The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1913-01-16
A Mystery
BY r. A Mitchell

marry. but her father would not con-
sent Il have nothing but a few
cheese presses" be said to her, "A
dozen goats aud 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-nl-law to r,.-
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 10 slide
down ~ his death with an avalanche
or fall over a precipice"
Anna gave this reply OF her father
to Herman. who east 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 a fool he
dreams dreams as high up in the
clouds as the peaks be climbs How
could be 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 resoiute expression on his face
when bespoke the words that she hae
repeated to her father. However
there was nothing to be done in thu
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 rope. While moving
along over narrow path with preci-
pice on one side the tourist slipped
and fell on a side of the divide which
was but some twenty feet above
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 it to break. For
this reason be could not use it to
climb up on. and. having no ak, 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 as soon as night comes and
| the temperature falls we will freeze.
| If | cut the rope you will fall on the
| ledge and can desceRd the mountain.
l would like to sell you my life for
money. 1t will enable you to live"
The Engishman 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 it would
soon break. so the tourist finally said
that he would accede to Herman's
terms. though he 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
Il will give her" said the tourist.
half Of what possess, or 10000"
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 Englishm
knew that sou was preparing for
death The surrounding mountains
seemed IA part of eternity. the silence
that of infinite space Then suddenly
he dropped, landing ON the ledge below.
For awhile uis mind was SO dlled
with the terrible fate of his guide that
be could think OF nothing else. Then.
realizing that he must save himself in
: order to keep his part Of the contract
be had made. ne got up and, walking
along the ledge, found place some
distance below where be could regain
the path by which he and his guild,
had assembled. Night came on. aud b,
: lost bis way. He would have sun
down in the snow and permitted tii
} cold to end his life had he not be,
= buoyed by desire to pay the nom
} be had promised. Indeed, when
= thought that be must live under
cloud Of his guides death and his o,
. safety he would have preferred to d
J He stopped to rest and was getti
: drOwsy when he saw a light in q 81
let window some distance below. RI
ing. he struggled on and when do,
5 was opened to him fell on the foo
insensible.
The next day he descended into 4b,
valley and appered at the GotIial
home. When Anna saw him como !,
, aiohe ana looking haggard she knew
her lover had persisted and swooned
. The tourist told them that Herman
mad gone down into a precipice. then
, without further explanation, called fol
. notary and executed papers trans
ferring to Anna Gotlieb property Ii
England worth $40 GOO