lagers were doubting how the strife might end, when the foot of Conrad, striking a soft bit of turf, failed him, and he fell. There was n low murmur of disappointment; but in an instant, Conrad, by a vigorous effort, freed himself from his rival and was again upon his feet.
They grappled once more, but the heavy herdsman was weary; Conrad pressed him closely; and soon the valley rang with shouts, and the champion of Grindelwald was fairly vanquished.
After this came the cast of the boulders. One after another, the younger men made their trial, and the limit of each cast was marked by a willow wand, and in the cleft of each wand was a fragment of ribbon, bestowed by well-wishing maidens.
Conrad, taking breath after his wrestling-match, advanced composedly to his place at the head of the arena, where stood the fir-saplings with the laurel wreaths. He lifted the boulder with ease, and, giving it a vigorous cast, retired unconcerned. The little blue strip of ribbon which presently marked its fall, was far in advance of the rest.
Again there was a joyous shout. But the men of Grindelwald cried out loudly to their champion, and he came forward; but his arm was tired, and his cast was scarce even with the second of the men of Lauterbrunnen.
Again the shout rose louder than before, and Conrad Friedland was declared by the village umpires of the fête to be the victor, and, by will of the old herdsman, to be the accepted lover of the beautiful Clothilde. They led him forward to the stand where sat the curé, between the old herdsman and the herdsman's daughter.
Clothilde grew suddenly pale. Would Conrad keep his oath?
Fear may have confused him, or fatigue may have forbid his utterance; but he reached forth his hand for the guerdon of the day, and the token of betrothal.
Just then an Alpine horn sounded long and clear, and the echoes lingered among the cliffs and in the spray of the Dust-Fall. It was the call of a new challenger. By the laws of the fête, the games were open until sunset, and the new-comer could not be denied. None had seen him before. His frame was slight, but firmly
