The daily Alaskan., 1912-09-06
A Mountain
 Elopement
8, HELEN HAYWOOD


 and story as the Alps Doubtless tbe reason for this Is that they lie h the center of Europe and DO one can go from France or Germany down into Italy or farther eastward to Austria without p,issing over them.
 Years ago. before the Alps had come to cont.iir fashionable resorts. there lived al Como. on their southern slope. a gentleman who. having made fortune Nh Milan. retired to spend his days tn peare on the bcnutiful Lake Como He was wihuwer with one daughter. charnnuE girl. upon whom be dotted IialianS nave always ar- ranged the uarriHgrs for their sons and daughters. and Signot Attanasio betruthed bis daughter. rlrrpsa. to man more than double u"r age Know ing that at his death she would need a protector and considering Signor isir zuto a man of business who would take care of Der property for Der. be considered that he had done s very good thing tor his child
 But, unfortunately for his plan. ne died before the marriage could be brought about After the funeral RE zuto claimed his bride. who was also hts ward, tut found. 10 his dlsappoint ment. that she had lover in the per. son of Giovanni FabrouL RIzzuto was not minded to give her up to hls young rival and 20 informed her. Having certain powers over her as her guard. fan, Theresa and her lover saw that If she refused to marry the man to whom her father had given her he might put her in confinement and per secute her all she consented to be bis wife.
 The lovers therefore decided to go away together Southward. eastward and westward Iay Italian territory in which the guardian could Invoke the law. Northward was Switzerland. In which he would have no claim upon her. But to go northward meant to cross the Alps. and that at that time was g difficult and dangerous feat to accomplish. Nevertheless tnking the horses and carriage that had belonged to Slguor Attanasio. Giuseppt the coachman. and Elena. the heiress maid. both os whom would give their lives for their mistress. they started to 20 as far as wheels would take them and then endeavor. If they could not 6nd s,edges, to pursue tSeir jour ney on foot.
 They set out after they were sup posed to be in bed. and Rizzuto did not learn of their departure till morn lng. Being a very energetic man and spurred 10 the probable loss of his wards fortune. he started in pursuit, having learned the direction the fugf lives had taken. It was in the latter part of May. and he knew that this. being the season of melting snow. was the most dangerous period in the Alps. Moreover. be did not believe that the lovers could go very far in a carriage or that they could secure any further couveyances. Resides, 1t would be an easy matter to track them by the marks they would leave in the snow.
 The lovers reached Jocsrno. a village on Lake MaEgiori. then drove over a gently rising road to the foot of the St Gothard pass On this road they travelled all day and in the evening left 1t for eoncealment in a Swiss cabin. Early in the morning they start, cd to go over the pass, leaving the car riage, but taking the horses. on one of which Theresa rode. while the meid rode the other. the men walking. Aft CT making a part of the ascent they saw the guardians carriage coming rapidly up the valley through which they had passed
 They toiled on as rapidly as possible til they came to a point where they were screened from below and where there was a pocket In the mountains The wind had driven the snow from here, enabling Giovanni 10 practice . strntacem. He sent the coachman and the maid with the horses oo through the pass. while he and The resa turned into the pocket, which led into the pass again farther on. Rizzu. to. reaching this dlverging point. hesi- tated. then went on through the pass. taking up the tracks left by the coach man and the maid.
 It was several hours after this that Giovanni and Theresa reached an emInence where they could look over A narrow gorge upon the road on the other side On this road they saw RIzzuto's carriage He saw them and called on his driver to stop and. get ting out of the carriage. called over to the fugitives to give themselves up since they could not escape him-
 He was ou road that bad been cut through the side of mountain, which extended above him thousands of feet It was one of those balmy days In spring when the air Is laten with moisture, though the sun shines bright and warm-just such day as Alpine dwellers fear the avalanche. Though Rizzuto was halt mile distant from the tugitives. bis voice sounded as | be were close to them. Just as be pro T rrl.<r