The Award of Justice; Or, Told in the Rockies: A Pen Picture of the WestBarbour, A. Maynard (Anna Maynard)
General
The Award of Justice; Or, Told in the Rockies: A Pen Picture of the West
Barbour, A. Maynard (Anna Maynard)
Mountain life -- Fiction; Rocky Mountains -- Fiction
"Are you not going to extend an invitation to me, also?"
"Unfortunately," said Ned, with as much dignity as he could assume,
"this boat will seat but three people."
"Is that so!" replied his brother, with a curious downward inflection,
"unfortunately, then, for Mr. Houston and Miss Gladden, you will have
to take the other boat, as I am going in this one myself," and
stepping lightly into the boat, he pulled it quickly out into the
water, leaving Ned in a state of bewilderment, alone on shore, as Mr.
Houston and Miss Gladden were already seated in their boat, and
watching this little by-play.
There was a general laugh at Ned's expense, as he clambered into the
other boat, exclaiming good-naturedly:
"Well, Mort, that's an awfully shabby trick, but then, it's all I can
expect of you, anyhow."
"It's all you deserve, after such attempted selfishness on your part,"
replied his brother.
They rowed across the lake in the soft light, the glory of the setting
sun still reflected from the surrounding peaks, the music of their
boat songs accompanied by the dip and plash of the oars.
At last they reached the cascades, and rounding a little promontory,
the glory of that wondrous scene suddenly burst upon them. For a
moment Mr. Rutherford sat speechless, and Lyle, facing him, silently
enjoyed his surprise and his ecstasy as keenly as he enjoyed the
wonderful beauty about him. In his face, she read the same capacity
for joy or for suffering which Nature had bestowed upon herself, and
when his eyes suddenly met hers again, he saw the tears glistening in
their shining depths, and with quick, intuitive sympathy, readily
understood the cause.
For a while they rowed back and forth in almost silent admiration;
then the boats were brought side by side at the foot of the cascades,
and the air resounded with song; sometimes their voices all blending
together in exquisite harmony, then in twos and threes, while
occasionally, some beautiful old song would be given as a solo.
It had been an evening of rare enjoyment for each one, and they were
just about to turn their boats homeward, when Ned Rutherford
exclaimed:
"I say, don't let us leave this spot until Miss Maverick sings that
song she gave us the first time we came out here, the first we ever
heard her sing. I never can forget that song, and it is always
associated with this place."
The others joined in the request. Lyle hesitated. Could she trust
herself to sing that song to-night? It was easy to sing when love had
come to another's heart, but could she sing it now that he had come to
her own?
She consented, and the oars rested once more. With her eyes fixed on
the distant mountains, Lyle began her song:
"Love is come with a song and a smile."
At the first words, Morton Rutherford started, and as he fixed his
eyes on the beautiful singer, her fair form and shining hair outlined
against the silvery cascades, it seemed to him the loveliest sight of
his whole life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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