Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1913-01-09
A Mystery
BY F. A. Mitchell

ter, Anna, whom Herman wished to
sent. 81 have nothing but few
cheese presses" he said to her, IA
dozen goats and the chalet over our
heads. ] can consequently give you
no dowry. Herman has nothing ex-
cept what he can earn guiding tourists.
Instead Of having Il sOn-in-law to re
lieve me OF providing for one of my
children | shall likely In time have
grandchildren on my hands, for Her
man Is liable at any time to slide
down to his death with an avalanche
or fail over precipicc."
Anna gave this reply Of her father
to Herman, who cast his eyes thought
fully up the mountain side, then said
Tell your father that whether
marry you or do not marry you will
provide for you"
When Anna told her father that he
exclaimed: Herman Is fool. He
dreams dreams ny high up In the
clouds as the peaks he climbs How
could he provide for your
The girl made no reply to this, for
she did not know what Herman meant.
She knew that he was full of strange
ideas, and she was impressed with the
sad but reSoutc expression on his face
when he spoke the words that she had
repeated to her father. However
there was nothing 10 be done in the
matter, for she had no idea of dlsobey-
Ing her father by marrying Herman.
One day an English gentleman en-
gagged Herman to make IN ascent with
him The two started out together,
and when they got up to where the
climbing was dangerous Herman unit
ed them by rope. While moving
along over II narrow path with preci-
picc on one side the tourist slipped
and fell on side of the divide which
was but some twenty feet above II
ledge. The shock, however, caused
Herman to lose his bnlance, and he
fell on the other side and hung over the
precipice. His ax slipped from his
hands, and he heard 1t strike far below
Fortunately, the rope held. but Herman
knew that would not long bear the
strain and any rubbing against the
sharp rocks on the edge Of the divide
would surely cause 1t to break. For
this reason he could not use 1t to
climb up ON, and, having no AK, he
could not cut steps In the ice. He call
ed out to the tourist:
1--WE cannot remain long in this posi-
ton, for as soon as night comes and
the temperature falls we will freeze.
If | cut the rope you will fall on the
ledge and can descend the mountain.
! would like to sell you my life for
money. 1t will enable you to live"
The Englishmnn would not at first
consent to any such plan, asserting
that he would blame himself and be
blamed for accepting his life ON such
terms. But Herman told him that the
small strands that composed the rope
were gradually giving way and 1t would
soon break, SO the tourist finally said
that he would accede to Hermn's
terms. though he could not see how
the latter could be benefited by money
after his death. Then Herman told
him 1t was to be paid to Anna, the
daughter Of old Gotlieb, the cheese
maker In the valley.
Il will give her" said the tourist
half ot what possess, or 100000"
'She will not know what to do with
SO much" said Herman, but you can
settle that with her father"
The tourist heard nothing more from
Herman. Some minutes passed, awful
minutes, during which the Englishman
knew that soul was preparing for
death. The, surrounding mountains
seemed part of eternity, the silence
that OF infinite space. Then suddenly
he dropped. landing on the ledge below.
For awhile his mind was SO filled
with the terrible fate of his guide that
he could think of nothing else. Then,
realizing that he must save himself in
order to keep his part of the contract
he had made, he got. up and, walking
along the ledge, found place some
distance below where he could regain
the path by which he and his guide
had assembled, Night came on. and he
lost his way lie would have sunk
down In the snow and permitted the
cold to end his life had he not been
huoyed by Il desire to pay the money
he had promised Indeed, when he
thought that he must live under the
cloud of his guides death and his own
safety he would have preferred to die
He stopped to rest and was getting
drowsy when he saw II light In cha
let window some distance below. Ris
ing. he struggled on and when donl
was opened To him fell on the floor
insensihle
The next day he descended into the
valley and appered N the Gotliet
home When Anna saw him come IL
alone and looking haggard she knew
her lover had persisted and Swooned
The tourist told them that Herman
had gone down into Il prrcipice, then
without turthnr aNnlouotinD rnIlpl fnl