The Maid of the Mountain — page 54: what you’re looking at

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56 THE MAJID OF THE MOUNTAIN. “ Did you see-her on the platform ?” said Elliot, eagerly. “ Oh, these boys—these boys,” said the Yarkee, shaking his head sagely. ‘“ Yew can’t help their being themselves all the world over, can yew? Now, yew are jest dead in love with that gal in a minnit.” “ Pshaw !” said Elliot, “don’t be a fool.” “ Mebbe I’m a fool and mebbe I ain't,” said Josb. “ Don't yew s’pose [ye got any eyes in my head, say? MHain’t yew been thinkin’ about her ever since yew saw her foot—and it was a gosh-fired nice littie’*un tew—when she ran away after she cut loose the Mexican? Qh, no; I don’t know any thing "bout love matiers. I was in love once myself. Oh, “dear? is, “ Were you?” said Elliot, absently. “JT guess I was. It was with Sary Ann. I never shail forgit the time I'seen her comin’ out’n her father’s house, ar- ter a dorg as had stole a hunk of ham. She had a broom, and yew bet she was a-dewin’ some tall walkin’. I paused and watched her, and I loved her. Yew don’t know Sary Awn, I guess, If I remember right, yew saidsc. Wal, she’s ‘a remarkable woman in her way. Darn me ef she ain’t.” * Nonsense,” said Elliot, shaking off his abstraction. “Do not let us waste time, but search. Sewn. wash bes secret passage somewhere,” They passed along the wall, examining it closely ; a where could they find any evidence of an opening. Every thing seemed to stand as in the day when some great convul- sion of nature rent the rocks ayd formed this rif. The Yan- kee io Iral: beg oehe.bemtap. the sepia arth tes sn metre they hea | _Let’s git out of this.” “ Curse it; Ican He held @ stone in his Se se died, 7 ‘wall as he spoke. As ttt a neti wall near which he stood swing toward him. He started back, thinking that they were to have a fall of rock, when a gleam of light showed him that this was the secret passage of which they were in search. He sprung forward and seized it, as i: was swinging back. In passing ‘eee seamen bad comicloooks.com