Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-04
The Argus Daily Story
Vindicated-By Sarah j. Baker.
Copyrighted. 1914 by Associated Literary Bureau

the purpose possible was the guide who
was making the ascent with the lost
man. and no one could prove Il prac-
ticabIe by an attempt without consid-
cradle assistance involving expense
The stranger hired number OF per-
sons 10 go with him 70 Join in the pro-
posed work and procured a thousand
feet OF rome. He consulted with no one
As 10 a plan or the hest time for put
ting it into execution Ii was known
that some one was 70 he lowered into
the crevasse. but whom and into what
CrevasSe were not given out When all
was ready the stranger and his assist
ants. CARRYING the rope. attended nv
many curious persons. sailed forth 70
make the ascent 10 the place where the
accident had occurred.
The way led past the chalet where
the stranger had tarried not long be-
fore and converSed with the fraulein.
She came out and stood looking at the
throng
"FrauIein." said the leader Of the par
". I'VE go to find the body OF tour
over a precipice on the mountain side
years ago. His guide. Hans Richter.
young man Of twenty. returned with
ont him and displayed an end Of the
rope attached to his own person so
frayed as TO indicate that It had been
broken. Richter explained that the
tourist had Slipped. the rope had bro
ken and the tourist had gone into the
crevasse. Richter claimed that he had
braced himself 40 as 10 withstand the
shock. One Wilhelm Rurche charged
Richter with having cut the rope in or
der 70 save himself. while his charge
was dangling over the crevasse. We
are going to lower a man to recover
the body so that we may discover
whether the end Of the rope attached to
1t is frayed or cut, that we may prove
Richter's guilt or innocence OF Burches
charge"
Who" asked the fraulein. lis TO he
lowered into the crevasse?"
81"
There was silence for awhile. during
which the woman appeared to be
thinking; then she said:
IF you are in Richters interest you
may be charged with tsmpering with
the rope before II is brought up"
| True. and on that account one who
Is to be trusted will be lowered with
me-"
"Who else dares to go down there?"
"One whom I viii make independent
| for life II he is pulled up again"
The woman made no reply, but, seiE-
ing wraps. put them about her and
! Joined in the ascent.
No one. unless the woman. knew the
crevasse referred to by the stranger.
who guided the party to 1t as though
he had been over the ground but yes
terday. When he reached the gap
there was a murmur among his follow
ers that a descent into 1t was too
perilous to be undertaken. But the
stranger handed a large roll of bank
notes to a man OF the party. who
! counted hundred thousand francs
I and handed them to a friend for
safe keeping. Then ropes were placed
around the bodies of each OF the two
men. who were handed alpenstocks to
push themselves from tAe sides of the
the descent was begun. the stranger
carrying the end Of an extra rope.
Some time elapsed after the men sig
nailed that they had reached the bot
tom before n signal was given 10 hoist
on all three ropes. The two live men
and a dead body came up nearly at the
| same time, and the crowd gathered
round to note the result. The stranger
stood looking down upon the body.
which was perfectly preserved. One OF
the men seized the end Of the rope, ex-
am!ned II and said:
at was not cut"
MY friends" said the stranger. "I
am Hans Richter. and this turning
to the woman who had Joined them.
was at the time this accident hap
pened my sweetheart. Wilhelm Burche
wished her, and when | came down
from here and reported the loss he
strove 70 ruin me by spreading re-
port that I had cut this rope and pur-
posely frayed the end attached to my
waist ! was told that my betrothed
believed the calumny. and. panied he
yond endurance. I went away to Amer
fortune, part Of which I have spent
to clear myself Of this charge"
Then all gathered around the Ameri-
can with congratulations, and the old
or ones. who had known him rs
young man, were loud In their sym
patty. He approached his former
sweetheart. who gave him her hand
and said:
True "a there Is a God above
never believed Won guilty"
Then the party descended into the
valley.
When Richter and his former sweet
heart were alone he said IN her:
When did you discover who I ann"
when I first heard you speak"
And you did not marry my r!val:"
you see that / did not"
"Can you leave your Alps 10 come
and live with me in the Rockies?'
Il will go with yor anywhere"
1T is more beautiful here but too
silent. There one hears the sound Of
the stamp mil and the voices Of busy
men. Since you will. let us go there"