The task before the adventurer was one of no common difficulty.

The snow was soft, and at every step he sank in at least to his knees.

Frequently he came to treacherous places, where he sank down above his waist, and was only able to scramble out with difficulty.

But the rope sustained him; and as his progress was downward, he succeeded in moving with some rapidity toward his destination.

The ladies on the height above sat in perfect silence, watching the progress of the man who was thus descending with his life in his hand to seek and to save their lost companion, and in the intensity of their anxiety forgot utterly about any danger to themselves, though from time to time there arose the well-known sound of sliding masses, not so far away but that under other circumstances of less anxiety it might have filled them with alarm.