Idle Hour Stories Part 24

This long-planned excursion was to be the last of freedom for Minnie Dare.

Striding up to the unconscious lovers, the man said rudely,--

"Miss Dare, do you mean to hang about here all day? They are waiting for you."

"I presume, sir, Miss Dare has the right to stay where she pleases,"

retorted Eldon Brand, a quick, angry flash leaping to his eyes.

"Hardly," returned the other superciliously, "at all events she knows better, whatever your view of the matter."

With a look of appeal from her blue eyes that arrested the sharp rejoinder from the lips of the man she loved, the girl turned away, her face suddenly paling from fear.

"Here comes the pirate chief with his captive," exclaimed a laughing girl.

"Hush, Cornelia; he may hear you--horrid man! He wouldn't be here if he wasn't so rich."

"Why, where is Eldon Brand?" said another.

"Over there, cutting a staff from the cane-brake," replied the first speaker.

"Ladies and gentlemen," here interposed the guide, striking a stage att.i.tude, "if you want my services you must come right along. It is already too late for the long route; you will have to take the short one."

"All right," agreed the party, rallying their forces, "we'll take the short one, then. Forward, march!"

Down, down they went in pairs along the circuitous stairway to the entrance, where the thick darkness might be felt. With lighted torches they turned from the suns.h.i.+ne and entered upon the pioneer wagon tracks imbedded in the soil for two miles. Hither the early settlers were wont to convey their salt barrels and other stores for safe keeping from the natives.

Laughing, talking, jesting, the merry party went in.

"Jerusalem! What's that?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed a young fellow, with more vigor than polish, as he fought right and left an unknown foe.

"That? Oh, that's only bats flying around. They don't stay in much further. They'll hit you in the face if you don't look out," explained the guide.

"Yes, I think they will," said the victim, still spluttering and flouris.h.i.+ng his handkerchief. "A little more of that sort of thing and I'll turn back now."

They soon reached the avenue that leads to the Side Saddle, where more than one merry la.s.s took a seat for effect. They heard how an explorer named Goren had once stood idly talking and pecking against the wall with a sharp stone when, lo! it broke through. He continued to widen the opening till, upon throwing down a blue light, there stood revealed a perfect dome, exquisitely filagreed. It has been known ever since as Goren's Dome, and a good-sized window, jagging the wall, admits one or two lookers at a time. On their knees they crawled through the Valley of Humility, and out into almost endless s.p.a.ce, so varied are the landmarks of this underground miracle. Here is a chamber too vast to be lighted by the torches; there, a defile so narrow as to be pa.s.sed only in single file. Now they traverse a level valley to emerge at the foot of a mountainous region that must be attacked with alpenstocks and helping hands.

"Oh, look at that awfully dark place! It might be Pluto's hallway," said a girl.

"Don't go that way," called the guide; "you must just follow me. There is where that stranger strayed off and was never heard of again. He was in bad health and came in here to breathe the pure air for a few hours.

He never came out."

"Goodness!" thundered a dozen voices; "let's move on before his ghost appears. I hear the rattle of dry bones now."

"The Star Chamber!" shouted the guide, who, being in front, had often much ado to send his voice to the rear of the party. "Ladies and gentlemen, walk in, take your seats, and let me have your torches."

He was obeyed with much fluttering and chattering. He extinguished all the lights but his own, and disappeared behind a ledge of shelving rock.

They were in total darkness. Gradually a ray of blue, then of red, then of white light, flashed upon the vast concave roof, showing myriads of star-like points resembling the Milky Way, a crescent moon, and finally a comet appearing in full sail. The effect was magical.

"It is usual to have a song here, if you would like it," suggested the guide.

"By all means," was the universal response. "A chorus! a chorus!"

Then the voices swelled upon the air in a thousand reverberating echoes.

At the close the guide reappeared and lit the torches. Once more they sallied forth.

"Where is Minnie Dare?" suddenly asked a tall girl, whose tongue was too voluble for the guide's equanimity.

"Here!" sounded the stentorian voice of Jason Hammond.

Upon turning back, however, he found not Minnie, but another small maiden near him. He darted again into the Star Chamber just as the fleet steps of Minnie Dare ran toward him. Not, however, in time to prevent his discerning among the shadows Eldon Brand hurrying to her side.

Catching the girl's tender arm in a vise-like grip, the man hissed in her ear,--

"By Heaven, my girl, if you don't stop philandering in the dark with that young scoundrel, I'll pitch him into the first pit I see! You belong to me, and I'll kill you before another shall have you!"

With a cry of mingled pain and terror the girl broke from him. Eldon Brand, who had seen the gesture without hearing the words, sprung with uplifted arm toward the man. Ere he could strike he was seized from behind by strong arms, and a voice urged,--

"Don't, Brand! For Heaven's sake, let that ruffian alone till we get out of this. You will frighten the ladies, get yourself into the newspapers, and play the deuce generally. Come on--they are calling in front."

Hammond had seen this little by-play, and would not soon forget it; but at present he strode on after the girl.

"Why don't you fellows keep up?" grumbled a voice as the delinquents entered the Chapel.

"Did anybody fall? I thought I heard a cry back there," said the tall young lady peering suspiciously into the group; but all seemed serene in the fitful torchlight.

In the Chapel huge stalact.i.tes and stalagmites meet each other to form arm-chairs, thrones, alcoves, pulpits, and a double niche conspicuous among its surroundings. Standing within this niche a restless pair exclaimed:

"What a capital place to be married! Who will p.r.o.nounce the ceremony?"

"Bless you, my children!" invoked a sober-looking fellow, extending his arms in mock solemnity.

An earnest, significant look flashed from Eldon Brand's eyes into the still blanched face of Minnie Dare. As they met the glance it bore but one meaning to her, and the rosy color again mantled her cheek.

"Time's up," said the guide; "come along."

It was late ere the party completed the tour of the Short Route wonders, and there was barely time to dress for the ball-room at Cave Hotel, a dance being an attractive interlude between journeyings.

Indoor etiquette forbade the hateful espionage to which Hammond had subjected the girl he claimed as his own during the informal jaunt of the day. So at ten o'clock, despite the scowl on his dark face, she stood up in the dance with Eldon Brand.

Perhaps her persecutor might have attuned his wooing to something less ferocious, but soft words having proved futile, he sought to frighten her into compliance. Love's dallying might come later on. He deemed his prize secure. She could not escape him. He held her father's honor--aye, his very life--in his relentless grasp; for Colonel Dare was not a man who could survive disgrace. Let her rebel, and the world should hear an ugly story of rash speculation, involving a ward's trust money; of financial ruin and despair. Oh, yes--she was his, fast and sure.

It required all her persuasive power to withhold her lover from a personal attack upon her betrothed husband.

"It can do no good, Eldon," she urged; "my father has promised my hand to this man. He is somehow in his power. There seems no escape. Oh, that I might die and be free! It is like a horrible nightmare."

Then his words came in pa.s.sionate pleading. Eloquently the tones fell upon her ears. At length the hopeless apathy in her eyes gave place to interest, then animation, and finally to a degree of agitation but ill-concealed from the suspicious watcher. They were standing on a low balcony just outside the ballroom.

"Will you, dearest? Will you be brave for my sake--for our sakes?" were Eldon's parting words.