The Maid of the Mountain — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

_ BLOOD-STAINED. 81 - your mother bloodily avenged his death, and then killed her- self Two men were left of the band who attacked your’ father, and one of them promised your mother that" he would care for you. He did it; but, year after, 1 found him on these hills in a dying condition. I aided him, and took you to my heart. What you-are, you owe to me and me alone. ‘ You can not rob me of that thought.” “I do not wish to, Arthur. The poor orphan thanks you from her heart, You have preserved her from all harm, and she owes all that she is to your care.” “The old man gaye you to me,” said the chief, “and I trained you up as my child. At this time I began to make friends in the sierras. Men who were outlawed began to flock to Murderer’s Cafion. They heard that I always gave shelter to such, At this time the thought came into my mind to make of these persons a great brotherhood in crime. The refugees fell in with my plans réadily. You see the result. For the last eight years, while Isaw you growing in beauty and grace, I had only one purpose in life. I thought I would train you to loye me, and that we would go away, and be “ Arthur, you do not know the pain it.gives me to tell you that can rever be.” “Inez, be careful !” “TI must speak the truth. I have revered you asa father. You must not hope that I should ever love you in any other way.” “TI am a man of hot blood,” said the chief, hoarsely. “I have been guilty of great crimes. Do not force me toa _ “ Arthar, these very crimes of which you speak are the ones which drive you from me. I can not marry a man who has the stain of innocent blood upon his hand-and soul. For then I should become a partner in his guilt.” *“Tnnocent blood” re Innocent of every thing but unfortunately falling into ae eed Oh, Arthur, what ean I think, han men like these you took yesterday are butchered, simply because they have dared to come into a region of which you so un- justly claim to be lord. Even now, when I told you to set ” conmicoooks.comn