Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-02-07
Mystery
By F. A. Mitchell.


Swiss Alps. Old Gotlieb Swingler, the
cheesemaker. had very pretty daugh-
ter, Anna. whom Herman wished to
marry. but her father would not con
sent Il have nothing but few
cheese presses" he said to her, "a
dozen goats aud the chalet over our
heads ! Gun consequently give you
no dOwry. Herman has nothing ex-
cept what he can earn guiding tourists.
Instead Of having 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 fall over precipice."
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 l will
provide for you"
When Anna told her father that be
exclaimed: Herman Is q fool. He
dreams dreams as 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 be was full Of strange
ideas, and she was impressed with the
sad but resOlute expression ON bis face
when he spoke the words that she had
repeated to her father. However.
there was nothing to be done In the
matter. for she had no idea Of disObey-
ing her father by marrying Herman.
One day an English gentleman en-
gagged Herman to make an ascent with
him. The two started out together,
and when they got up to where the
climbing was dangerous Herman unit
ed them BY a rope. While moving
along over narrow path with a preci-
pice on one side the tourist slipped
and fell on a side Of the divide which
was but some twenty feet above a
ledge. The shock. however. caused
Herman to lose bis balance. and he
fell on the other side and hung over the
precipice. His AZ slipped from his
hands. and be heard It strike Tar 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 II to break. For
this reason he could not use It to
climb up on. and. having no AZ. he
could not cut steps In the ice. He call
ed out to the tourist:
I'VE cannot remain long In this posi-
ton. for a. soon AZ night comes and
the Temperature falls We. will freeze.
II cut the rope you will fall on the
ledge and can descend the mountain.
would like to sell you my life for
money. It will enable you to live"
The Englishman would not at nrst
consent to any such plan. asserting
that he would blame himself and be
blamed for accepting bis 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. % the tourist finally said
that he would accede to Herman's
terms. though be could not see how
the latter could be benefited BY money
after his death. Then Herman told
him It was to be paid to Anna. the
daughter Of old Gotlieb. the cheese
maker in the valley.
II will give her." said the tourist.
half Of what I possess. or f10.OOO."
"She will not know what to do with
90 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 a part Of eternity, the silence
that of infinite space. Then suddenly
he dropped. landing on the ledge below.
For awhile bis mind was 30 oiled
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 a place some
distance below where he could regain
the path By which be and his guide
had assembled. Night came On. and he
lost his way. He would have sunk
down in the snow and permitted the
cold to end bis life had he not been
buoyed BY desire to pay the money
he had promised. Indeed. when he
thought that be must live under the
cloud Of bis guides death and his own
safety he would have preferred to die.
He stopped to rest aud was getting
drowsy when he saw a light In q cha
let window some distance below. Ris-
ing. he struggled on and when door
was opened to him fell Oh the door
insensible.
The next day he descended into the
valley and appered at the Gotlieb
home. When Anna saw him come In
alone and looking haggard she knew
her lover had persisted and swooned.
The tourist told them that Herman
h>d s~ouo aov,v, into q proCipico thon