Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-19
CHAPTER ~.
The Story and the Letters.

The Story and the Letters.
Imagine, II you please, the forest |
primeval; yes, the murmuring pines !
and the hemlocks OF the poem as we'll,
by the side Of rapidly rushing noun
tain torrent fed by the eternal SHOWS
Of the lofty peaks of the great range.
A level stretch OF grassy land where
a mountain brook Joined the creek
was dotted with clumps OF pines and
great boulders rolled down from the
everlasting hills-half an acre OF open
clearing. On the opposite side OF the
brook the canon wall rose almost
sheer for perhaps FIVE hundred feet,
ending in Jagged, needle-edged pin
nacles of rock, sharp. picturesque and
beautiful. A thousand feet above ran
the timber line, and four thousand
feet above that the crest OF the great
est peak in the main range.
The white tents OF the little encamp-
ment which had cleaned so brightly
in the clear air and radiant sunshine
Of Colorado, now stood dim and ghost
like In the red reflection Of huge
campfire. It was the evening Of the
first day in the wilderness.
For two days since leaving the
wagon. the Maitland party with its
long train of burros heavily packed,
its horsemen and the steady plodders
on foot, had advanced into UNEMPLOYED
and almost inaccessible retreats of
the mountains-into the primitive in
deedl In this delightful spot they had
pitched their tents and the perme-
nent camp had been made. Wood
was abundant, the water at hand was
as cold as ice, as clear as crystal and
as soft as milk. There was pas
turage for the horses and burros on
the other side OF the mountain brook.
The whole place was a little amphi-
theater which humanity occupied per-
hRps the first time since creation.
Unpaching the burros, setting UP
the tents. making the camp, building
the fire, had used up the late remain
der OF the day which was theirs when
they had arrived. Opportunity would
come tomorrow TO explore the coun-
try. to climb the range, to try the
stream that tumbled down a success
sion OF waterfalls TO the right OF the
camp and roared and rushed merrily
around its feet until. swelled by the
volume OF the brook. II lost itself in
tree-clad depths far beneath. Tonight
rest after labor, tomorrow play after
rest
The evening meal was over. Enid
could not help think with what
scorn and contempt her father would
have regarded the menu, how his gorge
would have risen-hers. too, for thai
matter!-had II been placed before
him on the old colonial mahogany o
the dining-room in Philadelphia. Blu
up there in the wilds she had eater
the coarse homely fare with the zes
and relish OF the most seasoned range
or the hills. Anxious TO be OF service
she had burned her hands and smoke,
her hair and scorched her face b,
usurping the functions OF the younl
ranchman who had been brought alonI
as cook. and had actually fried tn
bacon herself Imagine a GOODIES
with frying pan! The black THO
coffee and the condensed milk, drum
from the granite ware cup. had a NOR
delicious aroma and a more delight
full taste than the finest Mocha an
Java in the daintiest porcelain o
France. Optimum condimentum. Tn
girl was frankly ravenously hungry
the air, the altitude. the exertion, tn
excitement made her able to eat any
thing and enjoy II.
She was gloriously beautiful. too
even her brief experience in the ives
had brought back the missing rose
to her cheek and had Vanished th
bistre circles from beneath her eyei
Robert Maitland. lazily reclinin
propped up against a boulder. his fee
TO the fire. smoking an old pipe tina
would have given his brother the hol
rors, looked with approving con