The Washington herald., 1915-09-19
DAILY SHORT STORY.
THE SPELL OF THE MOUNTAINS,
By JANE OSBORN.
Copyright, lel5.l

around them lay the dancing Sheet
of water, dark blue. darker even than
the evening sky il reflected. Encirc-
ling and overwhelming. lowered the
great Uncovered mountains. Dance
music tempered by the ceaseless
sound of the mountain streams rush
ing into the mountain lake drifted to
them.
Deliberately and carefully. the
young man lifted the paddle from the
water and laid it in the bottom of the
canoe.
so you want to talk it over" he
said, looking straight at the girl
whose downcast eyes followed The
ripple Of her hand in the water.
Yes. Roderick.' she answered. Il
think we agree; don't we?'
The young man smiled family.
"Proba bly,"
Then 1t is off completely" she said.
before II was ever announced or
guessed. and we are just as we were
before we were engaged-just good
friends"
Yes" he said. only 1 really was
in love with you then"
Il think yc. really WERE" she re-
fiected. And l was absurdly in love
with you. 1t is funny what a differ
ence these mountains make. You just
feel as if nothing mattered. 1t is the
spell of the hills that gets control of
you. ! was lonesome for you when
1 first came here and gradually ] just
stopped caring. And now that you
have been here 4 week you have stop
ped caring, too. l could tell that
the spell was working. Every one
bores me here and every one bores
every one else. 1t is the effect of
those wonderful black mountains
There positively isn't one Irritation to be
found in the whole camp"
You are wrong. Sylvia" Roderick
corrected.
"Who?''
My chauffeur and your maid" he
answered. and they are going to be
married as soon as they have saved
enough money"
Il had forgotten them" laughed
Sylvia. Jennie can hardly wait till
supper is over to go out and meet
Martin. It's really amusing"
For minute Roderick padded on
in silence.
You've nothing more to say?" he
asked as he pushed the canoe in to
No" she SAID. "Good-night can
make my way up to the cabin alone.
/ would rather. She sprang from
the canoe and before Roderick had
moored the boat she was hidden IN
the darkness of the bank Half way
up the hill she turned and looked at
the figure on the beach. "Roderick.- !
she whispered. The color mounted !
into her sunburned cheeks and then. |
the sound of the mountain streams
played their eternal refrain, she hur-
ried on alone.
The next morning was the day for !
ROderiCks departure. He had planned !
I" leave in the middle of the after |
noon. hut when o'clock came and |
h.. I, 1, - -, l,-,o l,-
inclined TO hesitate. He learned from |
Martin. his chauffeur. that Sylvia
with her maid. Jennie. had started out |
early in the morning for tramp ;
down the mountains to the village on |
some tlimsy pretext They usually re-
turned in the early afternoon but |
when 2 o'clock came and they had |
not put in an appearance Roderick
gave the signal for departure.
Must we start now. sir?" Queried /
Martin.
Roderick consulted his watch. We
ought to. l want TO make the 6 |
o'clock ferry. II we miss that it will |
make me day late in the city"
Tho roads are in good shape"
pleaded the chauffeur. Il can speed
you see. Jennie-snd Miss Strong
haven't returned yet. They went to
town this morning and l am a bit
nervous"
You are in love with the girl"
laughed Roderick with a touch of ir-
rRation, but we might wait a little
longer"
Two hours later. the two men were
still waiting with growing anxiety
on the part of one and apparently
nothing but impatience for the other.
When 3 o'clock came and the young
women had not returned slight anx-
iety was felt throughout the camp.
Martin was in real distress and Rod
erick had given up all hope of start
ing out before morning.
"As long as you have decided to
stay. SIR" said Martin. Il think will
start out and look for them. ! am
sure they have lost their way. There
is no great harm could come to them.
but it's dark in the woods even on
clear nights
I'll go with you," was Roderick's
reply, and without q word to any
members of the camp they started
out. guided only by two foresters' Ian.
terms.
I'VE won't find them by keeping to
the road" said Roderick ~ they hur.'