Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-06-12
THE GlPSY'S CURSE.

towards the weir; put It's roar grew
louder and louder, so that Jobs muttered
reply was lost in the thunder of the angry
waters. Were they going To throw her
over? She almost wished they were. But
no; she was carried on-still on, over the
lock bridge. They were taking her to the
Mill-the Mill that would be washed away
that night Where was Zeph now? Gone?
All, Heaven, there was some sense Of pro-
lection while in her presence She was
woman, evil though lima knew her TO be.
lima did not faint, not once did her
keen wits desert her. Every faculty was
sharpened. She quickly revolved the
feasibility of any appeal to her captor,
and dismissed it as worse than futile. In
the first place, Heston was firmly con-
WINGED that Dark Darrell would perish in
that nights floods, and therefore he would
only laugh at her if she promised him q
reward from her lover if he would save
her; in the second place, she felt certain
that, though the roar of the weir prevented
her from hearing anything else, Roland
Sabine was close at hand, and possibly
nay, probably-armed; so that treachery
on Jobs part would be Instantly frus-
trated.
Her Cousins object was, she thought, to
imprison her in the Mill, and to try to
force her into "A promise to fly with him,
leaving her, if she refused, to perish in the
foods; and, horribly as this fate was, It
was Elysium compared to that which she
had first conceived, and which even now
was not beyond possibility.
Her hurried reasoning was cut short by
Job pausing; then he commenced TO as
cend steps. He was going into the Mill!
Then for the first time she heard steps fol.
lowing. On they went, still on; they had
passed the first floor. Next a somewhat
steep ladder was climbed, something was
set down by the man who followed job
the man was Roland, lima knew--and the
next moment she was put down gently,
the shawl removed, and she found herself
in the disused corn-loft from the narrow
window of which she had gazed u few days
before, and Roland Sabine stood before
her, the dim rays of lantern shining upon
his CHASTITY face.
Not less CHASTITY was the face on which
he dared not look, while the large brown
eyes sought his in very agony of appeal.
Even JOB Heston, villain though he was,
turned away, and seemed unwilling TO
gaze on the beautiful fragile creature he
had brought to dreadful death.
Roland first broke the terrible silence.
He advanced Il step towards his victim.
selma" he sad-and his voice sounded
hard and changed, as changed as his aspect
-"you have nothing worse than death TO
fear. There is but one way TO escape
open YOU"
The girl did not answer him; but he
saw the look of terror pass from her eyes,
and Il deep long breath of ineflable relief
made her breast heaye for Il second. The
Al. ia to-, In.
yet fully comprehended, and the thought
of death as something to shrink from had
yet to come; it was as an angel of light
that it came just now.
Before Roland could speak again, Job
strobe towards the large trap-door that
gave admittance to the loft.
'H'm off, sir" he said. "Tain't safe TO
stay here long; and, il you'll take my adj
vice, you won't stay long. The floods may
be up any hour, with the rain falling in
the mountains us il is. Good-by, missy.
You breed your own weird when you let
Dark Darrell catch your fancy with his
handsome face and gloZing tongue"
He uttered harsh laugh, perhaps TO
hide some CLEAN of better feeling in his
hardened nature, us he left the hapless
girl to her fate; and the next moment lie
had disappeared through the trap door and
descended the ladder, whistling loudly.
Roland sprang to the window--for lima
did not stir step or move her ashen
lips-and looked out. Was it the CLEAN
of water that he saw Immediately below?
Was the river, in the few minutes that
had elapsed, up TO the door of the Mill?
1t had almost washed their feet as they
entered, but now He turned, and
suddenly grasped Ilma's wrist, with
grip so s.rong that at any other time she
must have cried out; now she seemed
beyond feeling physical pain.
sIma," he cried hoarsely, ssthere are
not many moments TO lose; the floods may
be Oh us directly! Do you understand?
Come with me fly with me--be my wife !;
refuse, and 1 leave you here to perish.
There is no escape; and there is no relent-
ing in me. / would kill you with my own
hand"-he said those words through his
teeth, his face close to hers, his hot breath
on her cheek-"sooner than see you in
Philip Darrelps arms--his bride. Now
choose; there is no mercy. L brought you
here tonight to choose between life with
me and death with him."
Steadily, calmly with the awful roar
of the swelling waters in her ears, tho
young girl looked into the face that seemed
scarcely human. Low and firmly she spoke,
the first words she had uttered in her fatal
prison-house.
al will die. | am not afraid to die Ii
my time is so short, leave me alone to pray /;
for am not sinless, though have done
you no wrong"
Roland relaxed his grip and fell back.
scare you mady" he said in q hoarse
whisper. "Did you comprehend me when
l said sdie with him'l You shall not die
alone--no, no--that were cruelv'
lie laughed till the rafters rang, and the
girl recoiled with a new and fearful ter
ror in her heart. hollands wild words
when he parted from her that morning
came back to her. Was he mad!
"No, no." he said again more calmly,
but with Il concentrated ferocity in tone
aud look almost more terrible than his
frantic outbreak; .'you shall sec your
handsome lover once more. lie shall clasp
YOU to his heart again and give you part
ing kiss. DO you understand me!"-
stopping before her, aud folding his arms.
elf you choose death, l shalt send to
Philip Darrell and tell him where you are
and know him and his race we'll enough
to know what lie will do. lie will come "
With q cry of agony the girl flung her
self at her captor's feet.
"Roland, you cannot--you will not d'
thisl Kill me with your own hand--dral
me from here and fling me into that tor
rent--but, oh, spare himy Spare youl
own soul that added guilt, Roland" She