Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-10-10
!, MOUNTAIN ROMANCE.

They had left the rest of the party, with
,he onides and burros, at the rude little
"halfway house, by the tiny lake that lay
rta an obong emerald in a setting OF
hronze. and had wandered away by them
se1yes-be. the brown bearded young west
ern metallurgist, with successful career
onenjnp before him and she, the white
! faced delicate looking sojourner from Bos
/ ton with her creole hair and eyes.
The benedic.ion of perfect Indian sum
mer afternoon lay upon the scene. The
cloudless sky so blue that 1t reminded her
of the exquisite coloring Of an Easter egg
At home. the air SO still that even the
| trembling of the aspen leaves ceased at in
/ teryals: the haze about the mountain top
like a golden fog-it was an afternoon that
/ made one forget that there were ever ex
| tremes Of temperature, or that the sun
beams must soon sink into the west. Even
the paudy little chipmunks, from safe
emipences, piacidly regarded the intruders
with indolent and contemplative eyes, and
the birds seemed mesmerzed into drowsy
state.
They had sauntered for some time now,
and Madge was getting very tired, for the
way had been rough She did not realize
the time nor the distance they had wan.
dered-she only knew that to her the
whole thing was poem and painting so
exquisite that if she had heard an organ
suddenly burst forth into one of Handel's
masterpieces !, H.n.id have seemed quite
in keeping with the place, and she would
instnctively have fallen upon her knees
Bob's thoughts were quite different. He,
too, was lover of nature and capable OF
ht,t n (tn1araL. uft
noon was not new to him, while his love
for Madge was; and his pleasure came
from seeing her keen but placid enjoy
ment 1t was no accident on his part that
they were separated from the rest, and he
realized fully that they had been gone
over an hour and were long distance
from the lake. His happiness lay in being
alone with her, in watching the waves OF
surprise and pleasure ripping over her
face as new shapes and new landscapes
opened upon her view, in answering the
childlike questions that dubbed from the
dark eyes and pretty lips, and more than
all in the thrilling touch of the slender
arms and the soft, warm hands as he as
sisted her over the rough places 1t Yves
heaven to him and could not last long
enough.
bub NhCH dt idoo ouC gave WEARY
sigh and sat down upon a convenient log
as they reached a bit of level, saying, "Oh,
DEAR I'm so tiredr' he responded quickly
81 think perhaps, we've gone far enough.
It's getting along in the afternoon and is
time to start back"
Are we very far from thems" she asked
suddenly, seeming to realize for the first
time that they might be.
bout ~
haven't kept much track of the distance,
and this part of the trail is somewhat new
to me-"
After this there was silence for some
time. He saw now that she was quite ex
hausted, and it occurred to him that the
altitude was having some effect upon her
Tie blamed himself inwardly for his
thoughtlessness, and was about to ask her
II she had trouble in breathing, when a
sudden chill in the atmosphere, accom-.
panied by movement of the air that set
the aspens to shivering violently, followed
by a gradual dimming of the sunshine,
caused them to glance simultaneously to
ward the sun. What appeared to Madge
Ike fog was hurrying across it, and
rapidly growing denser; and as she looked
up toward the highest point visible in the
west she could see the gray, mistlike sub
stance stealing in between and around the
rocks and pines and sweeping silently
down toward them. He answered her
look of interrogation by saying somewhat
absentmindedly:
clouds! change of weather. might
nave Known that the heat this afternoon
meant something if hadn't been thinking
Off
lie stopped abruptly and colored; but she
had turned and was absorbed in the curious
transformation that was going on, and lost
his last low spoken words.
The gray column had completely OBJ
scured the sun and was moving rapidly
toward them now, leaving behind great
gray wall, They both shvered, and ht
sprang briskly to his feet.
AS soon as you are rested, Miss Cham
pertain, think we had better start back
IL looks as though we might have squat
ana perhaps some snow. This is one of the
cuanges that are common here MT this sea
son OF the year. We fooishly left oul
wraps behind. 1t was my fault, though
lor you know nothing of these changes, O
course"
enc mad risen now and started to speak.
Don you breathe easilyf" he exclaimed
WIN some concern. noticing that sh,
pressed her hand to her chest.
she had paled little, and now gaspet
TWO or three times before she answered
with a smile.
IL seems as though couldn't get quite
enough air in my lungs. have felt it sew
ela' tines this afternoon. It's trifing,
cue went on reassuringly; 81 will tax,
YOUR arm, though, please, because | an
really very tired"
nat very heavy fog" she continued
ssnilVering, after they had walked shor
'' stance; and how damp it is"
, ..,,, 1ou could hardly call it fog" he said
we are IN the midst of cloud, and it il
an unusually thick one," he added after
pause glancing about nervously.
Inc great gray mass had caught then
Low ana had closed in upon them on ever,
satNe-oeneath them, above them, aroun,
sneia' pressing against their faces ant
ee'ushing their hands with its cold, clamm,
nnsers' leaving moisture and chill witt
every touch.
iuere was no thought of fear in Madge'
MIND Why should there beP They wer
ouiy short distance from the hotel
.n',e OF SO perhaps, One could almost hea
asnout that far Then, too, she was lean
,us upon a strong arm, and she enjoye,
sne sensation of being in the midst of
etouu as she enjoyed everything that wa
40. why, seer she exclaimed brightly
t,,u so thick one can almost grasp hand
.uu why. dear mel can see it pass be
s s%een me and your hat" she laughed a
sue threw her head to one side and glance,
oa p"a.u, And see the moisture on you