A Romance of South Dome [pp. 57-74]

1886.] A Rolllance of South Dome. 71
spot, saying gayly, "Don't cry any more. Seventy or eighty feet were accomplished
There has been a mistake, and we'll correct in this way when, suddenly, the rope gave a
it." It seemed absurd that she should be convulsive shudder, and lay loose and limp
engaged to anybody but him. in their hands. For an instant their eyes
When Grace had arrived at Snow's she in- met. There was only an instant to spare.
sisted on going farther, and Roberts, caring "Never mind," he said cheerily. "I'll
only to please her, made himself her guide, brace myself against this staple, and hold the
while the others waited at Nevada Falls. rope till you get down, then you can call to
Mr. Quincy Roberts was growing reckless. me, and I'll come "-but there was a leap of
Why didn't he rush ahead of everybody else, terror at his heart. He knew that if she
and find Frank? Because he thought Frank recognized the real danger, and lost her preswould take care of herself, and because ev- ence of mind, it would be fatal.
ery moment with Grace was a delicious pleas- She had always relied upon the muscle of
ure, which tomorrow, or at most a few days, man as being practically omnipotent, and it
would end forever. When they left the never occurred to her todoubt it now. She
horses she still insisted upon climbing, but went on fearlessly, looking at him with a
when they reached the Saddle she sank down smile as she descended backwards. He
completely overcome with fatigue. watched her until she disappeared under the
What could he do but support her, for the curve of the Dome.
bare rock offered no resting place? She had Eternal the moments seemed to this moddrawn off one of her gloves, and her hand ern Prometheus. His muscles grew stiff
looked very white against her dark dress. from theirconstrained position. He felt the
A delicate perfume came from some soft net- staple, on which his right foot rested, bendting she had fastened around her neck. The ing from his weight. He tried to relieve it
arm around her felt like iron as he drew her by pressing hard against the rock with his
closer. She struggled to free herself. "Oh, free hand. At last came a faint girlish
Quincy," she cried in real agony, "let me scream, the signal for him to save himself.
go. What would Frank say?" Almost at the same instant with the call, the
"Frank is not here, darling; no one but staple, weakened by the winter frosts and
you and me," and he leaned over until he the long pressure, gave way, and slid down
could feel the throbbing of her heart. to join two or three of its faithless fellows,
"But I know it is not right, or I should against which it rattled and tinkled as gleenot feel so wicked," she pleaded. fully as if a human life were not at stake be "I've almost come to think there is no cause of its defection.
such thing as right and wrong," said the He had relied upon this, and it had failed
young man. "I did not plan this. It is him. It was fully twenty feet to the next
F k bu dc of hislfi fe cn hope had