Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1912-03-16

nOOI VI INC HOTlOs
ing master hand. Caught up as it
were into the heavens, her soul leaped
to meet its maker. Thinking to find
God she waited there on the heaven
kissing hill.
How long she stayed she did not
realize; she took no note of time; it
did not occur to her even to look at
the watch on her wrist, she had swept
the skyline cut off as it were by the
peaks when first she came, and when
at last she turned away-even divin-
est moments must have an end-she
looked not backward. She saw not a
little cloud hid on the horizon behind
the rampant Of the ages, as 1t were,
no bigger than a mans hand, a cloud
full Of portent and which would alarm
greatly the veteran Kirkby in the
camp and Maitland on the mountain
top. Both of them unfortunately were
unable to see it, one being on the
other side of the range, and the other
deep in the canon, and for both OF
them as for the girl the sun still
shone brightly.
The declivity to the river on the
upper side was comparatively easy
and Enid Maitland went slowly and
thoughtfully down to it until she
reached the young torrent. She got
her tackle ready, but did no casting,
as she made her way slowly up the
ever narrowing, ever rising canon
She was charmed and thrilled by the
wild beauty of the way, the spell OF
the mountains was deep upon her.
Thoughtfully she wandered on until
presently she came to another little
amphitheater like that where the
camp was pitched, only smaller
Strange to say, the brook or river
here broadened in a little pool per.
haps twenty feet across; a turn had
thrown a full force of water against
the huge boulder wall and In ages
Of effort a giant cup had been hol-
lowed out of the native rock. The
pool was perhaps four or five feet
deep, the rocky bottom worn smooth.
The clearing was upon the opposite
side and the banks were heavily
wooded beyond the spur of the rock
which formed the back of the pool.
She could see the trout in 1t. She
made ready to try her fortune, but
before she did so an idea came to
her-daring, unconventional, extraor-
binary, begot of innocence and mex
perience.
The water of course was very cold,
but she had been accustomed all her
life to taking a bath at the natural
temperature of the water at whatever
season. She knew that the only peo-
pie in that wilderness were the men,
bers Of her own party, three Of them
were at the camp below; the others
were ascending mountain miles
away. The canon was deep sunk, and
she satisfied herself by careful obser-
walton that the pool was not over
looked by any elevations far or near.
Her additions in common with
those of the rest of the campers had
been by piecemeal of necessity. Here
was an opportunity for a plunge in
natural bath tub. She was as certain
that she would be under no Observa-
ton as If she were in the privacy OF
her own chamber. Here again impulse
determined the end. In spite of her |
assurance there was some little ap- |
in the glance that she cast |
about her, but it soon vanished. There |
alone. The pool and the chance of |
the plunge had brought her down to
earth again; the thought Of the en-
livening exhilaration Of the pure cold |
water dashing against her own sweet
warm young body changed the cur
rent of her thoughts-the anticipa-
ton of it rather.
Impulsively she dropped her rod
upon the grass, unpinned her hat,
threw the fishing basket from her
shoulder. She was wearing a stout
jweater; that, too, Joined the rest.
Nervous hands manipulated buttons
md the fastenings. In few moments
he sweet figure of youth, of beauty,
If purity and of innocence frightened
he sod and shed white luster upon
he green of the grass and moss and
pines, rejecting light to the gray
brown rocks Of the range. So Eve
nay have looked on some bright Eden
A few steps forward and
his nymph Of the woods, this naiad Of
he mountains. plunged into the clear,
,old waters of the pool-a water
prite and her fountainl
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