"It shall not be—the trust-of the dead-betrayed by me -reputed parents-misinherited fortune-see to it!" As his head dropped on his breast, and he stumbled on the brink of the 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 over into the gulf, and sank away from his enemy's touch, like a phantom in a dreadful dream. The mountain-storm raged again, and passed again. The awful mountain-voices died away, the moon rose, and the soft and silent snow fell. Two men and two large dogs came out at the door of a hospice. The men looked carefully around them, and up at the sky. One said to the other: "We may venture now. We may find them." Each fastened on his back a basket; each took in his hand a strong spiked pole; each girdled under his arm a looped end of a stout rope, so that they were tied together. Suddenly the dogs became greatly excited, and broke into a deep loud bay together. The two men looked in the faces of the two dogs. The two dogs looked, with at least equal intelligence, in the faces of the two men. "Au secours, then! Help! Help! To the rescue!" cried the The two dogs, with a glad, deep, generous bark, bounded away. two men. "Two more mad ones! said the men, stricken motionless, and looking away into the moonlight. "Is it possible in such weather? And one of them a woman!" Each of the dogs had the corner of a woman's dress in its mouth, and drew her along. came through the snow. She fondled their heads as she It was Marguerite! I am of your "Dear guides, dear friends of travelers! country. I seek two gentlemen crossing the Pass, who should have reached the hospice this evening. Let me Let me go with you, for the love of God! go with you. One of those gentlemen is to be my husband. I love him, oh, so dearly! oh, so dearly! You see I am not faint; I an not tired. I will swear to be brave and good. But let me go with you, let me go with you! If any mischance should have befallen him, my love would find him, when nothing else could. On my knees, dear friends of travelers! By the love your dear mothers had for your fathers!" The good rough fellows were moved. The state of the moon rendering it highly important that no time should be lost, and the dogs showing signs of great uneasiness, the two men quickly took their resolution and allowed Marguerite to accompany them. They made no miss in reaching the gallery where the two had 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 leader of the line had stopped, and was taking note of the landmarks, when one of the dogs fell to tearing up the snow a little before them. Advancing and stooping to look at it, thinking that someone might be overwhelmed there, they saw that it was stained, and that the stain was red. The other dog was now seen to look over the brink of the gulf, with his fore-legs straightened out, lest he should fall into it, and to tremble in every limb. Then the dog who had found the stained snow joined him, and they ran to and fro, distressed and whining. Finally, they both stopped on the brink together, and setting up their heads, howled dolefully. "There is someone lying below," said Marguerite. 66 I think so, "said the foremost man. ward, and let us look over. Stand well in A piercing cry from Marguerite broke a long silence: My God! On a projecting point where a wall of ice stretches forward over the torrent, I see a human form! "Where, ma'amselle, where?" "See there! On the shelf of ice below the dogs!" The leader, with a sickened aspect, drew inward, and they were all silent. But they were not all inactive, for Marguerite, with swift and skilful fingers, had detached both herself and him from the ropes in a few seconds. "Show me the baskets. These two are the only ropes? "The only ropes here, ma'amselle; but at the hospice If they are 'You "If he is alive-I know it is my lover-he will be dead before you can return. Dear guides! Blessed friends of travelers! Look at me. Watch my hands. If they falter or go wrong make me your prisoner by force. steady and go right, help me to save him!" "She is inspired," they said to each other. "By the Almighty's mercy!" she exclaimed. both know that I am by far the lightest here. Give me the brandy and the wine, and lower me down to him. for assistance and a stronger rope. Alive or dead, I will bring him up, or die with him. I love him passionately. Can I say more? Lower me down to him, or I will dash myself to pieces! Then go Ma'amselle, ma'amselle, he must be dying or dead.” "Dying or dead, my husband's head shall lie upon my breast, or I will dash myself to pieces." They yielded, overborne. With such precautions as their skill and the circumstances admitted, they let her slip from the summit, guiding herself down the precipitous icy wall with her hand, and they lowered down, and down, and down, until the cry came up: "Enough! He is insensible; but his heart beats." One of the two men hurried off with the dogs at topmost speed. The other remained upon the brink, and his cry went down continually : 66 Courage! They will soon be here. How goes it!" And the cry came up: "His heart beats against mine. I warm him in my arms. I have cast off the rope, for the ice melts under us, and the rope would separate me from him; but I am not afraid.” The moon went down behind the mountain-tops, and all the abyss lay in darkness. A cry came up: "We are sinking lower, but his heart still beats against mine. At length, the eager barking of the dogs, and a flare of light upon the snow proclaimed that help was coming on. Twenty or thirty men, lamps, torches, litters, ropes, blankets, wood to kindle a great fire, restoratives, and stimulants, came in fast. The cry went down: "Thanks to God, all is ready. How goes it? The cry went up: "We are sinking still, and we are deadly cold. His heart no longer beats against mine. Let no one come down, to add to our weight. Lower the rope only." The fire was kindled high, a great glare of torches lighted the sides of the precipice, a rope was lowered. She could be seen passing it round him, and making it secure. The cry came up into a deathly silence: "Raise! Softly!" They could see her diminished figure shrink, as Vendale was swung into the air. They gave no shout when some of them laid him on a litter, and others lowered another strong rope. The cry came up into a deathly silence: "Raise! Softly!" But when they caught her at the brink, then they shouted, then they wept, then they gave thanks to Heaven, then they kissed her feet, her dress, then the dogs caressed her, licked her icy hands, and with their honest faces warmed her frozen bosom ! But Marguerite broke from them all, and with both her loving hands upon the heart that stood still, sank over Vendale on his litter. "My dear, don't you know it is bad luck for two to look in a looking-glass at the same time," said a husband to his wife, as she caressingly looked shoulder one morning. "Yes," she answered, "for two, over his THE DAUGHTER OF HERODIAS. Lo, mother! it is here thou hast thy will; My work is done, my heart is stained with blood, My hands are full of it; the sky is redFrom sea to sea the land is red to me The sun is blood. Mother, I danced for Herod, I hung a shining garment on these limbs, That tinkled to my shame. O cursed robes! Spake for me, since I know not what I said. Will speak my soul's damnation, Send it hence, |