder him if I must?" was the constant thought of Obenreizer on the journey. He knew that George carried the discriminating papers in an inner breast pocket. Several times he tried to drug him and rob him-once or twice ar- ranged for murder-but failed. At last the two came to Neuchatel and found that the senior member of the firn-the man whom George must see-was in Milan.
 It was winter and the passage of the Alps was so dangerous that the guides refused to take the travellers across in the weather then prevailing. But Obenreizer declared that the guides were towards = he was born in the mountains, knew the passes, and since George insisted ;lpon going at once to Milan, why, he himself would guide him through. He brought Vendale to a remote and wild snow-cov- cred pass where impending avalanches hung ready to tumble about their heads. Obenreizer urged him to take drink of brandy from his flask. George did so and at once felt that the brandy was drugged. Tn his half-conscious condition Obenrezer fiercely attacked him. George tried 10 struggle and to keep his companion from tearing from him the papers His foot sipped-he was over a precipice.
 The mountain storm ragged and passed again. Two men and two large dogs came out of a hospice. One of the men said 10 the other, We may venture now" The 1 two dogs looked into the faces of the men and then, turning their muzzles down the pass, broke into a deep bay and bounded away Two more mad ones" said one of the men. The two other mad ones mad been George and Obenreizer, who had ven tured forth In the face of the storm. They found a young woman struggling through the snow and with her large, el- derly man. The young woman spoke their own language. She was Marguerite and the large man with her was the faithful Joey Ladle.
 After the departure of Obenreizer and Vendale from London Marguerite's sppre- hensons had so grown upon her that she took counsel with the faithful cellarer and | it was decided that the two should at once set out in pursuit of the travellers and by their presence, foil the plot which they were sure Obenreizer had laid against George. They had traced them to Neu- chatel and from there to the hospice. Mar. guerite, daughter, of the mountains, and, in spite of the indictment weather, less dig fculty in travelling than old Joey, who, unused 10 mountain attitudes, took every step with pain. From the men who had come from the hospice with the dogs they learned that the two travellers they sought had gone on and the men, fearing for their safety, were now setting out in search of them.
 They found the place where the strug- gle between Obenreizer and yendale
 had taken place-the trampled snow
 told the tale Looking over the edge
 of the precipice they saw the ap- parently dead body of George hang
 ing upon projecting point of ice and
 snow. Marguerite insisted upon being lowered down to where the body lay This was done and, while one of the
 men ran back to the hospice for another rope, she warmed the inanimate form of her lover in her arms and forced be. twen his lips some reviving drops ot brandy calling out to those above that he still lived. Finally they drew UT both George and Marguerite safely tc
 the roadway of the pass But wher they had got George up there wa. scarcely a futter to his heart and f
 was reported in the nearest town tn,
 next day that the English traveller wh,
 had fallen over the precipice was dead Obenreizer returned to Neuchatel ant made loud lamentations over the fata
 accident which had deprived him for
 ever of the companionship of his be
 loved friend and prospective nephew But the firm of Defresnier thought tn, I whole matter had an ugly look and dis charged him. Marguerite refused to re
 turn to him and, with Madame Dor, tool refuge with MT. Bintrey. Obenre izer at Neuchatel asked employment of ,s
 former friend of his, a lawyer named voigt. While there he discovered II one of the lawyers ola boxes some pa. lpers which made 1t certain that Georg, Vendale was the true Walter Wilding
 But before he could put his knowledgs to any harmful use there came to Neu lchatel Mr. Bintrey and had a few con finedtial words with Maitre Voigt. Th'
 old lawyer opened his eyes wide witt suprise and looked at Obenreizer wi,l
 cnrfous expression when he next saw
 him.