Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-05-29
THE GlPSY'S CURSE.
CHAPTER IN.

escupe lIoih every living lhilS, ana The
wilder the country grew the better pleased
she was. Up hill and down dale she went,
and along rocky paths, till she came at
last to deep gorge, the sides of which
were thickly clothed with verdurc.
The place looked like an enchanted dell,
aud brought TO Ilma's ready imagination
the old legend OF the knight who rode
with the cross hilt of his sword upifted
through the enchanted groves. She won-
dered il the superstition of the country
folk had peopled the glen with elves and
other mysterious beings, and IL the hoof-
marks her quick eye detected among the
thick moss that carpeted the ground were
those OF hcRdless stecd, like the one that
haunted the precincts of the Alhambra.
The entrance TO the gorge sloped grad
ually from were lima stood. At another
time she would have deliberately skirted
the verge for the pleasure of scrambling
down; but now she had lost her wild, high
spirits, and walked onward slowly, swing
ing her hat and listening TO the singing of
the birds in the trees, and watching with
dreamy interest the sunlight among the
leaves. Deeper and deeper she went into
the dell, thinking she would discover the
outlet; for, she argued, there surely was
an outlet, since the hoof-marks were still
visible going one way, and there was no
sign of a return journey.
IL was strange, the girl SAID TO herself,
that she had never heard OF this wildly
beautiful spot before Stay! She stood
still for q moment, trying TO remember.
Yes; had not Rose, only the other day,
talked of the Abbots Dell, which was said
to be haunted? No doubt this was the
place. Haunted! Then she need have no
fear of meeting any one. But the hooi-
marks? The girl had moved onward, but
now halted again with sudden throb at
the heart. There was one man who cared
nothing for peasants tales. She glanced
behind her, but saw no sign of any living
creature, save the birds in the branches
and the scuttling squirrels. She listened.
There was dead silence, though indeed
on the messy ground even horses step
would not be audible till the animal were
within twenty yards.
She bent down and examined the marks
more attentively. An Indian would have
made more Of them, light us the impress
was; but lima could see that they were
those of a small-hoofed animal, though
whether they were recent or not her
knowledge did not enable her to determine.
Had Hassan passed that way: Well, why
Yesterday, or two days before, or three
hours ago, that Sir Philip had ridden
through the glen; and, ii it were only
tive minutes ago, he would be far ahead of
her, far out of sight before she reached
the end. But how the mere thought of
his having been so near-perhaps so re-
cently-made her heart beat! And how,
argue as she would, her lips quiyered and
her eyes gaZed fearfully before her with
every onward step she took! How she
started at every rustic Of a leaf, rs though
she expected TO see AN elm creature in-
stead OF u bird shoot forth from the brake !
Another turn, and no sign yet OF the
end of the long winding glen. Hark
What was that? The girl stopped abrup-
". A sudden flight Of birds from out of
the thick foliage scarce "a hundred PAGES
ahead. What had startled themy In
another second dark object came round
the turning-not the knight Of the legend,
with cross-hilted, sword elevated before
him, but Sir Philip mounted OH Hassan,
and gazing before him with such look as
strong proud men wear when they are
fighting IL stern battle with their own pas
sions, and know that. they are losing
ground inch by inch. But this lima had
not time to see; for he had recognised
the slight form standing in the soft twi-
light of the glen at the instant that he
passed the curve; and wild JOY lighted
up his face, and the last frail barrier the
strong will had striyen to uphold tottcred
and fell.
Not even pausing to draw bride, he
sprang from his horse, and was at llma's
side, her hands clasped in his, before the
startled steed had halted.
alma lima he cried-anu his whole
heart went out to her in the passionate
utterance-" oh, my life, my soul, can
strive no longer! Why have you come TO
tempt mel"
But lima could not answer him. She
was trembling violently. Her golden
head dropped, and her eyes sank before
his. How could she meet the look that
would have told her the whole glorious
truth il his lips had been silent aud his
hand had never touched hers!
"Ilmaw Now his arms were round her,
her heart was throbbing against his, and
his lips sought hers. 'Ilma, my darling,
/ know that you love me. Let me hear
you say it. Raise those dear eyes and
look into mine, and tell me that your life
is mine, rs mine is yours"
Was the curse forgotten!
She thought not of il, but raised her
eyes to his and whispered softly, the sweet
eyes sinking again immediately
al love youw And his lips sealed the
avowal.
Philip Darrelps wish was granted, and
that brief wild happiness was his. But,
oh, 1t was brief indeed, aud not even for
moment was there peace! Once more
and now too late-rose up before him
all that be had trampled under foot and
seemed TO have crushed forever. lie
raised his head, which had been bowed
on hers, and sought TO loosen his clasp;
but lima held his heart, and with low
cry of pain chung to him, pressing her
golden head against his breast.
"No, no." she said passionately, ''you
shall not put me from your You have
done me no wrong to love me and teach
me-ab, you could not help that!-to love
you. Heaven will not curse you'll will
not believe it,"
"Ilma, lima, hear mew
ssNo, mol" she cried again. "Evcn II
the curse be true, you cannot save me" -
and q noble triumph shone in the large
clear eyes that gazed now fell into his
" for 1 love you, and l must now suffer
with you. Your fate must be mine,
Philip, whether for veal or woe; and, oil,
1t would be a thousand times better to die
with you than to live without your
"Hush, hush, darling, you break my
heartp' But he strove no more to put
her from him, folding her closer and closer
to him. "why should be exempt from
the curse that has been on all my house
for three hundred years; though indeed
such love as yours, lima, might redeem
the blacklist doom that ever fell ON mani
Child lfsteo 20 me I was vet a VOIltl