The Argosy — page 316: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

By the Vulture’s Nest. 291 easy, unembarrassed, well-bred manner, which charmed the young Englishman more every moment. At last the Chevalier rose, and proposed that they should leave the beautiful spot, which was only half-way to the place they had intended to visit. Graham, however, preferred staying where he was for the present, and the Frenchman, after a few polite phrases to the pretty girl, went away with the guide. As soon as they had departed, Graham explained to his companion that he had come out so far only to look at a place which was to be one of the posts in the Count’s chamois hunt of the next day. The girl leaned forward, and asked in an anxious tone of voice: ‘‘ What spot do youmean? Not where the Vulture’s Nest was taken down last year?” “Tt may be for aught I know,” answered Graham. ‘“‘I have not seen it, but will describe it to you, as others have described it to me.” The girl was watching him anxiously, and when he stopped for a moment in his recital, murmured softly: ‘‘ This is my dream coming true! And who is going to be placed there?” she continued, witha terrified look. *‘ Myself,” was Graham’s answer. The girl rose from her seat, looked at him imploringly, and said: ‘J. will beg you on my knees not to go to the post by the Vulture’s Nest, and you must not refuse my request. Listen. A year ago I was staying in this little chalet quite alone, as Iam now. I was waiting for Jockl to come and fetch the butter for the castle, and I would not go to bed before he had been here. But I was very drowsy, and fell asleep on the bench near the window with my head on the sill, and the early moon streaming in upon me. _ I dreamt a horrible dream that night. I saw a hunter come to the spot where the Vulture’s Nest had been. I saw him climb down to the ledge— he required no ropes to get to it. Isaw him sit motionless for a long time. ‘Then I heard a strange noise in the distance. The hunter jumped to his feet, leaned forward to shoot, and just as the peal of his rifle was heard, he lost his balance, and fell into the precipice below. I woke with a start, and found Jockl’s hand upon my shoulder.” The girl paused a moment, and Graham waited in silence. “He laughed at me when I told him my dream,” she continued. * But he no longer laughed a few days afterwards, when a neighbour’s son, a fine young fellow, who had always wanted to shoot achamois on his own account, was found dead at the bottom of the high rock, where the streams join and pass out into the valley. You must not allude to his fate at the castle, for they all believe he fell while he was cutting down a tree in his father’s forest. They do not know it, but I saw him go past here at dawn, warned him, and told him of my dream. He only laughed at me, and said I was paid by the Count to spread dangerous stories, in order to spoil the boys’ pleasure in hunting a chamois on the sly.” EONNIE OOS (F©) m