THE FINDING OF JOHN LATTERY The rescue party marched upward between the trees with the measured pace of experience.

Strength which would be needed above the snow-line was not to be wasted on the lower slopes.

But on the other hand no halts were made; steadily the file of men turned to the right and to the left and the zigzags of the forest path multiplied behind them.

The zigzags increased in length, the trees became sparse; the rescue party came out upon the great plateau at the foot of the peaks called the Plan des Aiguilles, and stopped at the mountain inn built upon its brow, just over Chamonix.

The evening had come, below them the mists were creeping along the hillsides and blotting the valley out.
"We will stop here," said Michel Revailloud, as he stepped on to the little platform of earth in front of the door.