Chapter XX: The Refuge Hut

Next day, soon after dawn, Edris and Karl set out to climb the Männlichen, accompanied by the young guide, John Zuber, a sun-tanned Alpine expert, who always went with Edris on her ski-runs if she were alone.

Seton had breakfasted with the pair, after which Edris made excuse to go upstairs, and at once went to Darville’s room.

He took her in his strong arms, and, pressing her to him, kissed her passionately, and in a low, earnest voice said:

“I hope, my darling, you will have a pleasant day. I shall be very lonely without you. But, as you know, I like you to enjoy yourself. Don’t go to any dangerous places, will you?”

“Of course I shan’t,” replied the girl. “John has made the ascent dozens of times, and Karl has been up twice before.”

“You know I would give anything to prevent you going--I----”

“Because you are just a little jealous of Karl? Tell the truth, Seti,” she said in a tantalizing tone. “I remember what you told me the other day.”

“I told you that I somehow felt that now Karl has come into your life you are slipping away from me--and I repeat it!”

“Oh, don’t be so silly!” she replied, stroking his cheek with her hand. “You know I love you--and only you. But if you really don’t want me to go with Karl I’ll make an excuse that I don’t feel well enough.”

“No, no, darling. Go,” he urged. “But do not forget that, though he may flirt with you, you are mine, and mine alone.”

“Trust me. I shall not forget, Seti,” she answered fervently, looking straight into his face with honesty mirrored in her great, gray eyes. And again she kissed him passionately upon the lips, saying: “You can surely trust me, Seti, now that you know that I am yours.”

“I suppose I’m foolishly jealous,” he laughed.

“Why, of course you are! And John is coming with us,” replied the girl. “Really, Seti, you are behaving quite foolishly. But he is waiting. I must go.”

She was already dressed in serviceable cord breeches and climbing-boots, a wind-jacket secured by a leathern belt, and upon her shingled head her scarlet tam-o’-shanter. Hers was a smart, striking figure, tall, upright, and athletic. She loved climbing, and was looking forward to an enjoyable day.

She hurried down the stairs, where Karl awaited her, while John was outside, laden with a heavy rucksack filled with provisions and first-aid appliances; across his shoulder was a rope, and in his hand an ice-ax.

Two minutes later the trio, laughing merrily, left Darville standing at the door of the hotel.

“We shall be home before dark!” Edris shouted back to her lover, waving her hand in farewell.

Darville watched them down the snowy road with mixed feelings. The sun had just risen from behind the serrated snow-peaks, and the sky was bright and unclouded, with all signs of a brilliant day. In the high Alps in winter the sun is often amazingly hot all day, with a deep-blue sky, deeper than that of the Riviera. There, in those high altitudes above the clouds of winter, though it may be cold, the sun is brilliant, and the air as invigorating as champagne.

Darville stood gazing blankly along the road for a long time after they had passed out of sight. He felt that the sun of his life had gone out.

John had pointed out a certain spot upon the snowy mountain-side which they would pass about noon, and where, by the aid of his micro-telescope, he could see them. It was then half-past eight. He would have to wait some hours before he could catch a glimpse of them. He sighed, and, turning back, reëntered the hotel, and ascended to his room. Obtaining his telescope, he went on to the balcony and focused it upon the far-off rock up which they would climb--a dangerous and difficult ascent. By the aid of the powerful instrument he could discern the rock quite plainly.

Returning, he seated himself at his table and commenced his day’s work.

But he found that he could think of nothing but the apparent change that had so suddenly come over Edris. Loving her as deeply as he did--for she was the first woman he had loved in all his adventurous life--he felt confident that she would never betray him. Elaine he had never loved. It was the truth he had told her. Through all those years of her youth she had been his firm friend, but the slightest spark of passion had never existed between them. Edris was his first love, and when love comes for the first time to a man of middle age it is a deep, trustful, and abiding passion.

For a long time he sat with his fountain pen in his hand, without writing a single word. Suddenly he put it down, and, rising, went to the window, looking wistfully at the mountain.

“Yes!” he said aloud to himself. “Edris is right. It is absurd to be jealous. I have never known what jealousy is, and I never shall.”

And with those words he choked down the suspicion which was arising within him, and applied himself to his work until nearly noon, when he put down his pen and took his telescope out upon the balcony.

For over an hour he remained there, constantly watching, but nobody appeared. He saw a chamois in the vicinity of the rock, and the animal remained undisturbed.

As he sat alone at luncheon there were many inquiries as to Edris’s absence, for she was ever a popular figure at winter sports. His reply was that she had gone climbing. He went back to his room determined that what Edris had vowed before leaving was honestly meant. She, who now loved him so truly, could never deceive him. It was utterly impossible. The very thought of such a thing was ridiculous.

What, however, could he have thought had he been present on the mountain-side, and seen and heard the truth?

The trio passed the rock which John had indicated half an hour earlier than he had expected, and at half-past one reached the little shelter hut near the summit, where the food was unpacked and served out.

All the time during the climb the pair had called each other by their Christian names, and John, to his surprise, saw by their actions and conversation that they were lovers. He knew that the young lady was usually with Mr. Darville, but, of course, he, like others, never suspected Darville to be in love with her. Herr Weiss, who was Swiss like himself, was, no doubt, Miss Temperley’s admirer. John had been out with many loving couples, and he knew his place. Therefore, as soon as they had eaten their meal, he moved away discreetly to allow them to be alone.

“We shall descend in half an hour,” he said as he left them.

“All right, John,” replied Edris. “It’s lovely up here. Do let us stay as long as we may.”

“Well, three-quarters of an hour, Miss Temperley,” said the stalwart Swiss. “We shall then get home just at dark”; and he turned away.

“Isn’t it perfect?” she exclaimed to Karl as she stood outside the hut, gazing around at the adjoining peaks.

“As perfect as you are, Edris,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

“No,” she said. “Please don’t do that. Have I not told you that I am engaged to Seti? It isn’t fair to him.”

“But he’ll never know,” he laughed. “Let’s sit upon this rock. You must be very tired.”

“I am a little. That last hour was very strenuous.”

“Edris,” he said, taking her hand as they sat together and looking into her eyes, “are you really engaged to Seti?”

“I’ve told you so a dozen times.”

“Oh, it is horrible! Why, he is old enough to be your father. Think what it means to be tied up to a jealous old man--for all old men are jealous of young girls like yourself,” he added.

“Why do you say this? Why do you want to set me against Seti?” she demanded resentfully.

“Because he is too old for you, Edris,” he replied, and then, placing his arm around her waist, he whispered: “Because I love you!”

“How ridiculous!” she exclaimed with a scornful laugh. “Why do you keep telling me that? Why, you hardly know me!”

“I know you well enough to be certain of my own feelings towards you, Edris. I repeat, I love you.”

“Is this a manly action on your part--to try and steal me from the man who is your friend?” she asked with a reproving look.

“I steal you from him because I mean to save you from yourself,” he cried excitedly in Swiss-German, which next second he repeated in English.

“Karl, I didn’t come up here to listen to your poisonous words concerning the man I love,” she said, drawing her hand forcibly from his. “I know men too well. They can’t deceive me!”

“Seti has. He thinks he loves you--a man with one foot in the grave----”

“How dare you speak like that!” cried the girl, jumping up in fury.

“My darling, I----”

“I am not your darling. You suggested this climb. You bring me up here to tell me all this--to poison my mind against the man I love, to----”

“To tell you how much I love you, darling!” he interrupted, seizing her forcibly and kissing her again before she was aware of it. She felt his breath upon her cheek, and, struggling with him, at last freed herself.

“You swine!” she shouted. “If Seti were here he’d--he’d kill you!”

“Bah! I am not afraid of an old man.”

“Old! Why, he’s more active than you are. I hate all young men--you included.”

He regarded her for a second with a vindictive expression which she did not notice.

“You hate me, eh? I am sorry.”

“You need not be. But I tell you the truth, Karl,” she answered.

A silence fell between them for some moments. She was reflecting, drawing patterns in the snow with her steel-pointed climbing-stick.

Suddenly he looked at her, and said:

“Why should we spoil these wonderful hours alone together by quarreling? It is foolish of us, is it not? I love you, Edris. If I have said anything against Seti, it is only in your own interests. He is temperamental, a man of almost Quixotic views, quick-tempered, and capable of fierce hatreds.”

“And at the same time he is very sympathetic and humane. The kindlier side of his nature is wonderful. I know it,” said the girl.

“All his achievements may appear wonderful to you, but I repeat that his age debars you from marrying him. It is impossible for you, a young girl, to love a man of his age.”

“Karl, I will not hear another word.”

“You will--and you shall!” he cried, again kissing her with fierce passion. “I love you, and you shall never marry Seton!”

She laughed defiantly in his face.

Then, in indignation, she disengaged herself from his embrace, and said:

“This is not fair of you to betray your friend, the man I have decided to marry.”

“Bah! Marry that old man! Absurd!”

“No, not absurd; he is as young as you are in his ways, and quite as energetic,” she declared again. “And I love him.”

“So you have told me before,” he said with a sneer. “But I love you also, Edris. You are the most wonderful girl I have ever met.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” she laughed. “But I have heard those words from the lips of other men. And after my bitter experience I believe in the word of no man.”

For a few moments he did not reply.

“Then you do not believe in my love, eh?” he asked, a dark frown on his face. “You doubt me?”

“No. I don’t exactly disbelieve you, Karl,” she replied in a softened voice. “But----”

“But you will love me,” declared the tall, good-looking Swiss, a fine, manly figure in his rough, gray climbing-suit and his gray Balaclava cap. “You will love me, Edris, my darling--you will see.”

“I’m not your darling!” she retorted again.

“But you will be,” he said, placing his hand firmly upon her shoulder and looking into her eyes. “You will be. You are already mine,” he added meaningly.

“Yours? How absurd!”

“We need say no more. You will see. Whenever I will anything, it comes to pass. I will that you shall love me--that’s all”; and he smiled a strangely uncanny smile--a smile of evil.

The time had flown while they had been alone together, for at that moment John, discreetly heralded by a preliminary fit of coughing, reappeared and announced that it was time for them to return. The sun had become obscured by a bank of cloud coming up from the east, and, looking up, he said in his quaint, but pleasant Swiss-English:

“I tink, Miss Temperley, we have a leetle snow.”

“I hope not, John. Let’s get back as soon as ever we can.”

“Yes. It looks like bad weather coming.” Karl agreed with the guide. “We had better go at once”; and he took up his ice-ax, while John settled his rucksack and threw the coil of rope over his shoulder.

The descent lasted till it grew dark, and the first dinner gong was sounding when they reëntered the hotel.

Edris at once flew to Seton’s room and found that he had already dressed for dinner. He embraced her passionately, and, kissing her, cried:

“Oh, my darling! How long the day has seemed without you! I’ve not been able to work. I’ve wandered about all day, and chatted with people I don’t know, and been bored stiff. Well, darling, how did you enjoy yourself?”

“Oh, Seti, it’s been simply glorious! I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Karl is a wonderful climber. He looked after me, and there were no risks. John was with us all the time, of course.”

Seton placed both hands upon her shoulders and looked straight into her face as he kissed her ready lips.

“Tell me, has Karl been making love to you?” he demanded seriously.

“Making love to me? What are you saying, Seti? Are you not convinced yet that I belong to you?”

“He has said nothing? Swear that!” Darville cried.

“Oh, really, you are too jealous! It is all so very silly,” she replied, releasing herself. “I must go and dress, or I’ll never be down to dinner. Do excuse me, darling.”

And she rushed out of his room, leaving him standing beside his writing-table. He could not shake off that strange premonition of evil which had settled upon him as a cloud, which darkened with every hour.

That night Edris put on the prettiest of her dance-frocks, and all three dined together in the great _salle à manger_ amid the gay throng, the room ringing with buoyant, youthful laughter. The frock was one which she had never worn before, and Seton sat wondering if it had been put on in honor of Karl. He noticed, too, that the girl’s conversation was mostly directed to the tall young Swiss, who, in turn, showed her such marked attention. The fact was that the man who was his friend held Edris in sudden and increasing fascination.

As usual, dinner was followed by a dance, and Seton played bridge, leaving Edris to amuse herself. She never had any lack of partners, but on that night she danced the whole evening with Karl. Darville, from his point of vantage upon the orchestra platform, always had a good view of the dancers. Hitherto, as Edris came round with her partner, she would always exchange smiles with the drummer, but on that night he could see how absorbed she was in Karl’s conversation, and noticed, too, that she hardly cast a look at him.

Darville’s heart was heavy, though he kept a smiling countenance, and drummed the fox trots merrily as usual. Once or twice the pair disappeared from the ballroom, and then returned again to dance. Her preference for Karl was now most marked, yet, even then, honest and true himself, he could not believe that Edris was deceiving him. He was still determined not to doubt her. He knew she loved him. He remembered those love-glances which she had so often given him ever since those days in Hove.

He endeavored to persuade himself he was mistaken in thinking they were there no longer.