hideous
deformity whose wild eyes were watching them in a frightened way.

"What are you going to do?" cried Dale. "You forget how strong he is."

"No, herr, I remember; and I am going to make use of it; he is tamed
now. Look here, Pierre, you and Mad Fritz will carry those crystals all
down to Andregg's."

"Yes, Herr Melchior--yes," cried Pierre abjectly.

"Stop! You can have the mule to help you, and for the next journey you
can bring the donkey too."

"Yes, Herr Melchior; but you will not let the English nobleman send me
to prison," he cried.

"We shall see. Get to work, both of you, and bring out the best. The
herr will choose which."

"Yes," cried the man eagerly; and Melchior turned to Dale. "You will
have a fair mule-load taken down to the chalet at once, herr, will you
not?"

"Yes, of course."

"Good; and we can leave the others here, and send these two to fetch
them."

"But you can't trust them," whispered Saxe. "Oh yes, I can, herr, now,"
said Melchior proudly. "The law is very strong here in this canton; and
being so strong, it is seldom put in force. People are honest here, in
spite of what this man has done. My life on it now, herr, Pierre will
bring every crystal down to the chalet."

"But the cretin?"

"Will do exactly as he is told. Here, Pierre, take Gros and go to our
camp. Bring the tent and everything back here while we get out the
crystals. Take Fritz with you."

"Yes, Herr Melchior," said the man humbly; and then, turning to the
cretin, he said something in a curious harsh guttural way, and the poor
creature sprang after him and out into the day.

"Then you feel that you can trust them?" said Dale.

"Yes, herr, you may be sure of that. Everything will be taken down to
Andregg's--never fear. Ah! how plain everything seems now! The stones
thrown at us--eh?"

"Never mind about them," cried Saxe excitedly. "You've sent those two
off with the mule, and they'll take away our lunch, and I'm getting
hungry now."

"Sure, I had forgotten," cried the guide, and he ran out. They heard
him jodel and check Pierre and his hideous companion, so that the food
was left behind.

This seen to, Melchior resumed what he was about to say in the ice-cave.

"You will communicate with the authorities, herr, about your great
find?"

"Of course," said Dale.

"That will frighten Pierre, when they come to take charge of the
crystals. You cannot punish that poor Heaven-smitten cre