Marion Marlowe in Denver, or, The Tragedy of Pike's Peak — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

2+ “Safe! Marion is safe!’ The shout nearly rent the rocks, for every member of the little’ party had shouted in unison, and the guttural voices of two moun- tain guides joined in the happiness. When Bert and Dr. Brookes reached Marion, they caught her up between them and bore her to the rude camp that the guides had prepared for them. A glowing fire was burning before a deep crevice in the rocks, and soon Marion was- warmed and refreshed and able to again tell her story. | After she had finished, the two guides set out to find the wicked lawyer. However, there were many cafions such as Marion described and, after searching for a couple of hours along the mountainside without success, they were compelled to re- turn to the camp and wait for daylight. By that time, Marion, who was half un- conscious from exhaustion, would be able to lead them to the spot. So the others spent the night in low conversation. The chill of the mountains was overcome by the rousing fire, which both Bert and the doctor took a hand in replenishing. “We did not escape our tragedy in Den- ver, after all, it seems.” [It was Mrs. Burnside who spoke, as she nestled close to Marion and folded her wraps about her in a protecting manner. “And to think that my partner should have brought this frightful thing upon htm- self. I can hardly realize it,’ said Mr. Wil- son, sadly. | ‘ “fle must have been mad,” said Dr. Brookes, scowling. _‘‘No man in his sober senses would have dared to resort to any- thing so horrible.” | Mr. Wilson breathed a deep sigh, and bowed his head in sorrow, as he answered: “TTe was mad; I am sure of it,” he said, very distinctly. “For months I have no- ticed how greedy he was growing and, over and over, I have stopped him upon the verge of doing something dreadfully dishonest. No doubt the commodore’s will was the cli- max to his malady. We have a million in ‘rust for a relative of the ranchman and, when Waldo saw Miss Marlowe, he thought she was young and unsophisticated. If he married her,.he would add her fortune to his many thousands. It was this madness that coat him his life! His greed has killed him!” “That is. if he is dead,” said one of the guides, quickly. “Men have pitched over that precipice before now and lived, but, of course, there were broken bones—that might be expected.” > , _ There was a movement of Marion’s body MY QUEEN. and she awoke with a start, gave a little cry and then glanced sharply at the horizon. “See—it is almost morning! We must go to his aid!’ she cried. “The guides will lead us and we may save him yet! It would be awful, if he should die with that sin upon his conscience.” | She had risen to her feet and the bright flames of the rude fire were dancing about her. No spirit of the mountains could have looked more weird; yet her friends thought only of what she was saying. .“Yes, we must go, before it is too late,” said Dr. Brookes, promptly. “We can certainly get to him by some means or other. It will be daylight in an hour, and every moment is precious.” The hour ‘passed swiftly and the little party set out. They were going to rescue the fiend who had planned so viciously to ruin the innocent girl whom they all loved so dearly. Would they find him alive and suffering his well-deserved agony, or had his wicked © soul gone to its retribution during the silent — night upon the lonely mountain? The quiet, sad-faced group of tourists who reached Denver the next night was a suf- ficient answer to the awful question. The lawyer was dead and his partner had brought back his body, but, for the sake of his reputation, and because they believed him mad, Marion’s horrible story remained a secret between them. , The guide, if guide he was, could never be found, and Mr. Wilson was inclined to believe that he was hired by his partner to aid him in the effort to compromise Marion. It was a great relief to leave the beautifui city, but Marion’s last look was toward the distant mountains. What glory was theirs and what wondrous magnificence! Then she shuddered as she thought what — might have been her lot had not fate so — mercifully turned the tables upon her enemy. — “Tt is so the world over, is it not, Alma? f she asked, softly. “There is no beauty with: — out ugliness, no happiness without oe Even success comes attended with bitter disappointment, and, as for love, well, the — word almost mocks me now! I feel ashamed to think that I ever dreamed of loving!” “That feeling will pass away, dearie,” was — her friend’s wise answer. “And look, Mar- ion, in spite of the distorted shadows, the mountains are beautiful! That is the wav — ‘t ig with love; the true sentiment is divine. — Yours was only a delusion, dear—but you — were innocent and it misled you!” Ai. The young girls gazed into each other's eyes as they said good-by to the distant — comicbooks.com