The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-02-01
A Mystery
By F. A. Mitchell.

Ewiss Alps. Old Gotlieb Swingler tha
cheesemaker. had a very pretty daugh-
ter. Anna. whom Herman wished to
marry. but her father would not con.
sent II have nothing but few
cheese presses" be said to her, n
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 a son-in-law TO re-.
heve me OF providing for one OF nv
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 a precipice"
Anna gave this reply of her father
to Herman. who cast bis 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 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 he was full of strange
ideas, and she was impressed with the
sad but resOlute expression on his face
when he spoke the words that she had
repeated to her father. However.
there was nothing to be doue in the
matter. for she had no idea OF disobey-
Ing her father by marrying Herman.
o. One day an English gentleman en-
gagged Herman to make an ascent with
him. The two started ont together,
and when they got up to where the
climbing was dangerous Herman unit
ed them by rope. While moving
along over narrow path with prec-
pice Oh one side the tourist slipped
and fell on side Of the divide which
was but some twenty feet above Il
ledge. The shock however. caused
Herman to lose his balance. and he
fell on the other side and hung over the
precipice. His Ak 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 Ii to break For
this reason he could not use II TO
climb up on. and. having no AK. he
could not cut steps in the ice. He call
ed out 10 the tourist:
we cannot remain long In this posi-
ton. for as soon as 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. 1t will enable You to live"
The Englishman would not at first
consent 10 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 it would
soon break. so the tourist finally sand
that he would accede to Herman
terms, though he could not see now
the latter could be benefited by mourN
after his death. Then Herman told
him II was To he paid To Anna. the
daughter OF old Gotlieh the cheese.
maker In the valley.
Il will give her." sand the tourist.
half OF what | possess. or t1O,0OO"
she will not know what to do with
SO much" said Herman. but You can
settle thar with her father"
The tourist heard nothing more from
Herman. Some minutes passed. awful
minutes. during which the EngliShman
knew that soul WAS prepariu" Tor
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 50 flied
with the terrible fate of his guide that
he could think of nothing else. Then.
realizing that he must save himself IN
order to kcr, his part of the contract
he had made. ne got up and. waIkIn.
along the ledge, found II place. some
distance below where he could regain
the path b. which he and his guide
had assembled Night came on. ANA hs
lost his way. He would have sunk
down In the snow and permitted the
cold 10 end his life had he not hrrn
buOycd by II desire to pay the money
he had promised Indeed. when hr
thought that II" must live under the
cloud OF his guide death and his own
safety he would have preferred to die
He stopped To rest and was getting
drOWSy when he saw light In cha
let window some distance below. Ris
ing he struggled on and when door
was opened Ia him fell ON the iiuor
inSCnSibr