Quickly
dressing, Alfonso left his tent without speaking as the maiden put her
fingers to her lips, and quietly following Mariposa they walked by the
silver stream into a wild gorge. Graceful pines afforded cover for
Mariposa and Alfonso, as swift of foot, they scaled high cliffs, till the
Indian girl held aloft her hand, and above in a cleft of white quartz the
yellow gold shone brightly in the moon's rays.
When the time came for Alfonso to leave the Yosemite Valley, one of
nature's masterpieces, tears filled the eyes of lovely Mariposa. He
earnestly thanked Red Cloud and his daughter, and, saying good-bye,
mounted his pony, a gift from Mariposa, when the girl ran to him and
whispered, "Here, Alfonso, is the ring; bring it back to me when you are
rich, but you will forget Mariposa."
"No! no!" replied Alfonso, "I will bring back the ring, and you shall
give it to the one who makes you his bride." Then the Indian girl turned
her face toward the Bridal Veil Falls, and Alfonso rode sadly out of the
valley.
After several years, still wearing the magic band of beaten gold, having
developed the Mariposa Gold Mines into property worth millions, Alfonso
left the far west to seek beautiful Christine.
Pages:
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340