Rocky Mountain Sam — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

144 ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. that, the shootin’ stars as went hummin’ an’ hissin’ aroun’ the car wasn’t very pleasant.” Miss Gertrude’s lips were blue, and her cheeks very white. ‘‘How high up are we now?” she said, tremblingly. ‘¢?Bout five miles an’ a half,” said Sam; ‘‘an’ now we’ve struck the right current an’ now we’re goin’ back over the mountains again. Oh! we may get down safely.” “May? Good Heaven! Can there be any doubt about it?” ‘“Well, there wouldn't be if the old man were here to help me, you see,” was the cool reply; ‘‘but I can’t very well look out ahead an’ turn the steerin’ crank at the same time.” ‘But can’t I turn it?” ‘Hardly. You’d find it rather tiresome. But never mind; we may get down without any broken bones, as I said before.” | ‘“‘But we must make sure of it!’ exclaimed the spinster, springing up excitedly and seizing the crank. ‘‘Which way must I turn it?” | ‘To the right, if you please. That’sit. Don’t be afraid to put a little elbow-grease to it. A little faster, if you lease.” : And Sam thought that he had his revenge, after all, as the poor lady bent over the crank, puffing and blowing at.a great rate, for she was rather embonpornt than otherwise. “It may seem a little out of place for me standin’ here bossin’ the machine, while a lady does all the hard work,” said he, with an inward chuckle; ‘‘but I don’t see how we can do anything else under the circumstances.” — ‘Tt must be all for the best,” gasped Miss Gertrude, shed- ding blanket after blanket as she bent to the crank. “T’o be sure it is,” said the hunter. ‘*Why, a while ago you were shiverin with cold, an’ now youw’re all in a glow. Keep it up, keep it up!” But Miss Gertrude suddenly dropped the handle, and sank into a seat, completely exhausted. Her face was as red as a boiled crab, and her ample bust rose and fell like a mild sea biliow. | : “Now, wrap up again, or you'll take your death of cold,” said Sam, piling the blankets upon her once more. ‘‘We’lL soon be over the ranch, and then down we go.” But his revenge was not to be altogether unalloyed. She grasped his hand, and dragged shim to her side; and again A comicboo a +