The Argosy — page 319: what you’re looking at

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

298 “Glittering Gold.” pattered beside the carriage with bunches of dusty edelweiss, little carved chalets, and baskets of wild strawberries. She laughed at their driver’s repeated promise to show them some “ gemse” in their native haunts. She laughed when again and again the promise failed to be fulfilled. ' “Do you really believe in the actual existence of these * gemse?’” she demanded merrily of her companions. ‘‘Z don’t! I believe they are as much creatures of the imagination as fairies or water- sprites. I intend to make out a new list of fabulous animals some day, and to insert together with unicorns and phcenixes the world-famed ‘gemse’ of Switzerland. Tell me now’—turning to Mr. Etheridge—“ did you ever see a chamois ?” ‘“T must confess I have not yet done so,” admitted Robert. ‘But at any rate I have eaten one—or part of one, rather. That was at Salvan, I remember.” “Bah! You ‘have eaten a brown mess which the waiter called chamois—an ancient goat, in all probability—but what has that to do with seeing one of those slender, exquisitely-graceful creatures standing with its four fairy feet balanced on a pinnacle of rock just a little less sharp than a darning-needle? ‘That is what I want to see. And if I do not see it before we go home, I shall remain con- vinced that the chamois exists only in the imagination of these superstitious old drivers and the fancy of the wood-carvers.” So she chatted on as the carriage rolled along the dusty road beside the foaming Lutschine, and slowly mounted the steep ascent to Grindelwald. ‘The elder girl contributed little to the enlivenment of the way except the fact of her beautiful presence. She spoke little, and seemed almost lost in contemplation of the surrounding glories, though whether because honestly in harmony with them or in proud avoidance of the stranger it was impossible to say. When the Einspanner at length discharged its load in front of one of the Grindelwald hotels, Mr. Etheridge felt decidedly perplexed as to his further movements. Ought he, uninvited, to obtrude his company upon the fair strangers in their visit to the glaciers ? or ought he at once to depart, abandoning them to the tender mercies of the ragged unprofessional ‘‘ guides,” who already attacked them? It was a nice point of etiquette, in which Robert’s inexperience could furnish him with no precedent; but the matter was promptly settled for him. Having resolutely dismissed the would-be guides in _ her pretty broken German, the younger girl turned to him with a merry smile. ‘Of course you are going to the glaciers, Mr. ay ‘“‘ Etheridge, at your service. Yes, I am going there, I suppose.” “Then we shall make one party, Mr. Etheridge, unless you have made other arrangements ?” Robert murmured something about being “very happy,” though he himself could not have told you whether he spoke truth or false- Gomilcbooks.co Se snes | if | |