While he gazed, he heard a voice calling in tones of warning from
above; and, at the sound, he perceived a change in the expression
of Margaret Cooper's face, from confidence and pride, to scorn and
contempt. At the same time she darted forward from rock to rock,
with a sort of defying haste, which made him tremble for her
safety, and left him incapable to follow. The call was repeated;
and Stevens looked up, and recognised the person of the youth whom
he had counselled that morning with such bad success.
If the progress of Margaret Cooper appeared dangerous in his sight,
that of the young man was evidently more so. He was leaping, with
the cool indifference of one who valued his life not a pin's fee,
from ledge to ledge, down the long steppes which separated the
several reaches of the rock formation. The space between was very
considerable, the descent abrupt; the youth had no steadying pole
to assist him, but flying rather than leaping, was now beheld in
air, and in the next moment stood balancing himself with difficulty,
but with success, and without seeming apprehension, on the pinnacle
of rock below him.
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