Year: 1870

self again. he whispered softly, " Doctor


FaxStusi ~ .as .-.-l


The three Germans smoked on in


thoughtful silence; and was about to


make some more inquiries into the matter


but Tom Robinson, who had no taste


for the supernatural, stood up, glass in


hand, and broke the silence with


:. /" Then, boys, let's drink to the health


of Doctor Faustus, and go to bed. The


more we sleep to night the better we


shall climb tomorrow"


After this we retired in good order.


The next morning, after an early break
fast, we started off in high spirits on our
way up the mountain, laughing and chat
ting together, and occasionally halting in
silent admiration of the magnificent pan


Dramas which were brought to view as
we assembled from one cliff to another.
About noon we had reached very con-
siderable height, and, after passing through
a.grove of frs, came in sight of scene


of devastation just above Us. It was the
remains of an avalanche, vast snow slide,


which had come laundering down from
the peak above, and now lay as if resting
from its tremendous leap and gathering


flesh power. Yet still the huge mass
seemed threatening another rush from the
top of the cliff on which it lay, over a
precipice short distance below, and to
the edge of which it extended. We stood


watching it for some time, almost expect
ing to see the pile move before our eyes,
and hurl itself into the abyss hundreds of
feet deep. Our guide informed US that it
would be unsafe to attempt to Cross over
it, or even to approach very near; that
this was the avalanche of which our host
had told US the night before. Ithad come
down from above and lodged here; the
SHOWS of the past winter had been graau-
ally increasing its weight, and now the
weather had become so warm thatit might
ct any moment slide over the cliff. We
therefore sat down where we were, un-
loaded our provisions from the knapsacks,
and proceeded to lunch for which meal
our mornings climb had given us most
excellent preparation. After lunch, in
spite of the remonstrances of the guide,
we resolved to go on as near as possible
to the fallen avalanche-and so forward
we marched, the guide bringing up the
rear. We had advanced so far that we
stood close by the side of the snow-white
pile when the guide shouted in voice of
horror: Back back it IS ng0UingI'


Round we wheeled, and double-quick
dashed away from our perilous station,
leaping from rock to rock, tumbling down,
rolling and sliding down to escape the
threatened rush, until at length we gained
our former stopping place; and then with
painting breath we turned about to witness
the following spectacle:


Over the edge of the cliff were tumb-
ling great Jumps of snow, and slowly fol-
lowing them came the great heap behind.
Faster and faster it moved, and the Uffn
was now hidden by the cloud of snow,
which broke into pieces st Its edge, and
apgrily dashed itself over into the abyss.
At length its velocity became tremendous,
and awe=Ftruck we stood spsechlessly
gazing upon the terrific scene. Huge
masses of snow were hurled into the air
the tan frs were snapped in two, and
went whirling along in the general chaos,
amid noise which reverberated among
the cliffs like the minghng of thousand
thunder storms. Our senses were con-
fused-we became unconscious of the
lapse of time, and, when the whole was
over, we could hardly form an idea of
how long the phenomenon had lasted.
The noise gradually subsided; while. now
and then boom down IN the valley an
that pieces were still falling.
But after a while silence reigned again,
and we began to recover our scattered
senses, and to notice the wonderful change
before US. Where lay that monster but q
little while before was now nearly q level
field of broken snow, trunks of broken
trees here and there protruding, and bowl
ders which had resisted the power of the
avalanche. A considerable distance of,
at that part of the avalanche which had



thing which appeared like the ruins of a
building. As it was now perfectly safe to
advance, we went towards this spot-and,
on reaching it, there sure enough we
found a broken down chalet. It was a
small building, although very stoutly
built, and had probably been used by the
chamois-h hunters as sleeping place. A
large rock stood just behind 1t, over
which the avalanche Of the year before |
had passed, completely burying the hut.
That it was not carried along by the snow |
this time was due to its situation. Had it
been fifty yards farther down the slope, it
must have been torn up and its shattered
beams hurled over the precipice but as
it WINS, the snow had slid away and left it
standing. The roof was stove in, and the
upright beams forced apart in various di-
rections, and snow was piled in heaps
around it, completely blocking up the
doorway. OF course we were filed with
curiosity as TO what might be inside, and
we waded around it, endeavoring to OBJ
tain view of the interior. One atlength
in mounting to the top of the
snow bank, and peeped in through rift
In the side of the building.


Anything there ?" we asked.


He turned without speaking, his face
pale and full of horror, and came stagger-
ing down to'where we were standing.


"What is TT" we anxiously inquired.


4, corpse" he whispered, g is sitting
there!"


For moment or two we stood speech
less, with kind of awe at the thought of
hat lonely prisoner dying there without
4 human being near to hear his call for
help, and now so wonderfully exhumed
IA our presence by the mighty power of
Nature But then, Tom, who was med
Ical student, and Injured to the companion
ship of thesdead, reused us by proposal
to clear the snow from the doorway and
get inside. After the first shock had
passed away we agreed to his proposition,
and eagerly set to work with sticks and
hands to get away enough snow to allow
US passage; it was a long and tedious
labor, but was at length accomplished,
ana the entrance stood partly open. With
an 1nde1nable sense of horror we entered
the hut, Tom taking the lead. And there,
sitting upon rough stool, the head bent
down and resting upon an oaken table,
was a dead body, dressed in a suit of black
clothes. 1t was but very little decayed,
and the features were perfectly distin-
much so that when tie
guide; looked upon them, he cried out,
. Mein Gotti come awsyl the doctor r.
But we Immediately began to make prep
arations for removing the body, and
while doing so made several discoveries.