st peep into
Nature's wilds, some of which are as awful as they are vast. There goes
one of the inhabitants."

For at that moment, soaring high above the valley, a huge bird floated
between them and the intensely blue sky.

"An eagle!"

"Yes; the lammergeyer--the Alpine eagle."

"But what a name!" said Saxe.

"Suitable enough," said Dale quietly. "We call our little bird of prey
a sparrow-hawk. Well, this bird--lammergeyer--is the one which preys on
lambs."

The eagle soared higher and higher till it was well above the
perpendicular wall of rock on their left, and then glided onward toward
the snow, rapidly passing out of sight; while the trio tramped on,
passing a chalet here and another there, with its wooden shingled roof
laden with great stones to keep all intact against the terrific winds
which at times sweep down the valley from the ice ahead. Now their way
lay down by the foaming torrent, half choked with ragged pine trunks,
torn out of their birthplaces by tempests, or swept away by downfalls of
snow or rock; then they panted up some zigzag, faintly marked, where it
was impossible to follow the bed of the stream; and as they climbed
higher fresh visions of grandeur opened out before them, though the path
was so rugged that much of the view was lost in the attention that had
to be given to where they placed their feet. But from time to time a
halt was called, a geological hammer produced, and a piece of the rock,
that had come bounding down from half a mile above them, was shifted and
examined--pure limestone, now granite of some form, or hornblende, while
the guide rested upon the head of his axe, and looked on.

"You English are a wonderful people," he said at last.

"Why?" said Saxe.

"A Frenchman would come up here--no, he would not: this would be too
difficult and rough; he would get hot and tired, and pick his way for
fear of hurting his shiny boots. But if he did he would seek two or
three bright flowers to wear in his coat, he would look at the
mountains, and then sit down idle."

"And the English?" said Saxe.

"Ah, yes, you English! Nothing escapes you, nor the Americans. You are
always looking for something to turn into money."

"Which we are not doing now," said Dale quietly. "But very few people
come up here."

"Very few, but those who have cows or goats up on the green alps."

"And you think this is one of the grandest and wildest valleys you
know?"

"It is small," said