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Updated: June 10, 2025
"You are right, Jack," said Lyle, "if I were to wait for his consent, I would never leave here, or have any advantages." "May I inquire," said Jack, addressing Miss Gladden, "at what time you expect to return east?" A faint color tinged Miss Gladden's cheek, as she replied: "I have not yet decided just when I will go east, but probably the latter part of the summer."
A new thought had flashed into Miss Gladden's mind. For some time she had doubted whether Lyle were really a child of Maverick and his wife, she was so utterly unlike them; could it be possible that Jack, whose life seemed so much a mystery, was the father of Lyle?
In the first place, I must say to you, that regarding Lyle's true parentage, whether or not she is the child of the Mavericks, I know, positively, nothing more than do you, yourself." He smiled as he noted Miss Gladden's look of astonishment, and continued: "Like you, I have my suspicions that she is not their child, and have had them since first seeing her, years ago.
To Jack, isolated as he had been for years from refined, intellectual associations, it seemed like a glimpse into another, and not unfamiliar world, and the deference and respect expressed in Miss Gladden's manner were especially gratifying.
I am glad we will not be separated in the life of love and happiness that awaits me. We will be sisters still, more closely united than ever." Turning to Morton Rutherford, whose emotion seemed nearly as deep as Miss Gladden's, Houston said: "Morton, you remember hearing of my beautiful cousin Edna, and of the sad death of herself and her little daughter, as we always supposed.
Instantly there flashed into Houston's mind the memory of Lyle's warning, and also of Miss Gladden's declaration that she had seen and talked with Jack, but how could his true position be known to either of them? "I have but two friends here, at present," was his reply, "and they are women." "True women are the truest friends," said Jack tersely.
I love you and trust you the same as ever," exclaimed Miss Gladden impulsively, "he is no father of yours!" Lyle, in her grief, did not notice the import of Miss Gladden's words, but she exclaimed passionately: "I will never call that man father again as long as I live, and if it ever comes to that, I will shoot him, rather than let him injure Mr. Houston."
Far below could be seen the winding, canyon road, while above and beyond, on all sides, the mountains reared their glistening crests against the sky. For a time they gave themselves up to the enjoyment of the scene, till, at Miss Gladden's suggestion, the tuning of the various instruments began, interspersed with jokes and merry, rippling laughter.
A beautiful woman is never so lovely as when defending the cause of some sister less fortunate than herself, and Houston thought he had never seen Miss Gladden so beautiful as at that moment, and the thought must in some way have conveyed itself to his eyes, for there was something in his glance that brought a bright color to Miss Gladden's cheek, and an added tenderness to her soulful eyes; something that remained with her all that day, and somehow made life, even in the heart of the mountains, shut out from the rest of the world, look more inviting, more alluring than it had ever done before.
She was not disappointed: he started, almost imperceptibly, and as he fixed his dark eyes upon her own, she noticed, as never before, how keen and piercing, and how eloquently beautiful they were. Miss Gladden's eyes did not drop before his searching gaze; she was determined that he should read only sincerity and candor in their depths, and make his answer accordingly.
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