Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-03-20

'mysteriously; al remember hearing grand
mamma say once that Anneris Darrell, a
grand-aunt Of Sir Philip, you know, would
not cross the river one year when the
floods were out, though she had to take
an important Journey South; but nothing
happened The bridge she would have
had TO cross remains still. Generally the
barrels have been reckless about that
warning; and not one of them has come
to grief at the time of the floods. Sir
Philip when lac was boy, crossed foot
bridge just above the lock when he was
told 1t was dangerous; the river rose in
September that year, and three minutes
after he had reached safety the bridge
was swept away. The last time he was
here, was one October more than five years
ago, he did "A fearfuly daring thing. One
OF his tenants, poor woman, lived in
cottage near the river; the water rose so
high that she had to take to the roof Of
the cottage. Sir Philip launched boat
he's splendid oarsman; put the current
Of the Coalmere is always strong, and OF
course at the ilood-timc il is like mill
race; nevertheless he put out. He was
carried down nearly mile, and how he
managed to escape or to reach the cottage
I know not but he did manage, and saved
the woman"
elbow glorious" cried lima, flushing
with excitement and clasping her hands.
"Oh, Rose, q man who could do such
'deed of deering-do' must bear charmed
life! No curse for crime not his could
touch him."
Rose looked admiringly at her enthusi-
astic cousin.
"He believes in the curse" she said
gravely-"they all do; and am afraid IL
will be fully worked out with his life. 1
should feel far easier il he left before the
river rose. Why, lie is thirty-one, and
still unmarried; and such a man as he is
need never go begging for wife. He
ought to marry for the sake Of the old
house, whether he would fall in love or
not. No one Of course ventures to ask
him any questions; but he is hardly ever
at the Court, and when he is it is only for
a week or two. He came back few days
ago from the Continent, and you will not
hear anything talked Of now but Sir Philip
but don't fall in love with him. am in
earnest lima"
$50 you SEEM" said lima, laughing;
"but you tempt me to try him. What
funl Do you think he has made up his
AhihV hSNSA W any hapiSsS ihSiuSh Ah-
to woe through giving him her heart
declare I'll find outw
"Ilma, you must notw said Rose
"You'll have to meet him, you know;
Sor we know him, and so does aunt
Rachel, of course. He is most fascinst-
ing man-been all over the woodland so
intellectual. l always feel half afraid of
him; there seems kind of recklessness
about him, as if he was trying to fly from
himself; and he does such reckless things.
lie does not seem to value his life; yet he
always escapes danger, as if there was
something supernatural about him; and
then the knowledge that he is under "a
curse, gives one an eerie impression in it.
SELF"
"You are supersttious, you North
Country people," returned skeptical IL
ma. ave are bad enough in Cornwall;
but then l left ii so young. 1 believe you
really think Sir Philip is kind of Mephis-
topheles."
"He would do for it," remarked jamie
-''the beautiful Mephstopheles OF the
German legends"
"Dear me-" said lima, 81 wish he would
fall in love with you, jamie! Now cross
yourself and mutter charm"
But jamie shook her head.
"Wish me anything but that, lima
However, am safe. l am not the kind
of girl Darrell would fall in love with,
though l am sure he could make any wo-
man love him ii lie tried"
"What an irresistible cayalerw
"Ah, you New-World skeptic," said
Rose, rising, "you mock, but take care!
Everybody must have told you how beau
tiful you are"
ooh, this is lovely" cried the girl,
clapping her hands. "Fancy tom-boy me
winning the heart and ever so many thou
sands year of Dark Darrell, who is un-
der a curse and half supernatural, and
rides about OH black horse-it must be
black, TO be in keeping-and who plays
battledoor and shuttlecock with his life,
and yet is miraculously preserved Why,
Rose, you pique me to the combatw
"You mustn't talk So" cried Rose,
catching Ilma's arm. 81 would rather see
you in your coffin than lady OF the Court;
it can't be mere legend that such man
as Darrell believes in so thoroughly. Come
on and sec the Mill and the weir, and meet
Roland"
don't know that Sir Philip isn't wise. 1t
husb Dt ~ w iaii IA iSfOs
is Sir Philip very wicked"
81 don't know. They say he was no
saint ut oxford or anywhere else; but I
don't know. l never heard of his doing
anything wicked here"
"Then he is not second Sir Irgel-
hard?"
"Oh, no, no! He is q true Darrell, .
high-soulcd gentleman; I'm any matter
OF honor, l would trust him to the utter
most" ..
"Then he'is not ephistopheles. That
is comfort" said lima; and then she
paused suddenly, with u delighted "Ah,
that is beautiful %
They had emerged from the wood, and o
beautiful panorama laid before them. At
two hundred yards from where they stood
flowed the broad rapid stream Of the Coal
mere, and, foaming aud roaring, the wa
tiers Of Giisy's Weir tumblcd into the riv-
er from height vi at least twelve feet
On the opposite bank, with u background
Of wooded hills, rose the venerable and
picturesque old Mill, and the great wheel
:ould be seen turning round, worked by
the rushing waters. Beyond, the landscape
stretched away in "rolling country" to
the foot Of q lofty range Of hills.
Rose was the first to speak; for lima, i'm
pressed by the wild beauty of the scene,
10 which the narrative she had just heard
lent vivid interest, stood in rapt silence.
"Look. Ilma," said Mss Sabine. ado
you sec that man in gray coat and knick-
erbockers fishing below the weiry That
is Roland"
lima turned with half-sigh.
"Come," said Rose shall we run down
to himW And all three set of down the
slope, jamie calling out as they approached