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It is a bad place, the Col des Nantillons; it is not a quick way or a good way to anywhere, and it is very dangerous. And yet I am not sure. Monsieur Lattery was very safe on rocks. Ice, that is another thing. But he would be on rock." It was evident that Michel was in doubt, but it seemed that Chayne could not force himself to share it.
"I mean that I believe Monsieur Lattery has made the first passage of the Col des Nantillons from the east," he said, with a peculiar solemnity. "I think we must look for them on the western side of the pass, in the crevasses of the Glacier des Nantillons." "Surely not," cried Chayne. True, the Glacier des Nantillons in places was steep.
We sat down and glissaded in the dark with only the vaguest idea where we should end. Altogether we had very good times, he and I. Well, they have come to an end on the Glacier des Nantillons." Chayne became silent; Sylvia Thesiger sat at his side and did not interrupt. In front of them the pastures slid away into darkness.
He has come down the rock wall on the Col des Nantillons. How is one to argue with such a voyageur on this child's glacier?" Stampa whistled. "Oh knows the Matterhorn, does he? What is his name?" "Bower," said Helen, "Mr. Mark Bower." "What! Say that again, fräulein! Mark Bower? Is that your English way of putting it?"
It was the overdressed girl of the Annemasse buffet, the girl who had seemed to understand then, who seemed to understand now. He raised his hat to her with a sense of gratitude. Then he followed the guides and went up among the trees toward the Glacier des Nantillons. The rescue party marched upward between the trees with the measured pace of experience.
"The glaciers are uncovered as I have never seen them in all my life. Everywhere it is ice, ice, ice. Monsieur Lattery had only one guide with him and he was not so sure on ice. I am afraid, monsieur, that he slipped out of his steps on the Glacier des Nantillons." "And dragged his guide with him?" exclaimed Chayne. His heart rather than his judgment protested against the argument.
"The Col des Nantillons is a bad place, Michel, that's the truth. Had Lattery been detained in the hut he would have found means to send us word. In weather like this, that hut would be crowded every night; every day there would be some one coming from Courmayeur to Chamonix. No! I am afraid of the steep slabs of that rock-wall." And Michael Revailloud said slowly: "I, too, monsieur.
"We will stop here," said Michel Revailloud, as he stepped on to the little platform of earth in front of the door. "If we start again at midnight, we shall be on the glacier at daybreak. We cannot search the Glacier des Nantillons in the dark." Chayne agreed reluctantly. He would have liked to push on if only to lull thought by the monotony of their march.
"The Col des Nantillons," said Michel, with a shake of the head, and Chayne saw the fear which he felt himself looking out from his guide's eyes. "It is possible," said Michel, "that Monsieur Lattery did not start after all." "He would have telegraphed again." "Yes," Michel agreed. "The weather has been fine too. There have been no fogs. Monsieur Lattery could not have lost his way."
They talked of other peaks, such as the Charmoz, where the first lines of ascent had given place to others more recently discovered, of new variations, new ascents and pinnacles still unclimbed; and then Garratt Skinner said: "I saw that a man actually crossed the Col des Nantillons early this summer. It used to be called the Col de Blaitière.
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