Chayne turned to the porter.
"When did this come?"
"Three days ago."
The gravity on Chayne's face changed into a deep distress. Lattery's
party would have slept out one night certainly. They would have made a
long march from Courmayeur and camped on the rocks at the foot of the
pass. It was likely enough that they should have been caught upon that
rock-wall by night upon the second day. The rock-wall had never been
ascended, and the few who had descended it bore ample testimony to its
difficulties. But a third night, no! Lattery should have been in Chamonix
yesterday, without a doubt. He would not indeed have food for three
nights and days.
Chayne translated the telegram into French and read it out to Michel
Revailloud.
"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."
"Hardly in a fog on the Glacier du Geant," replied Chayne.
Michel Revailloud caught at some other possibility.
"Of course, some small accident--a sprained ankle--may have detained him
at the hut on the Col du Geant.
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