Marion Marlowe in Denver, or, The Tragedy of Pike's Peak — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

MY QUEEN. . 21 : ring of determination. If he dared to refuse Marion could not look upon the glories of | her she would not hold herself responsible nature now, for horror of her position had for what might follow. | completely overcome her. ere was a loose piece of stone a few She had struggled frantically with this - inches from her hand. With her eyes bent second demon, but her strength was like an fixedly upon his face, she moved forward and _ infant’s in comparison with his, and she was seized it. , now so exhausted that she formed but a pas- © “Now will you Jet me pass?” she asked, in’ sive burden. Where were her friends? Had a furious whisper. “You have no child to they forgotten her entirely? _ deal with now, you perfidious scoundrel!” She tried over and over to cry aloud for The lawyer's face was livid and every limb help, but her tongue and lips were dumb - was trembling with baffled fury, but, after a with terror. . ~ sharp glance into her face, he moved slowly The great gray boulders looked pitiless as _ backward. Would he let her escape to go to she passed them upon her frightful journey _ her party with this story of his villainy upon down the side of the mountain. | her lips? | | Down, down, down, they went, the guid» The narrow opening of the cave was:ob- feeling his way cautiously, yet with the scured as he moved slowly toward it, still greatest ease, until Marion could hear the facing her sullenly, but did she dare to fol- sound of turbulent water roaring through low? the cafion, ; All the tales of dreadful deeds that she A bit of conversation reached her ears _ had ever heard came back to her now and which added the last straw to her burden of her limbs seemed paralyzed with the horror horror. | _ that was creeping over her. | . “T tell them you at Silver Aspen, They Perhaps he would kill her, now that she wait there!’ muttered the deep voice of the had defied him so fiercely. There was some- guide, with a fiendish chuckle. _ thing sinister and ominous about this silence. © The lawyer had reached a dangerous 3 Suddenly the darkness in the cave grew point, and was bracing himself firmly with momentarily darker, then the coarse voice his “stick” before he replied, but, as Marion of the half-breed guide bellowed in at the caught a glimpse of his face, she saw that Opening. Marion gave a shriek of delight, it was glowing with satisfaction. t which was followed by a gasp of agony. “Keep them off of the scent for two hours ’ In an instant, she had realized that a new longer,” was the brutal answer. “By that danger awaited her. time sf “Quick! Bring her out of there, Jake, and The rest of the sentence was lost in a follow me! That cave isn’t as safe as the sharp cry as the treacherous mountain stick canon will be! Ill double your fee if you suddenly snapped, making him pitch head- _ bring her safely.” foremost. Marion uttered a sharp cry, which The lawyer spoke rapidly, like one who’ was echoed by the guide, who had instantly 7 was desperate, indeed. Then, as he crept placed her on the ground and darted for- out into thé sunlight, the guide took his ward. ; place. But he was a second too late! Marion’s awful danger had increased two- The lawyer had disappeared. fold. She was now in the power of two in- With a piercing cry, he went over a low human monsters. precipice just ahead, and they could hear the 4 dull thud of his body as it struck on the CHAPTER XII jagged rocks below them. Marion’s heart was beating wildly now. q but for a moment she stood as if rooted to = The storm was, indeed, over and the the spot, trying almost unconsciously to peer clouds were flying across the sky and form- over the edge of the fatal preci oe: ALONE ON THE MOUNTAIN. > Nat Ps ice. ing a scene of solemn grandeur, but poor Fler enemy had been pieeunalic BOOKS