EY mi 71 t. nn 3GRA 3 J nn -1 1 3 14-1 1 JIN JL1 iLiiUUJ JLJJLU1 VOL, VIII-No 150. PHILADELPHIA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 18G7. TRirLE SI1EET THREE CENTS. PH-S N HJi VJLJUJlN CHRISTMAS STORY FOR 1867. NO THOROUGHFARE. n y CUAKLES DICKENS AND WILKIE COLLINS Omtfmtr d from our Ui'l jii. ACT III. IN THE VALI.ET. It was ubout the niUdlo of tlie month of February when Vendale and Obenrcize r set forth on their expedition. The winter being a hard one, the time was bad for trayellers. 80 bad was it that these two travellers, coming to Straiburg, iouml Its great inus nlmoBt empty. And even the few people they did encounter iu that city, who had started from England or from Paris on business journeys towards the Interior of Switz erland, were turning back. Many of the railroads In Switzerland that tourists pass easily enough now, were almost or quite impracticable then. Some were not begun; more were not completed. On such as were open, there were still large naps of old road where communlcutiou in the winter season was often stopped ; on others, there were weak points where the new work was not safe, either under conditions of severe frost or of rapid thaw. The running of trains on this last class was not to be counted on in the worst time of the year, was contingent upon weather, or was wholly abandoned through the months con sidered the most dangerous. At Strasburg there were more travellers' stories afloat, respecting the difficulties of the way far ther on, than there were travellers to relate them. Many of these tales were as wild as usual; but the mora modestly marvellous did derive some color from the circumstance that people wcie indisputably turning back. How ever, as the road to Basle was open, Vendale's resolution to push on was iu no wise disturbed. Obeureizer's resolution was necessarily Vcn dale's, seeing that he stood at bay thui dcpe rately; he must be ruined, or must destroy the evidence that Vendale carried about htm, even if he destroyed Vendalc with it. The plate of raind of each of these two fellow travellers towards the other was this. Oben reizer, encircled by impending ruin through Vendnle's quickness of action, and seeing the circle narrowed every hour by Vendale's energy, hated him with the animosity of a tierce, c nu lling lower animal. He had always hat instinc tive movements in his breast against him; per haps, because cf that old tore of gentleman and peasant ; perhaps, because of the openness of his nature; perhaps, because of I113 better looks; perhaps, because of his success with Marguerite; perhaps, on all those grounds the two last not the least. And now be saw lu him, besides, the hunter who was tracking him down. Vendalo, on the other hand, always contending gene rously against his first vague mistrust, now felt bound to contend aeainst it more than ever, reminding himself, "He is Marguerite's guar ditiD. We are on perfectly friendly terms; he is niy companion ot his own proposal, aud can have no interested motive lu sharing this unde sirable journey." To which pk-as iu behalf of Obenreizer. ciianee added oue consideration more, wbeu they came to Basle, after a journey of more thun twice the average duratiou. Ibey had had a lute dinner, and were alone in an inn room there, overhanging the Rhine, at that place rapid and deep, swollen andloui. Vendale lounged upon a couch, and Obenreizer walked to and fro now stooping at the window, looking at the crooked reflections of the town lights in the dark water (aud peradventure thinking, "If I could Ming him into it I"), now resuming bis walk with his eyes upon the Hoar. "Where shall I rob him. if I can Where shall I murder him, if I must?" So, as he paced the room, ran the river, ran the river, ran the river. The burden seemed to him, at last, to be growing so plain that he stopper ; thinking it as well to suggest another burden to hi com panion. "The Rhine sounds to-nteht," he said with a smile, "like the old waterfall at home Taat waterfall which ray mother showed to travellers (I told you of it once). The sound of it changed' with the weather, as does the sound of tailing waters and flowing water. When I was pupil of the watchmaker, 1 remembered it at some times saying to me for whole days, 'Who are you, my little wretch? Who are you, my little wretch'?' I remembered it us saying, other times, when its sound was hollow, and storm w as coming up the Pass, "liuom, boom, boon. Beat bim, beat him, beat, him.' Like my mother cnri.sred if ebewa my mother." "If she was?" smd VeuJule, gradually chang inn his attitude to a sitliug on?, "if she was? Wnv do you say 'if'9" "What do 1 know?'' replied the other, negli gently throwing up his hauris and letting them tall as thev would. 1 What ou would have? I am so obscurely born, thtt how can I say? I was very young, and all the rest of the family were in u and woiiien, and mv so called parents were old. Anything is portable of a cuso like that." "Did you ever doubt ?" "I told jou once I doubt the marriage of those two," he replied, throwing up his hands again, as if he were throwing the unprovable Bubject away. "Hut here I am in Creation. J come of no fine family. What does it mailer?" "At least you are Swiss," said Vendale, alter following him with his eyes ti and fro. "How do I know?" he retorted, abruptly, and stopping to look back over his shoulder. "I eav to you, at least jou are English. How do you know ?" "By what I have been told from Infancy." "Ah ! 1 know of myself that way." "And," added Vendale, purs uing tha thought that he conld not drive back, "by my earliest recollections." "I also. I know of myself that way if that way satisfies." "Dees it not satisfy you?" . "It must. There Is nothing like 'it must' in this little world. It must. Two short word those, but stronger than long proof or rea eoLtnir." "You and poor Wildine were born in the same year. You were nearly ot an nee," said Ven dale, again thoughtfully lookiug alter him as ho resumed bis pacing up and down. "Yes. Very nearly. " Could Obtmelzer be the missing man? In the unknown associations of things was there a subtler meaning than he himself thougut, in that theory so ofien on his lips abont the small nets of the world? Had the Swiss letter pre senting him, followed so close on Mr. Gold straw 't revelation concerning the ln'ant who had been taken away to Switzerland, because he 'M that infant grown a man? In a word, where to many depth He unsounded, it might pt, j'bet'tDCti or le Jaws, ftll them either, that had wrought out the revival of Vendale's own acquaintance with ObcnrolzT, and had ripened It into intimacy, and had brought them her toeether this present winter night, were hardly less curious; while read by such a light, they were seen to cohero toward the furtucr anee of a continuous and an Invincible pur pose. Vendale's awakcnol thoughts ran high while h's eyes musingly fo'lowed Obenreizer pacing up and down the room, the river ever running to the tune: "Whe.-e shall 1 rob him, if 1 can ? Whereshalll rob him, if 1 must?"The seciet of bis dead friend wa9 in 110 hazard from Veu dalc's lips; but just as his friend had died of its weight, so did he in his lighter suceesslou leel the burden of the trust, and the .obligation to follow any clue, however obscure. He rapidly asked himself, would he like this man to be the real Wilding? No. Argue down his mistrust as he might he was unwilling to put such a substitute In the place of his late guileless out spoken, childlike partner. He rapidly asked himself, would ho like this man to bo rich ? No. He had more power than eaough over Margue rite na it wa, Hud wealth might invoit him with more. Would he like this man to be Mar guerite's guardian, and vet proved to stand in no degree of relationship towards her, however diiconnerted and distant? No. Buttbesewere not considerations to come between him ami fidelity to the dead. Let him see to it that they passed him with nojother notice thsn the knowledge that they had passed him, and left him bent on the discharge of a solemn duty. And he did see to it, so soon that he followed hi companion with uncrrudelng eyes, while he still paced tho room; that companion, whom he supposed to be moodily reflecting on his own binb, and not on cnother man's least of all what man's violent Death. The road in advance from Bale to Neuchatel was better than had been represented. The latest weather had done it good. Drivers, both of hortes and mule3, had come in that evening after dark, and had reported not bing more difii cult to be overcome than trials of patience, har ness, wheels, axles, and whipcord. A btrgain was soon struck for a carriage and horses, to take them on iu the morning, and to start before daylight. "Do von lock your door at night when travel ling ?" asked Obenreizer, standing warming his han'ls by .the wood lire in Vendale's chamber befoie going to his own. "Not I. I sleep too sounlly." "You are a sound sleeper," he retorted, with an admiring look. "What a b'.essiug 1" "Anything but a blessiug to the rest of the house," rejoined Vendule, "ir I had to be knocked up. in the morning from the outside of my bedroom door." "1 too," said Obenreizer, "leave open my room, lint let me advise you, as a Swiss who knows: always, when joii tiavel In my country, put jour papers and, of course, Tour money under your Mow. Always the same place." "You are iiot complimentary to your coun trymen," laughed Vendale. "Mv countrymen," said Obenreizer, with that light touch ot his friend's elbows by way ot good night and benediction, "I suppose, are like the majority of men. And the majority of men will take what they can get. Adieu 1 At four in the morning." "Adieu I Atfonr." Left to himself, Vendalo raked the logs to gether, spiinkled over tneni the white wood ashes lying on the hearth, and sat down to com pose Lis tboughts. But they still ran high on their latest theme, and the running of the river tended to agitate rather than to quiet them. As lie fat thinking, what little disposition be had to sleep departed. He felt it hopeless to lie down et, and sat dressed by the fire. Marguerite, Wilding, Obenreizer, the business he was then npon, and a thousand hopes mid doubts that had nothing to do with U, occupied his miud atouce. Everything seenied 10 have power over him but slumber. The departed disposition tosleep kept far away. He had sat for a lone time thinking, on tha hearth, when his candle burned down aud its li(iht went out. It was of little moment; there was liebt enough in the fire. He changed his attitude, und leaning his arm on the cbair-baek, and his chiu upon that hand, sat tbinkiug still. But he sat between the lire and the bud, and, as the fire flickered in the play ot air Irom tha Inst-Howing river, his enlarged shadow fluttered on the white wail by the bedside. Ills attitude gave it an air, half of mourning, and half of bending over the bed imploring. His eye were observant of it, when he became troubled by the disagreeable fancy that it was like Wilding's shadow, and not his own. A slight change of place would cause It to dis appear, lie made the change, and the appari tion of his disturbed fancy vanished. He now sat in the shade of a little nook beside tho fire, and the door of the room was before him. It had a long cumbrous iron latch. He saw the lntch slowly and oftly rise. The door opened a very little and came to avain, as though, only the air had moved it. But he saw that the latch was out of the hasp. The door opened again very slowly, until it opi ned wide enough to admit some one. It at ter wards remained still for a while, as though cautiously held open on the other side. Tne figure of a man then entered, with its face turned towards the bed, and stood quiet just within the door. Until it said, in a low, half whisper, at the same time taking one step for wards, "Vendale 1" "What now?" he answered, springing from his peat ; "who is it?" It was Obenreizer, and he nttered a cry of sur prise as Vendale came upon him from that un expected direction. "Not in bed?" he said, catching him by both shoulders with an mstiiic tive tendency to a struggle, "Then something is wrona 1" "What do you mean ?" said Vendalo, releasing himself. "First tell me; you are not ill?" '111? No." "I have had a bad dream about you. How is it that I see you up and dressed ?" "My good lellow, I may as well ask you how is it that I see you up and undressed." "I have told you why. I have had a bad dream about you. I tried to rest atter it, but it was impossible. I could not make up my mind to stay where I was, without knowirg you were sale; and yet I could not make up my mind to come in here. I have been minutes hesitating at the door. It 1 so easy to lauerU at a dream that you have not dreamed. Where is your candle?" "Burnt out." - "I have a whole one iu my room. Shall I fetch it?" "Do so." His room was very near, and he was absent for but a few seconds. Coating buck with tho candle In his band, he kueeled down on the hearth and lighted it. At he blew with his biealh a charred billet Into flame for the pur pose, Veudale, looking down at him, saw that his lips were white and not easy of control. "Yes!" said Obeurelzer, setting the lighted caudle on the table, "it was a bad dream. Only look at me 1" . His leet were bare; his red-flannel shirt was thrown back at the throat, and its sleeves were rolled above the elbows; his only othergarment, a pair of under pantaloons or drawers, reachiug to the ankles, tilted him close and tight. A cer tain lithe and savage appearance was on his figure, and bis eyes were very bright. "If there had been a wrestle with a robber, as I dreamed," said Obenreizer, "you see, 1 was stripped for it." "Aud armed, too," said Vendale, glancing at his eirdle. "A traveller's dagger, that I always carry on the road," he answered, carelessly, naif drawing it from its sheath with bis lett hand, and put ting it back again. ''Do you carry no such thine?" "Nothing of the kind " ''No pistols?" said Obenreizer, glancing at the table, and iron) it to the untouched pillow. "Nothing of the sort." "You Englishmen are so confident 1 You wish to sleep?" "I have wished to sleep this long tlm?, but I can't do it." "I neither, after the bad dream. My lire has gone the way of your candle. May I come and sit by yours ? Two o'clock 1 It will so soon be four, that it is not worth the trouble to go to bed again." "I shall not take the trouble to go to bed at all now;" said Vendale; "sit here and keep me company, aud we'eome." Going back to his room to arrange his dre. Obenreizer soon returned in a loose cloak and slippers, and they sat down on opposite sides of the hearth. In the Interval, Vendale hat re plenished the fire from the wood-basket in his room, and Obenreizer had put upon the table a flask and cup from his. "Common cabaret brandy, I am afraid," he said, pouring out; "bought upon the road, and not like yours from Cripple Corner. But yours Is exhausted: so much the worse. A cold night, a cold time ot night, a cold country, and a cold house. This maybe better than nothing; try it." Vendale took thp cup, and did so. "How do you find It?" "It has a coarse after-flavor," said Vendale, giving back the cup with a slight shudder, "and I don't like it." "You are right," said Obenreizer, ta'tlnar, and smacking his lips; it Arts a coarse after-flavor, and I don't like it. Booh! it burns, though !" He bad flung what remained in the cup upon the fire. Each of them leaned an elbow on the tible, . reclined his head upon his band, and sat looking at the flaring logs. Obenreizer remained watch ful and still; but Vendale, after certain nervous twitches and starts, in one of which he rose to his tcet and looked wildly about him, fell Into the strangest confusion of dreams. He carried bis papers in a leather case or pocket book, iu an inner breast-pocket of his buttoned travel ling coat; and whatever he dreamed of, in the lethargy that got possession ot him, something importunate in these papers called him out of that dream, though he could not wake from It. He was belutei on the steppes of Russia (some shadowy person gave the name of the place), with Marguerite; and yet the sensation of a hand at his brtist, softly feeling the outline of the pocket-book as he lay asleep belore the fire, was present to him. He was shipwrecked In an open boat at sea, and having lost his clothes, had no other covering than an old sail; and yet a creeping hand, tracing outside all the other pockets of the dress he actually wore, for papers, and finding none answer its touch, warned him to rou?e himelf. He was in the ancient vault at Cripple Corner, to which was transferred the very bed substantial and present In that veiy room at Basle; and Wilding (not dead, as he had supposed, and yet he did not wonder much) shook him, and whis pered, "Look at that man 1 Don't you see he has risen, and is turning the pillow f Why should heturu the pillow, it not to seek those papers that are m your breast? Awake!" And jet he slept, and wandered off into other dreams. Watchful and still, with his elbow on the table and his head upon tha', hand, his companion at length said: "Vendale! We are called. Past Four !"' Then, opening his eyes, he saw, turned sideways on him, the tilmy face of Obenreizer. "You have been in a heavy sleep," he said. ' The fatigue of constant travelling aud the cold 1" "I am bread awake now," cried Vendale, springing up, but with an unsteady footing. "Haven't you slept at all ?" "I may have dozed, but I seem to have been patiently looking at the fire. Whether or no. we must wash, aud breakfast, and turn out. Past lour, Veudale; past four I" It was said 111 a tone to rouse him, for already he was half asleep again. In his preparation for the day, too, aud at bis breakfist, be was often virtiiully asleep while in mechanical ac tion. It whs not until the cold dark day w is closing in, that he had any dietincter iuipres sioLS of the ride than jingling bells, bitter weather, slipping horses, frowning hillsides, bleak woods, and a stoppage at some wayside house of entertainment, where they had passed through a cowhouse to ieach the travellers' room above. He had been conscious of little more, except of Obenreizer sitting thoughtful at his side all day, and eyeing him much. But when he shook olf hie stupor, Obenreizer was not at his side. The carriage was stopping to ba't at auother wavside house; aud a line of long narrow carts, laden with casks of wine, and drawn by hordes with a quantity of blue collar and headgear, were baiting too. These came from the oirection in which the travellers were going, and Obcnreizer(not thoughtful now, but cheertul and alert) was talking with the foremost diiver. As Vendale stretched bis limbs, circulated his blood, and cleared off the lees ot his lethargy, with a sharp ruu to and fro in the bracing air, the line ot carts moved on; the drivers all saluting Obenreizer as they passed him. "Who are those?" asked Vendale. "They are our carriers Defresnier and Com pany's" replied Obenreizer. "Those are our casks of wive." He was singing to himself, and lighting a cigar. "1 have been drearily dull company to-day," said Vendale. "I don't know what has been the matter with me." "You bad no sleep last night; and a kind of brain-concestion frequently comes, at first, of such cold," said Obenreizer. "I have seen It ofien. After all, we shall have our journey for nothing, it seem""." "How for nothing?" "The House is at Milan. You know, we are a Wine HouFe at Neuchatel, and a Silk House at Milan ? - Well, Silk happening to press ot a sud den, more than Wine, Deiretmior was summoned to Milan. Rolland, the oiher party, has been taken ill since his departure, and the doctors will altow him to see no one. A letter awaits you at Neuchatel to tell you so. I have it Jrom our chief carrier whom you saw me talking with. He was surprised to see me, and said that he had that word lor you if he met you. What do you do? 0.0 back?" 'Go on," said Vendale. "On?" "On? Yes. Across the Alps, and down to Milan." Obenreizer stopped in his smoking to look at Vendale, and then smoked heavily, looked tip the road, looked down the road, looked down at the stones in the road at his feet. "I have a very serious matter In charge," said Vendale ; "more of these missing forms may be turned to as bad account, or worse ; I am urged to lose no time in helping the House to take the thief: aud nothing shall turn me back." - ; "No?" cried Obenreizer, taking out his cigar to smile, and giving his band to his fellow traveller. " Then notaing shall turn me back, Ho, driver I Despatch. Quick there 1 Let us push on !" They travelled through the night. There had been snow, and there was a partial thaw, and they mostly travelled at a foot-pace, and al ways with many stoppages to breatne the splashed and floundering horses. After an hour's broad daylight, they drew rein at the inn door at Neuchatel, Laving been seme eight-and-twenty hours in conquering some eighty English miles. When they had hurriedly refreshed and changed, they wcut together to the house of business of Defresnier and Company, There they found the letter Jwhich the wiue-carrler had described, enclosing the tests and compari sons of hand-writing essential to the discovery of the forger. Veadule's determination to press forward, without resting, being already taken, the only question to delay them was by what post could they rrosit the Alps ? Respecting the state of the two Passes of lue Bt. Uotthard aid the ISiroplon, the guides and mule-drivers ditlered greatly; and both passes were still far enough off to prevent the traveUers froia bavlngthe benefit of any recent experience of either. Besides which, they well knew that a f nil of snow might altogether change the described conditions in a single hour, even if they were correctly stated. But, on the whole, the Simplou appearing to be the hopefullcrroutc, Vendale decided to take it. Obenreizer bore little or no part in the discussion, and scarcely spoke. To Geneva, to Lausanne, along the level mar gin ot the Uke to Vevay, so into tho winding valley between the spurs of the mountains, and into the valley of the Rhone. The sound of the carnage-wheels, as they rattled on, through the day, through the night, became as the wheels of a great clock, recording the hours. No change ol weather varied the journey, after it had hardened into a sullen frost. In a sombre yel low sky they saw the Alpine ranees; and they saw enough of snow on nearer and much lower hlll'cps and hillsides, to sully, by contrast, the purity of lake, torrent, and waterfall, and make the villages look discolored and dirty. But no snow fell, nor was there any snow-drift on the road. The stalking along the valley of more or less of white mist, changing on their hair and dress into loicles, was the only variety between them and the gloomy Eky. And still by day, and still by night, the wheels. And still they rolleJ, in the hearing ot one of them, to the burden, altered from the burden of the Rhine: 'The time 1s gone for robbing him alive, and I must murder him." Ihey came, at length, to the poor little town of Brieg,Ht the loot of the Simplon. They came there alter dork, but jet could see how d warfed men's works and men became with the immense mountains towering over them. Here they must lie for the night; and here was warmth of fire and lamp and dinner and wine, and after conference resounding, with guides and drivers. No human creature had come across the Pass for four days. The snow above the enow-line was too soft for wheeled carriage, and not hard enough for sledge. There was snow In the eky. There had been snow in the sky for days past, and the marvel was that it had not fallen, and the certainty was that It mut fall. No vehicle conld cross. The journey might be tried on mules, or it might be tried on foot; but the best guides must be paid danger-price In either case, and that, too, whether they succeeded in taking the two travellers ocross, or turned for safety a id brought them back. In this discussion, Obenreizer bare no part whatever. He sat silently smokius by the tire until the room was cleared and Vendale referred to him. "Bah! I am weary of these poor devils and their trade," he said, in reply. "Always the samesti ry. It is the story of their trade to day, as it was the story of their trade when I whs a ragged boy. What do you and I want? We want a knapsack each, and a mountaln-statf each. We want no eui.'e; we should guide him; be would not guide us. We leave our portmanteaus here, and we cross together. We have been on the mountains together before now, and I am mountain-born, and I know this Pase Pass 1-rather High Koadl by heart. We will leave these poor devils, in pity, to trade with others; but they must not delay to make a pretense oi earning money. Which is all they mean." Vendale, glad to be quit of the dispute, and to cut the knot, active, adventurous, bent on getting forward, and, therefore, very susceptible to the last hint, readily assented. Within two hours they bad purchased what they wanted tor the exf edition, had packed their knapsacks, and lay down to sleep. At break of day they found half the town col lected iu tbe narrow street to see them depart. The people talked togetberln groups; the guides and drivers whispered apart, and looked up at the sky ; no one wished them a good journey. As they beLan the ascent a gleam or sun shone from the etberwhe unaltered sky, and (or a moment turned the tin spires ot the town to silvir. "A good omen !" said Vendale (though it died out while he spoke). "Perhaps our example will open tho Pass on this side." "No; we shall not be followed," returned Obeiueizcr, looking up at tho eky and back at the valley. "We shall be alone up yonder. " ON TEE MOUNTAIN. The. road was fair enough for stout walkers, and the air grew lighter und easier to breathe as the two ascended. But the settled gloom remained as it had remained for davs back. Nature teemed to have come to a pause. The tense of hearing.no less than the sense of eight, was troubled by having to wait so long for the change, whatever it might be, that impended. The silence was as palpable and heavy as the lowering clouds, or rather cloud, for there seemed to be but one iaall the sky, and that one coveiing the whole of it. Although tbe light was thus dismally shrouded, the prospect was not obscured. Down in the valley of the Rhone behind them, the stream could be traced through all its many windings, opprebslvely sombre aud solemn in its one leaden hue, a colorless waste. Far and high above them, glaciers and suspended avalanches overhung the spots where they must pass by-and-by; deep aud dark below them on their right were awful precipice and roaring torrent; tremendous mountains arose in every yista. The gigantic landscape, uncheered by a touch of changing light or a solitary ray of sun, was yet terribly dist.net in its leroclty. The hearts of two lonely men might shrink a little, if they had to win their way for miles and hours araoug a legion of silent and motionless men mere men like themselves all looking at them with fixed and frowning front. But bow much more, when tbe legion is of Nature's mightiest works, and the frowu may turn to fury in an instant 1 As they ascended, the road became gradually more ragged and difficult. But tho spirits of Vendale rose as they mounted higher, leaving so much more of the road behind them con quered. Obrenreizer spoke little, and held on with a determined purpose. Both, in rejpect of agility and endurance, were well quallded for the expedition. Whatever the born moun taineer read in the weather tokens that was illegible to tbe other, he kept to himself. "(Shall we get across to day ?'" asked Vendale. "No," replied the other. "You see how much deeper the snow Ilea here than it lay half a league lower. Tho higher wo mount, the Deeper the snow will lie. Walking 19 half wading even now. And the days are so short 1 It we get as hleb as the fifth Refuge, and lie to night at the Hospice, we shall do well." "Is there no danger of the weather rising In the nteht," asked Vendalo, anxiously, "and snowing us up?" "There is danger enough about us," said Oben reizer, with a cautious glance onward and up ward, "to render silence our best policy. You have heard ot the Bridge of the Uantuer?" "I have crossed it ouce." "In the sumniei?" "Yes;n the travelling season." "Yes; but it is another thing at this eeaon;" with a sneer, as though he were out of temper. "This is not a time ot year, or a btate of things, On an Alpine Pass, that you gentlemen holiday travellers know much about." "You are my Guide." suld Vendale, good humoredly. "I trust to you." "1 am your Guide," said Obenreizer, "and I will guide you to your juurnej's end. There is the Bridge before us.',' They bad made a turn into a desolate and dis mal ravine, where the snow lay deep below tbem, deep above them, deep on every side. While speaking, Obenreizer stood pointing at the bridge, and observing Vendale's lace, with a veiy singular expression, on his own. "If I, as Guide, had sent you over there, in advance, and encouraged you to give a shout or two, you might have brought down upon your self tons and tons and tons of snow, that would not only have struck you dead, but buried you deep at a blow." "No doubt," said Vendale. "No duubt. But that is not what I have to do, as guide. Bo pass silently, Or, going as we go, our Indiscretion might else crash and bury me. Let us go on 1" There was a great accumulation of snow on the bridge; and such enormous accumulations ol snow overhnng them from projecting masses of rock, that they might have been making their way through a stormy sky of white clouds. Using bis staff skilfully, sounding as be went, and looking upward, with bent shoulders, as it were to resist the mere idea of a fall from above, Obenreizer softly led. Vendale closely followed. They were yet in tbe midst ot their dangerous way, when there came a mighty rush, followed by a sound as of thunder. Obenreizer clapped his hand on Vendale's mouth, and pointed to tbe track behind them. Its aspect had been wholly rhacgttd in a moment. An avalanche had swept over it, and plunged into the current at the bottom of the gulf below. Their appearance at the solitary iun not far beyond this terrible bridge, elicited many ex pressions ol astonishment from the people shut up in the house. "Wo stay but to rest," said Obenreizer, shaking the scow from hts dress at the fire. ''This gentleman has very pressing occasion to get across; tell them, Vendale." "Assuredly, 1 hive very pressing occasion. I most cross." "You hear, all ol you. My friend has very pressing occasion to get across, and we want no advice and 110 help. I am us good a guide, my fellow-countrjmen, as any of you. Now, give us to eat and drink." In exactly the same way, and in nearly the same words, when It was joining on dark aud they had struggled through the greatly iucreased difliculties of the road, aud had at last reached the r destination for tbe night, Obenreizer said to the astonished people of tbe Hospice, gather ing about them at the fire, while they were yet In the act of getting their wet shoes oft and shaking the snow from their clothes, ' It Is well to understand one another, friends all. This gentleman" "Has," said Vendale, readily taking him up with a smile, "very pressing occasion fcto get across. Must cross." "You hear? has very pressing occasbn to get acroes, must cross. We want no advice and no help. I am mountain-born, and act as Guide. Do not worry ns by talking about it, but let us have supper, and wine, and bed." All through the Intense cold of the night, the same awful stillness. Again at sunrise, no eunuy tinge to gild or redden the snow. Tha same Interminable waste of deathly white; the same Immovable air; tne same monotonous gloom in the sky. "Travellers!" a friendly voice called to them ftom the door, alter they were afoot, knapsack on back and staff in hand, as jesterduy; "re collect! There are five places of shelter, near together, on the dangerous road before you; and there Is the wooden cross, and there is the next Hospice. Do not stray from the track. If the Tourmente comes on, take shelter ia- "The trade of these poor devils !" said ;Oben reizer to his friend, with a contemptuous back ward wave of his hand towards the voice. "How they stick to their trade 1 You Englishmen say we Swiss are mercenary. Truly, it does look like it." They had divided between the two knapsacks such refreshments as they had been able to obtain that mornine, and as they deemed it pru dent to take. Obenreizer carried the wine a his share of tbe burden; Vendale, the bread and meat and cheese, and tbe flask of brandy. They had for some time labored upwards and onwards through the snow which was now above their knees In the track, and of unknown depth elsewhere and they were still laboring upwards and onwards through the most fright ful part ot that tremendous desolation, when snow began to fall. At first, but a few flakes descended slowly and steadily. Atter a little while the fall grew much denser, aud suddenly it began, without appaient cause, to whirl it.-eif into spiral shapes. Instantly ensuing upon this last chuu.ee, an Icy blast came roaring at them, and every sound and lorce imprisoned until now was let loose. One of the dismal galleries through which the road is carried at that perilous point, a cave eked out by arches of great strength, was near at band. They struggled into it, and the storm raged wildly. The noise of the wind, the noise of the water, the thundering down of displaced masses of rock and snow, the awful voices with which not only that goree, but every gore in the whole monstrous range, seemed to be sud denly endowed, the darkness as of ni?;ht, the violent revolving ot the suow which beat aud bioke it into spray and blinded them, tbe mad ness of everything around insatiate for destruc tion, the rapid substitution of furious violence for unnatural calm, aud hosts of appalling sounds for silence; these were things, on the edge of a deep abyss, to chill the blood, though the tierce wlad, made actually solid by ice and snow, had failed to chill it. Obenreizer, walking to and fro in the gallery without ceasing, signed to Vendalo to help him unbuckle his knapsack. They could see each other, but could not have heard each other ppeak. Vendale complying, Obenreizer pro duced his bottle of wine, and poured some out, motioning Vendale to take that for warmth's sake, and not brandy. Vendale again comply ing, Obenreizer seemed to drink atter him, aud the two walked backwards and forwards, side by side, both well knowing that to rest or sleep would be to die. The snow came driving heavily into tbe gal lery dv me upper cna, at wnicn tney would pass out or it, if they ever passed out; for greuter dangers lay on the road behind them than be lore. ine snow soon began to choke the arch. An hour more, aud it soon lay so high as to block out half of the returning daylight. But it froze Darn now as it tell, and could be clambered through or over. The violence of the mountain storm was gradually vieldine to a steadv snow fall. The wind still raced at intervals, but not lucestanuy; ana wnenit pati9ea, tne snow lell In heavy flakes. They might have been two hours In their irignuui prison, wneu Obenreizer, now crunch ing into the mound, now creepiug over It with his head bowed down and his body touchtugtbe top of the arch, made his way out. Vendale followed close upon him, but followed without clear motive or calculation. For tho lethargy of Basle was creeping over him again, and mas tering bis semes. How far he had followed out of the gallery, or with what obstacles he had since contended, he knew not. He became roused to the knowledge that Obenreizer had set upon him, and that they were struggling desperately in the onow. He be came roused to the remembrance of what his assailant carried in a girdle. He felt for it drew it, struck at him, fitrugpled again, struck at him again, cast him off, and stood face to face with him, "I promised to guide you to your journey's end," said Obenreizer, "and I have kept my promise. The journey of your life euds here Nothing can prolong It. You, are sleeping us you stand." "You are a villain. What have you done to ''You are a fool. I have drugged you. You are donbly a fool, for I drugged you once before upon the journey to try you. You are trebly a fool, for I am tbe thief and forger, and In a few moments I shall take the proofs agatustthe thief and forger from your insensible body," The entrapped roan tried to throw off the lethargy, but its fatal hold upon him was so sure that, even while he heard those words he stupidly wondered which of them had been wouuded, and whose blood it was he saw sprinkled on the snow. "What have I done to you," he askeJ, heavily and thickly, "that jou should be so base murderer ?" "Done to me? You would hv destroyed me, but that you have come to your lourney's J end. Your cursed activity interpoaed between v me and the time 1 had -r.iint.ni mi lu which I mirht have replaced tbe money. Done to me? You lave come in my way t once, not twice, bnt again and again and again. Did I try to shake you off in the beginning, or no! You were not to be shaken off. Therefore yoa die here." Vendale tried to think coherently, tried to speak coherently, tried to pick up the iron-shod Klxfr hn hurl lrt fall; failinor to touch it. tried to stagger on without its aid. All in vain, all iu valul He stumbled, and fell heavily forward on the brink of the deep cham. (stupefied, dozing, unable to stand upon his feet, a veil befoie bis eyes, his sense of hearing deadened, he made such a vigorous rally that, supporting himself on his hands, he saw his enemy standing calmly over him, and heard him speak. "You call me murderer," said Obenreizer, with a grim laugh. "The name matters very little. But at leant I have set my life against yours, for I am surrouuded by dangers, and may never make my way out of this place. Tha Towmente is rising attain. The snow is on tha whirl. 1 must have the papers now. Ever moment has my life in it." 'btop!" cried Vendale. In a terrible voice, staggering up with a last flash of fire breaking; out of bim. and clutching tbe thievish hands at his breast in both of his. 'S'op! Btaud away from met God bless my Marguerite I Hap pily Bhejwill never know how I died. Stand oflf Irom me and let me look at your murderous face. Let it remind me of something left to The sight of him fighting so hard for hi senses, and the doubt whether he might not for the instant be possessed by the strength of a dozen men, kept his opponent still. Wildly glaring at him, Vendule laltered out the broken words, "U shall not be the trust- of the dead be trayed by mc reputed parents mlsinherited, loi tunc see to it I" As bis head dropped on Lis breast, and hd stumbled on the brink of tbe chasm as before, the thievish hands went once more, quick and busy, to his breast. He made a convulsive attempt to cry "No !" desperately rolled himself over into tho gulf ; and sauk away from his enemy's touch, like a phantom in a dreadful dream. The mountain storm raged again, and passed oeain. The awful mountain-voices died away, the moon rose, and the soft aud silent snow fell. Two meu and two larire dogs came out at the door of the Hospice. The men looked carefully around them, and up at the sky. The doga rolled in the snow, and took it into their, mouths, and cast it up with their paws. Oue of the men said to the otber, "We may venture now. We may find them in one of tha five Refuges." Each fastened on his back a basket; each took in his hand a strong spiked pole; each girded under his arms a looped end ol a stout lope, so that they were tied together. tuddenly the doars desisted from theirgatnbola in the snow, stood looking down tho ascent, put their noses up, put their noses down, becamo greatly excited, and broke Into a deep, loud bay, together. The two men looked in the faces of two does. The two dogs looked, with at least equal intelli gence, in the faces of two men. "Au secoure, then ! Help I To the rescue 1" cried the two men. The two dogs, with a glad, deep, generous bark, bounded away. ' Two more mad ones 1" eaid the men, stricken motionless, and looking away into tho moon light. "Is it possible in such weather 1 And OLe of them a woman 1" Each of the dogs had the corner of a woman's dress in tis mouth, and drew her along. She londled their heads as she came up, and she came up through the snow with an accustomed tread. Not to the lurge man with her, who was spent and winded. "Dear guides, dear friends of travellers! lard of your country. We seek two gentlemen cross ing the Pass, who should have scathed the Hos pice Ibis evening." "They have reached it, ma'amselle." ' Thank Heaven 1 O thank Heaven 1" "But, unhappily, they hve gone on again. We are setting foith to seek them even now. We bad to wait until the lout meiUe passed. It baa been fearful up here." "Dear guides, dear friends of travellers ! Let n.e go with you. Let me go with you, for the love of God! One of those creuilcuen is to be my husband. I love him, 0 so dearly. O so dearly ! You fee I am not faint, you see I am not tired. I am born a peasaut-girl. I will show you that I know we 1 how to laotjn myself to your ropes. I will do it with my own hands. I will swear to be brave aud good. But let me go with you, let me go with .you ! Ir any mis chance should have befallen him, my love would find him, when nothing else could. Oil mv L-nnno itoor frinnrla nf truvpllerfl I Rff the love your dear mothers had for youc lathers 1" The good roueh fellows were moved. "After all," they murmured to one another, "she speaks but the truth. She knows the ways of tne mountains. siee how marvellously she, has come here 1 But as to Moubieur there, ma'amselle ?" "Dear Mr. Joey," said Marguerite, addressing; him in his own tongue, "you will remain at tha house, and wait for me; will you not?" "If I know'd which o' you two recommended it," growled Joey Ladle, eyeing the two men With great Indignation, "I'd fight you for a sixpence, and give you half a crown towards your expenses. No, miss, I'll stick by you as long as there's any sticking left in me. and I'll die for you when I can't do better." The state of the moon rendering it highly important that no time should be lost, and tbe dugs showing siens of great uneasiness, the two men quickly took their resolution. The rope that yoked them together was quickly exchanged for a longer one; the party were secured; Marguerite second, and the cellarman last, and they set out for the Retuges. The actual distance of those placet was nothing the whole live, and the next Hos p"ce 10 boot, being with two miles but the ghastly way was whitened out and sheeted over. They made no miss in reaching tbe Gallery where the two bad taken shelter. The second storm of wind and snow had so wildly swept over it since, that their tracks were gone. But the dogs went to and fro with their noses down, and were confident. The party stopping, how ever, at the farther aich, whero tne second storm had been especially furious, and where tbe drift was deep, tbe dogs became troubled, and went about and about, In quest of a lost purpose. The great abyss being known to lie on the right, they wandered too much to the left, and bad to regain the way with infinite labor through a deep field 'ot snow. Tbe leader of the Hue bad stopped It, and was taking note of the landmarks, when one of the dogs fell to tearing up the suow a little before them. Advancing and stooping to look at it, thinking that some one might be overwhelmed there, they saw that it was stained, and that the stain was red. The other door was now seen to look over the brink of the gulf, with his forelegs straightened out, lest he should fall Into It, and to tremble in every limb. Then the dog who had found the stained snow joined bim, and Una they ran to and fro. distressed and wh nlng. . t lutHy. tbey both stopped on the brink toeether, and tetting np their heads, howled dolefully. "There is some one lying belo," said Mar U-Tthink so," said tbe foremost row. "Stand well ib ward, the two last, and let us look over. v The last man kindled two to""MJP basket, and banded them forward. The leader taking one. aud Morguerllo the other, they looked down; now shading the torches, now moving them to the right or left, now tbem, now depressing them, niooiulght Ut below contended with bliick shadows. A piercing cry from Marguerite broke a long silence. , . . "Mv God! On a nrolectlng point, where ft wall of ice stretches forward over the torrent, I see a human form I" "Whexe, niu'amselle, where?"
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