The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-05-07


looked deathly white; and there was a
latent dread in her large eyes, but tho
curved lips and firm brow showed nothing
but resolve. She drew back as Roland
came forward eagerly, and held out her
| hand, as II by that action 10 deny him any
| other salutation until she knew whether
| lac returned IL as lover or rs cousin. Ro-
land paused.
"Well," he said with forced laugh,
which the angry flush in his cheeks and
the fierce CLEAN In his eyes belied," are we
strangersw
ono, Roland" The girl colored deep
ly, and her eyes fell. al am sorry about
yesterday. don't want TO make excuses.
did not forget my promise to YOU"
"You need not apologize" returned her
cousin, declining the proaered hand. al
know why you broke your promise; and IL
is not worth while 10 ask whether your
other promise was made before | said
goodbye to you the other night or after
wards"
"Other promisol What do you meani"
said the girl haughtily. 81 made no other
promise. went out to avoid you; that Is
the plain trutb--nothing more"
"Very well, then; wronged YOU" An
swered Roland, who did not doubt his
young Cousins truth. II lima had made
an appointment with Darrell, she might
have refused to answer questions; but she
would never stoop TO an untruth. 81
thought you had promised Sir Philip Dar-
rell TO meet him; for you were with him.
You were seen walking along the road
with him."
"What them" said lima. "Is that 80
very now or strange a thing TO dor Have
| never walked or ridden with Sir Philip
beforef What is 1t toyou or any one In this
place what do or where goW
at Is everything 10 me, Ilma," cried the
young man, Mf Darrell is--as believe he
is--your lover! No; you shall hear me
You know that love you; and that can
give you what he, with all his beauty and
his wealth and his intellect, cannot give
you--happinessl Sheer as you will, you
cannot shake of all faith in that terrible
curse. You must believe that to love him
Is fatal"
"Theh how can you save mel" inter.
rupted lima, with flashing eyes. "If
love him, IL IL too late--I must share his
fate"
GLOVER No, no." said Roland almost
wildly; at is not love--only fancy. You
arc captivated by his graces; his very
doom has excited your interests. He is o
bastard to have tried TO win you; and he
tried from the beginning. Look back, and
you will see that an not unjust to
him. He threw himself in your way, he
gave you costly gift, such as no man
would have given TO girl he did not
want to lay under an obligation to him.
Did he mean nothing by those flowers,
nothing by"
"Stop, stop, Roland! will not listen
TO you! How dare you speak so TO me of
Philip Darrellf" The slender girl seemed
transformed into q woman, as she stood
erect, with stern brow and commanding
gesture, never more superbly beautiful
than now. Leave me, you have said too
much already. should not have loved
you If had never seen Sir Philip OAR
reli never liked you, never trusted
you, and you have proved that my instinct
was right"
"Never liked me, never trusted mel
echoed Roland, drawing back step. His
face was livid-the look in his eyes made
the girl tremble inwardly, though she
showed nothing Of this in her fearless mien
and dauntloss gaze. Then you love Philip
Darrell, and he loves youW
"Why should I deny 1t? Even II his
fate is sealed by q gipsy-womal's curse,
am l not free to choose death with him
rather than live without himW
Roland stood still for moment, gazing
on the beautiful girl before him. He felt
should his vengeance be worked out.
Suddenly he burst into discordant laugh.
ayes, | suppose you have right to
choose your fate Yours, Il. a fair life to
win from him the needfu1 sacrifice A
man might well lose all for you. Yours
will be merry marriage-chimes. Ha, hal
Tell them not TO toll the minute-bell when
they bring the last Darrell home with his
bride No, am not mad; you need not
recoll with that white face. 1t will DO
whittier tomorrow by this tianew
lie laughed again, and, dashing open
the door, rushed from the room and the
house, leaving lima In the full belief that
his mind was unhinged.
An hour later Roland Sabine stood In
the littlo wood near the Coalmere, talking
In low tones TO job and Zeph Heston;
and, as the trio parted, Zeph nodded with
rosolute look of evil in her black eyes,
and said, can right; Pll do IT." and Job
dropped some money into his pocket and
said, "Agreod-all one to me sir"
Then Roland turned back towards the
village, but not homewards. He went no
farther than deserted barn q little way
up the slope; and there he sat down, with
the wide landscape of hill and void aud
river before him, and his heart full of
foul design that he scarcely cared even to
try 10 veil with euphemism.
He had not told Zeph the whole truth
when he had enlisted her services; he had
not told her that lima should have one
chance for her life, and that that chance
was " fly with him. he had only told her
the alternative, as though It were the
entire scheme; and, II lima chose that,
his crime would perish with her. The
Hestons dared not betray him, for his
guilt was theirs, and Zeph regarded hor.
self as In some sort an instrument to fulfill
the curse Of her aneestress. SMoreover, In
speaking 10 her first, he had flied her
foolish undisciplined heart with wild hopes
for the future, till he gave the girl cause
" think that he would some day make her
his wife. What tine result would DO when
Zeph found herself deceived Roland did
not ask himself; no was not u man who
at the bost Of times was able TO forecast
pyoud n short periol mr. In hedge rouud