Year: 1876

dangers. Not so our heroine, VIII


was not quite prepared to resign he


lover so quietly to his doom.


But what could she, u woman, dc


when strong men yielded to the over


whelming pressure OF circumstances


1t was just because she was a woman


that her spirits rose with the emer


ge1cy. Love is stronger than ordi


nary energy OF manhood. She mus


do something. She must dc all i


was possible for her to do.


The life OF Henri was her lif.. T,


rescue him was TO sustain her owl


being. What would be life to he


without him? How could she dwell


near the ice cavern that had swal.
lowed up her dearest treasured


But what could she do? One course
only lay before her. She>would entel
the treacherous cave that yawned
above the valley. She would thread
the gloomy passage Of the glacier
She might then reach him. She
might then save him, or diewith him
Ii unsuccessful, and the ice closed her
in its cold embrace, would she not
share the shroud OF her lover? II
was useless to speak OF her intention
So mad scheme would lead to her
forcible detention. Leaving the CON-
pany, without attracting notice, she
gathered few simple appliances
which she regarded as necessary, and
then rapidly stole off to the mouth OF
the glacier. As she first passed under
that icy arch the chill struck her, and,
for moment, fear possessed her.
The contest was brief, for the appeal
OF love was irresistible. Onward she
crept in this friShtful recess. The
semi-translucent mass provided her
with some light as she slowly made
her way. 1t was no easy path indeed.
The cid white stream that flowed
through the glacier, fed from the
SHOWS above. and the partial melting
OF the ice-rock through which it ran.
was no agreeable route TO the maiden.
Thoroughly wet and miserably chill
ed, she had to struggle on.


But there were other trials. Now
and then the passage was so small as
not to admit her person, though she
lay in the stream. She had prepared
for this 10y bringing small hatchet.
With this she often had TO cut her
way. or widen breach.


Had she been removed from a sense
OF peril, or unabsorbed by so deep a
sorrow, there would have been much
to interest and delight her mind.
Beauties thronged on every side. As
the light pierced through the ice, or
descended the crevasses from above,
it revealed gems OF marvellous charms,
and disclosed colors OF gorgeous
kinds. Fancy might people some
chambers with genii OF wonderful ma
ture. Green and blue OF various
shades softened the brilliancy of the
white. Occasionally, the roof rose,
arching over her, and the stalactites
were as pendant diamonds. Crys-
tails OF beauty thronged places AS the
fret work OF a Gothic Cathedral.


But poor Marie had no eye for Ma
lures loveliness, and no ears for her
most seraphic harmonies, while her
thought we're concentrated upon the
rescue OF her betrothed. She heed
ed them not, but pressed onward.


There was no difficulty about the
route. She had but TO advance, for
the mountains disclosed the glacier
on either side. Fatigued to exhaus-
ton, she halted not. A minute lost
might endanger the life so dear to
her. Anon she paused TO call upon
her lover: and Henri" echoed
through those trembling chambers.
But she could not be wholly indiffer-
ent TO her position. As the ice
cracked above her, or as she saw the
mass move about her, she could not
but shudder and clos her eyes. The
vast river OF ice was now moving
more vigorously than usual. The
pressure from the melting SHOWS
above, made it groan as IL in agony
The expansion OF the viscid substance,
melted and recongealed. thrust for
ward and headiong this strange liv-
ing monster OF the Alps. No mo-
ment was safe for her, and all seemed
combined for her destruction. II
was. in very truth, a valley OF the
shadow OF death.


At last. when well-nigh sinking
with despair. and almost yielding TO
the torpor which intense cold brings
upon the brain, she heard low moan.
At once her frame received new i'm
pulse OF energy. She rushed forward,
overcoming all obstacles. In few
minutes she discovered the appar-
emily lifeless body OF Henri. Re-
storatives were applied, and his eyes
were opened upon his faithful girl.
What a greeting OF love in the ice
gravel No time was to be lost. Mo-
mentarially strengthened by the cor
dial to his lips, he told hasty tale. He
spoke OF his fall-his CONSERVATION
his sudden agony. Unable to rise,
and thrown forward by a shelving
block, which partially broke his fall,
he knew no hope OF escape, unless an
adventurous friend would suffer him
self to be lowered by rope to his
assistance. He told not OF the suf-
ferings on her account-the mental
anguish he endured at the thought OF
distress.


In brief words she referred to the
closing OF the chasm above, and OF
her passage up the caverns of the
glacier, whittier she was now prepar-
ed to lead him.


Alas! both OF his legs were frac-
tured.


1t was no time for grief. The brave
girl bound up his limbs with portions
OF her garments, entreated him to