The train had been divided; and the first half with its two
engines was seen at times puffing and snorting directly overhead of the
second half on the lower curve.
With each hundred feet of elevation, the view changed and widened. Now it
was of over-lapping hills set with little mesas, like folds of green
velvet flung over the rocks; now of dim-seen valley depths with winding
links of silver rivers; and again of countless mountain peaks sharp-cut
against the sunset sky,--some rosy pink, some shining with snow.
The flowers were a continual marvel. At the top of the pass, eleven
thousand feet and more above the sea, their colors and their abundance
were more profuse and splendid than on the lower levels. There were whole
fields of pentstemons, pink, blue, royal purple, or the rare scarlet
variety, like stems of asparagus strung with rubies. There were masses of
gillias, and of wonderful coreopsis, enormous cream-colored stars with
deep-orange centres, and deep yellow ones with scarlet centres; thickets
of snowy-cupped mentzelia and of wild rose; while here and there a tall
red lily burned like a little lonely flame in the green, or regiments of
convolvuli waved their stately heads.
From below came now and again the tinkle of distant cow-bells. These, and
the plaintive coo of mourning-doves in the branches, and the rush of the
wind, which was like cool flower-scented wine, was all that broke the
stillness of the high places.
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