Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-03-27
THE GIPSY'S CURSE;
CHAPTER III.


scrutinizing gaze-she was not bit afraid
to look a young man in the face-to see
what she ought to think OF the tall, broad
shouldered, fair-haired cousin who, drop
ping his fishing-tackle, advanced to greet
her. What he thought of her was to be
read pretty plainly in his face, without
the aid Of his somewhat blunt speech
"Well, cousin lima, you are beauty |;
it's a double pleasure to see YOU"
He was comely, Of fair complexion, q
good deal tanned, he had bright, but rath-
er closely-set gray eyes. The mouth how
ever was heavy, the jaw massive, and both
seemed to indicate sullenness-possibly,
under strong provocation, ferocity. Not
that lima, who was scarcely more than q
child, was able to analyze her Cousins de-
fects; but she felt them instinctively, and,
though nine people out of ten would have
called Roland frank because of his blunt
manner and hearty laugh, lima did not be-
lieve he was.
CHE has furtive look" she said to her.
self; "he has a bad temper, too. don't
think shall like you, Roland"
Roland however made himself very
agreeable, he led the way down to the
weir, and showed lima the spot whence
Zarah Heston had cast herself; but when
lessly on the dizzy platform, above the
roaring Hood, the young man would have
pulled her back.
W am never giddy," she said smiling
81 have stood over many fall hundreds
Of feet higher than this. suppose you
call 1t Gipsy's Weir because Zsrah named
it so?"
"Yes, before that il was merely Scarth
Abbot Weir. The lock was built Ia 1890
by the grandfather Of Sir Philip Darrell.
Old Reuben Daft, the lock-keeper, is a To-
cal character. L don't think you would
understand one word in ten of his.'
81 shall have talk with him to-mor-
row." said lima, still looking down OH the
weir; and, as she stood there, her slen-
der figure thrown out against the back
ground of the hills, the soft evening breeze
stirring the golden curls, she looked like u
fairy, or the presiding naiad of the Coal
mere.
Roland gazed OH her admiringly for q
few moments before replying to her last
words.
"Perhaps Daft won't understand you
either"
"Why? Do you say talk like a foreign
, err Rose and jamie said so:"
"Ihey were right; you do. But come
down, lima, please; you make me very
giddy"
"Do II beg your pardon"
She stepped down Mt once, and as she did
so, door in the Mill opened, and girl
came out, and began crossing tlfe lock-
bridge.
.Here is Zeph Heston," said Roland
"Now, lima, let us see if you understand
herr"
na ~ ion StriE M
about the girl who now approached the
cousins. She moved with certain easy
grace inherent in her tribe, the character
istics which three hundred years of "A sta
tionary life had not obliterated. Zeph
Heston had swarthy gypsy face and black
eyes, and fair share OF good looks; but
she was not handsome, though red kerr
chief on her head, in lieu Of 4 hat or bon
net, gave her picturesque aspect.
"Good evening"" she said, curtseying
to the gentleman and ladies in turn, and
gancing very keenly ut lima. "Been
showing the foreign young lady the weir,
aud the Mill aud all, see."
lima made out the drift OF this speech
though the words were delivered with q
broad Cumberland accent. Roland re
piled to it.
"This young lady Is Miss Costello, oui
cousin, Zeph," -anothcr curtsey from
Zeph-"and she thinks the place very
beautiful. We shall ask Job to snow us
over the Mill in a day or two"
"She's welcome-most welcomew said
Zeph, scanning lima furtively again.
"Did We sec the lord ride past, Mr.. Ro.
land?"
"No. Where and hem"
"Oh, just before came up! lie rode
will be best for the lord not to stay here
long"
"Why, Zeph?" asked Rose eagerly.
"Father says there will he heavy rains
next month, and he knows"
"What them" asked Roland.
"Father says the floods will be out to
the hills this year, said Zeph oracularly
Sand you know what 1t saysp
"It was apparently the Darrell curse
In the Scarth Abbot.
dwell, butt. said Roland "the Darrells
have braved the floods again and again.
See how Sir Philip himself escaped when
he saved widow Hunt.n
ellis time was not come, Mr.. Roland"
returned Zeph, frowning little; "but
the time must come, and Sir Philip is the
last Of his bouse. Good evening, my Ia
dies; good evening, sir"
With another ,ook-not oyer-friendly-
ut lima, and a covert glance at Roland
Zeph went on her way
"What an oddityw said lima, gazing
after her. al can follow her pretty we'll
What pity we missed seeing Dark Oar.
rell on his black steed! / knew 1t would
be black, Rose"
Rose and jamie discussed the black horse
which Sir Philip had not had the last time
he came to Scartll Abbot, all the way
home, while lima walked by Roland's side
and asked him hosts of questions about
the place and the people.
The remainder Of the evening passed
pleasantly In music and conversation, and
It was late when Miss Durnford and Ilmi
returned to the Grange.
Uma's dreams that night was a jumbl,
Of Ottawa and Scarth Abbot, gipsies
weirs, mills, and Spanish-looking cavaliers
on black horses; and she awoke early
with the sun shining in her room.
The girl sprang up, dressed quickly, ant
opened her bedroom door. Not a sou
was stirring In the house. lima looked a
her watch; 1t was barely six o'clock.
"Jollyp she thought. al shall run
down to the weir before breakfast"
She did not put on her hat, but ran ou
bareheaded, effecting her exit by her bed
room window. A creeper grew without
and by means Of this the agile young cir
rapidly reached the garden; she then hur
ried away toward the river. She had tn
dewy morning all to herself, aud scattere,
the diamond drops like spray as she move,
through the grass, laughing to see how
wet were her shoes and the bottom Of he
blue-and-whitc serge morning-dress.