nsisted that Helen should drive to Maloja forthwith. He
would stay at Roseg, he said, to make certain that everything possible
was done for the unfortunate climber. Indeed, when his beloved was
lost to sight down the winding road that leads to the main valley of
the Engadine, he accompanied the men who went to the Mortel. Halfway
they met Pietro and Bartelommeo carrying Bower on an improvised
stretcher, ice axes and a blanket.

By this time, under the stimulus of wine and warmth, Bower had
regained his senses. He recognized Spencer, and tried to speak; but
the American told him that even the least excitement must be avoided.

Once the hotel was reached, and they were waiting for the doctor,
Bower could not be restrained.

"It was you who rescued me?" he said feebly.

"I, and two Italian guides. We saw the accident from the other side of
the Roseg glacier."

"Yes. Stampa pointed you out to me. I could not believe my eyes. I
watched you till the thought came that Stampa had befooled me. Then he
pushed me off the rock where we were standing. I broke my leg in the
fall; but he held me there on the rope and taunted me. Great God! how
I suffered!"

"You really ought not to talk about it," said Spencer soothingly.

"Why not? He brought me there to kill me, he said. The cunning old fox
told me that I would find Helen in the Mortel hut, and offered to take
me to her by a short cut over Corvatsch. And I believed him! I was
mad, I suppose. We did the Marmore ascent by the light of the stars.
Do you realize what that means? It is a hard climb for experts in
broad daylight. But I meant to beat you, Spencer. Stampa vowed you
were in St. Moritz. And again I believed him! Think of it--I was
hoodwinked by an old peasant."

"Hush! Try and forget things till your broken limb is fixed."

"What does it matter? Confound it! you've won; so let me tell my
story. I must have lost my senses when I saw you and Helen leaving the
glacier with two strange guides. I forgot all else in my rage. I stood
there, frozen, bewitched. Stampa was watching me all the time, and the
instant I turned to revile him he threw me off my balance with a
thrust of his ax. 'Now you are going to die, Marcus Bauer!' he said,
grinning at me with a lunatic's joy. He even gloated over the
unexpected injury I received in falling. My groans and cries were so
pleasing to him that he did not cut the rope at once as he meant to
do, but kept me dangling there, listening