of unbroken abyss extending from the
nickum's knickerbockered legs, nonchalantly
swinging, to an awed grove of
young pine trees, rock-ribbed and bowlder-strewn,
far below.

"Oh! I don't want to look at him,"
she cried cravenly. "How will he--ever--climb
back up here again?"

"Tr-rust him--" began Toandoah's
daughter, then suddenly clutched her throat,
her widening eyes as round, as bright, as
staringly blue as the mountain lupine already
opening upon the world's surprises,
in sunny spots, among the hills.

Those eyes were now fastened to the
back of the nickum's close-cropped head,
to his broad shoulders in a rough, gray
sweater, noting a certain "bully" shrug
of those shoulders at the surrounding
landscape, as if, monarch of all he surveyed,
he yet felt himself a usurper in his
present seat.

"Something rotten--something rotten
in the State of Denmark!" crowed Pemrose
[[67]]

p066 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p067w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p068

v?