The Land Claim — page 85: what you’re looking at

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

AN ACCIDENTAL MEETING. 81 errand to the trading-post or village, she did not look about her for the owner. If she had, she would have seen gq pair of piercing eyes gazing at her from behind the shrubs and vines that choked up the mouth of the ravine. Slowly she pursued her way, thinking her own sad thoughts, hearing the river's murmur as in a dream, hoping little, fear- ing nothing, but patiently bearing the cross that lad been laid on her young life. As she climbed the steep terraces which had been cut out of the bluff to reach the cabin, she often felt compelled to pause for breath, sitting down as she did so, and gazing absently, yet with a feeble sense of enjoyment, at the shining river and the hazy August sky. Her dress was the same—a white wrapper, a little scarlet shawl, and straw hat drooping over her face—that it had been on that last day at the cabin. She was thinking of that day, and wondering if, ever there would be any more so bright as that, before the terrible trouble fell upon it. In her reverie she did not hear a step coming toward her, until she heard her name pronounced by a well-known, but of late absent voice. “ What good spirit brought you here to-day, Alicia? Sit still—do, dear ; do, dearest Alicia! I have been hovering about here for an hour, not knowing some kind spirit held me here that I might at last see you.” “I was going to the house—to see the old place,” answered Alicia, rising, and at the same time trembling too much to “Well, go there, if you wish. Only let me go along, Do not refuse me. It is not safe for you to go alone, either— really it is not. There may be some scoundrels lurking about here, knowing the place is deserted. You see this lariat ? I've been looking all day for my horse, without finding him ; and have about made up my mind that he is stolen. There is no telling who you might meet. Lean on my arm, dear, up these steps. I know you are forbidden to see me; but the one who forbids you has no right to exercise such authority. Lean harder on me, darling; I could carry you up easily, you are grown so light. You look like a beautiful spirit—an angel without the wings,’ said Allen, gazing on her with mingled sorrow and delight. It was so difficult to resist his impetuous manner, and so comcboooks.comn a. a