the hotel proprietor at Courmayeur:

"Lattery left four days ago with one guide for Col du Géant."

He was standing by the door of the hotel, and looking up he saw Michel
Revailloud and a small band of guides, all of whom carried ice-axes and
some _Rücksacks_ on their backs, and ropes, come tramping down the
street toward him.

Michel Revailloud came close to his side and spoke with excitement.

"He has been seen, monsieur. It must have been Monsieur Lattery with his
one guide. There were two of them," and Chayne interrupted him quickly.

"Yes, there were two," he said, glancing at his telegram. "Where were
they seen?"

"High up, monsieur, on the rocks of the Blaitiere. Here, Jules"; and in
obedience to Michel's summons, a young brown-bearded guide stepped out
from the rest. He lifted his hat and told his story:

"It was on the Mer de Glace, monsieur, the day before yesterday. I was
bringing a party back from the Jardin, and just by the Moulin I saw two
men very high up on the cliffs of the Blaitiere. I was astonished, for I
had never seen any one upon those cliffs before. But I was quite sure.
None of my party could see them, it is true, but I saw them clearly. They
were perhaps two hundred feet below the ridge between the Blaitiere and
the Grépon and to the left of the Col."

"What time was this?"