Gilpin observer., 1908-10-01


clothes were English be-
yond the possibility of the most char
liable error. But the piquant, sad
face. the soulful brown eyes, the
cheeks of dark but wholesome and
even color, the full red lips, the small
and delicately nodded features, these
were legacies perhaps of French an
cestors, more likely tokens OF that
conglomerate strain now called the
American type; but English, never.
Al she came opposite my elbow
she raised her head and gave me a
look full in the eyes, look so full of
helpless appeal that it startled me.
Our drawingroom connected with
the stateroom Of the English couple
by a door so that the two might on
occasion be thrown together en- suite
l looked down and saw the corner
of an envelope appear. called
Clarke's attention and we watched 1t
until the entire envelope, long, white
one. stuffed so full of papers that it
went under the door with difficulty,
lay on the floor at our feet.
Our pretty liason progresses"
doux for you"
l hastily seized the envelope and
emptied its contents on the reading
table. And then Clarke and stared
and gaped in helpless and idiotic as
tonishment. Before us lay bonds of
the United Zinc Corporation to the
value of s75O,OOO.
With them was a single sheet of
note paper with the crest of the Los
Angeles limited at the top. Clarke
and | read it silently.
ITO Mr.. Carlton Clarke: | am TAX
ing what | believe to be the only
course to save these papers and my
life. By the time we reach Old Faith
full inn hope to devise some disposi-
ton to ask you to make of them Until
then guard them well. | know | can
trust you. Destroy this note at once.
Lady Ethelbert Snively"
After breakfast at Yellowstone sta
ton the next morning our entire party,
numbering about so, were loaded into
the big MY. stages for the 32-mile
drive to the Upper Geyser basin and
Old Faithful inn. Clarke and had a
surrey to ourselves in charge of one
30 Hughes. "Bo" being Yellowstone
slang for driver. We also Travelled
special" That is, we were relieved
from adhering to the regular schedule
laid down by the stage company.
We reached the Fountain lunch sta
tion and the Lower Geyser basin in
advance of the rest of the party and
Clarke rnncnd tn biS Intx nj tI,
to walk out with me over the "forma-
tion." as the acres of limestone de.
posit made by the geysers is officially
and technically known. Here again
We met ny lord and lady when the
rest of the tourists came up. and were
grouped reverently in a circle to watch
the Fountain geyser play. Lady
Snively clapped her hands In glee as
the boiling water. throwing clouds OF
seething steam, shot so feet in the air
Tho shadows of the western snow
peaks were lcnghtening when we drew
up. in advance OF the rest of the party,
again by virtue OF our Special" be-
fore the log portals Of that wonderful
piece OF forest architecture, Old Faith.
full inn.
was assigned to room II and
Clarke to room IS. Lord and Lady
Snively followed us and drew No. 10.
Whatever the destiny that bound us
together 1t seemed unbroken.
This would be dangerous place
to travel about on at night, Bo," l
said to Hughes rs we clambered up
and down the mounds OF calcareous
deposit. between bottomless pools of
boiling water. peering down into the
growing, sulphurous depths of the
Lion and the Cubs" threading the
,reacherous and preclpitous sides of
the "Grotto" and feeling beneath our
feet the hollow crunch Of the crust
that seemed but. thin partition be.
tween the beautiful world above and
the regions OF the inferno beneath.
You're mighty right" answered
Hughes. IL never knowed OF but one
man that ever come over here at
night and he wandered out O. the