Marion Marlowe in Denver, or, The Tragedy of Pike's Peak — page 21: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

? 18 his voice, and she was glad when Miss Allyn leaned over and answered him, “Mysteries are quite as delightful as reve- lations, Mr. Waldo,” she said, gayly. “We admire what we cannot understand, some- times; but do tell me—what class of human beings are indifferent to fine scenery? Why, one must be devoid of soul not to worship nature!” “And such scenes as these!” murmured Marion, dreamily, as her great eyes swept the landscape before her. The rest of the company were absorbed in contemplation, and the sudden halting of the car jarred harshly upon them. As Marion stepped her foot upon the rugged soil, she found the lawyer beside her. It was his arm that was offered to her to assist her in climbing. A score of enthusiastic tourists were scanning the rugged sides of the mountain, each eager to out-do the other in scaling a little higher, and, in a very few minutes, Marion’s party had caught the fever and were using their alpenstocks like experi- enced climbers: “Here’s a guide! Ain’t he a dandy!” called out Bert, suddenly, as a strapping half- breed Indian in buckskins suddenly ap- peared before them. “Now, let's stroll] around a little. He’ll keep us from getting lost. There’s no use hugging the car-tracks all the while we are up here!” Bert’s suggestion was taken, and a deal was made with the guide; then the party followed his lead to the very apex of the mountain. A glorious vista spread before their gaze. On their way back they stopped near a rocky ledge and Marion perched gracefully upon one of the gigantic boulders, her soul awed with the magnificent panorama. Mountain peaks towered in the distance, their tops glistening with silvery snow, while below her rolled and tumbled an ocean of fleecy clouds which separated now and then and gave her glimpses of yawning chasms and dark canons, through which roared in- numerable mountain cataracts, She was so absorbed in the scenery that she forgot all else. When she suddenly awoke to her surroundings, the lawyer still MY QUEEN. stood at her side, but there was not a sign of the rest of her party. A little cry of terror escaped her lips as she glanced about eagerly in the hope of seeing them. “Oh, we have let them go on without us, _ Mr. Waldo!” she said, with a flush of con- sternation. ‘Will you not shout or whistle? We must not lose them!” Her look of anxiety was answered by a’ pleasant smile. — 3 “Have no fear, Miss Marlowe,” said the lawyer, quietly. “I know the mountains as well as any guide. Five minutes’ descent down the mountain will bring us to them.” “Then let us go at once!” said Marion, quickly, as she gave him her hand to help her down from the boulder. The moment his hand closed over her own the young girl trembled. The same sensation of helpless- ness was stealing over her that she had felt in his office. She tried to withdraw her hand, but he held it fast. The pathway was rough, and she needed his assistance. Almost panting with her-anxiety to catch up with the others, Marion sprang lightly over the rocks with her companion leading her. Suddenly she stopped short in the path | and looked about her. They were above the clouds now. There was a storm approaching, and it was rapidly growing dark. “Oh! what shall we do? the others!’ she cried, sharply. “How stupid it was of me not to keep them in sight! Yet I don’t quite understand their going on without me.” “They knew that they could trust you with me, little one.” | | The lawyer spoke gently; but there was something in his voice that made Marion turn and look at him. \ . We must find, . The man was watching her closely, but the calmness and indifference had gone from. his eyes, and they were fairly scintillating with some violent emotion, Before Marion could speak again, he moved a little nearer to her, The wind was beginning to blow, and the air was growing cold and sharp. “So you do not love me, Marion, and you will not marry me,” he onic 192 low, harsh On OOKS;COM)