Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

BEYOND THE GREAT SOUTH WALL. her a poudré effect that in that deep twi- light radiance was simply ravishing. The same scarlet duskiness beat upon her complexion, giving it the tint of a moss. Her eyes shone anxiously, but like stars. I gnawed restlessly at my mustache. I was but human and desperately in love. The desire to take her in my arms and swear that nothing on earth should hurt her was just on the borders of being irresistible. ‘Magnificent sight, 1sn’t it?” I questioned, looking down at her pleas- antly. “‘ Gorgeous,” she answered briefly, coming a step nearer. It was with a curious catch in her voice she added, “ But what if it overflows? ” “Oh, it won't,” I answered confi- dently. ‘“ Besides, the glacier’s between us and it.” | “ Another earthquake might split the glacier.” “We'll wait till it does,” said I cheer- fully. “ We shall be well away before anything of that kind happens.” She stood silent for a minute or two, tapping her fingers idly on the boulder - beside her. Then she looked up at me with a quick smile. “ After all, it would be very soon over, wouldn’t it? ” * Quite soon,” said I with assurance. “* And—and we should be all together.” She glanced up at me again with a queer little smile that tried to cover the catch of her voice. * I don’t know that I was thinking of —all,” she said, and turned away to join the others as they began to wander back towards the ship, and I strode beside her, fighting my passionate impulses in silence. For no doubt she had meant it for a reminder. Denvarre was the thought of her heart now that possible disaster hung over us, and I, in my blundering way, wanted to shove myself into an equality with him. I chewed the cud of this reflection as we all strolled down the slope, and the 125 bitter hope that the end might come as she had pictured it almost crept into my heart, so far outside the bounds of com- mon sense does the fever of jealousy carry one. But I’m thankful to say that my English birthright of self possession came back to me within a score of strides, leaving me rational again. I explained—and the others found it- remarkably easy to understand—that it would be folly to think of sleeping aboard again that night. We must take up our residence on the cliff where we had prepared our shelter. | So up the ledges of the rock pyramid we scrambled, and lodged ourselves in the tarpaulined crevices at the top. We mostly slept, I believe, but I was rest- less. For I had realized only too well that the great smoke pall that overhung us and made long the night was Death’s shadow indeed. As the dawn began ‘o filter in under the fog of dust, I woke and strode out to see how fared the world of fire and ice. A great hush had fallen with the livid morning light. The thunderous boom of the crater had ceased,and from above came but the distant purr and simmer of undying fires. The boil and roar of active eruption had died down. The great smoke curtain stretched away in a long wreath inland, carried before the cool sea breeze. The heavy sulphur mist had light- ened with the same fresh draft, and the gulls had returned and were clamoring overhead in their hundreds. The sea lay in purple splendor, save where it was broken by the soot begrimed floe. The swish of ripples on the cliff foot was peaceful as the drip of a well bucket. I glanced down to where our ship lay. She seemed to have slipped over yet further in the night. A soft mist clung about her, and I puzzled myself to think how vapor could rise from bar- ren and solid stone. It was dissolving upwards as I watched, but ever forming anew. Then I understood that it wes coimag wut oF eo