The Silent Barrier

Оглавление

Tracy Louis. The Silent Barrier

CHAPTER I. THE WISH

CHAPTER II. THE FULFILLMENT OF THE WISH

CHAPTER III. WHEREIN TWO PEOPLE BECOME BETTER ACQUAINTED

CHAPTER IV. HOW HELEN CAME TO MALOJA

CHAPTER V. AN INTERLUDE

CHAPTER VI. THE BATTLEFIELD

CHAPTER VII. SOME SKIRMISHING

CHAPTER VIII. SHADOWS

CHAPTER IX “ETTA’S FATHER”

CHAPTER X. ON THE GLACIER

CHAPTER XI. WHEREIN HELEN LIVES A CROWDED HOUR

CHAPTER XII. THE ALLIES

CHAPTER XIII. THE COMPACT

CHAPTER XIV. WHEREIN MILLICENT ARMS FOR THE FRAY

CHAPTER XV. A COWARD’S VICTORY

CHAPTER XVI. SPENCER EXPLAINS

CHAPTER XVII. THE SETTLEMENT

Отрывок из книги

Explanations of motive are apt to become tedious. They are generally inaccurate too; for who can reduce a fantasy to a formula? Nor should they ever be allowed to clip the wings of romance. But the painter who bade his subject sit under a sodium light would justly be deemed a lunatic, and any analysis of Spencer’s character drawn from his latest prank would be faulty in the extreme.

In all London at that moment there was not a more level headed man of his years. He was twenty-eight, an expert mining engineer, and the successful pioneer of a new method of hauling ore. Even in Western America, “God’s own country,” as it is held to be by those who live there, few men “arrive” so early in life. Some, it is true, amass wealth by lucky speculation before they are fitted by experience to earn the price of a suit of clothes. But they are of the freak order. They are not to be classed with one who by hard work wrests a fortune out of the grim Colorado granite. Spencer had been called on to endure long years of rebuff and scorn. Though scoffed at by many who thought he was wrong, he persisted because he knew he was right.

.....

“There are points about this amazing proposal that require elucidation,” said the editor slowly. “Travel articles might possibly come within the scope of ‘The Firefly’; but I am aware that Miss Wynton is what might be termed an exceedingly attractive young lady. For instance, you wouldn’t be philanthropic on my account.”

“You never can tell. It all depends how your case appealed to me. But if you are hinting that I intend to use my scheme for the purpose of winning Miss Wynton’s favorable regard, I must say that she strikes me as the kind of girl who would think she had been swindled if she learned the truth. In any event, I may never see her again, and it is certainly not my design to follow her to Switzerland. I don’t kick at your questions. You’re old enough to be her father, and mine, for that matter. Go ahead. This is Saturday afternoon, you know, and there’s no business stirring.”

.....