Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-06-05
THE GIPSY'S CURSE.
CHAPTER Y.

learn that Miss lima was out and had left
no message. No message Had she for
gotten her promise TO him? Roland ground
his teeth; but, hiding his wrath from the
servant, he said he would wait till Miss
Durnford returned.
The old lady came back before one. She
knew nothing of lima; doubtless she
would be in during the afternoon. Roland
departed, and at three called again. lima
had not yet returned. Miss Durnford had
fiattered herself that the girl was at the
Larches; But the young Squire's, appear
ance made her anxious. What could have
become of the childy She could never
have staid away so long on purpose.
Roland shared her anxiety, and went
At once to make inquiries about lima.
lie turned his steps first towards The
river, and was just approaching the lock
bridge, when he saw Zeph coming down
the slope. She stopped the moment she
saw Roland; and, rs he came towards her,
she looked into his face with wicked
fash in her eyes and laughed.
"Iou can keep on" she said shortly !;
Sand you needn't try 10 hide what you're
after. It's Dark Darrell's lady love YOU
were going TO ask about, know
"Dear Zeph," began Roland, ''if you
have seen-"
"Don't 'dear Zeph' mew interrupted
the girl tiercely, stamping her foot.
"Nou'd drown me Us soon Us look at me il
YOU dared, or see me drown, which il the
nSxt thing to it. It's that golden haired
foreign cousin of yours YOU are in love
with; and all the pretty things you have
said to me count for nothing now. But
You won't get her. Didn't know Sir
Philip would have her when / saw her
riding the Arab!"
''Zeph, are you madw cried Roland
hoarsely. "What do you mean!"
"Oh, l may suffer-" retorted the un-
daunted girl; "but you must not wait an
instant TO know what the girl you love is
about! You may talk to me, and tell me
you love me, and give me things, and
there is no harm done; as II had no heart,
and need not mind seeing you throw me
over directly beauty from foreign parts
comes your way! 'ris no use to fume,
Mr.. Sabine; you have treated me rs Sir
Philip would not have done, whatever his
ancestor did. He's noble gentleman
anyhow, and he'd never fool with an honest
girl he couldn't marry, as you have done.
You needn't worry after Miss lima;
she's chosen handsomer lover than you-
Ia, Ia! She's been directing her weird
while you've been hunting the woods for
her. She's not afraid of Sir Philips MSS
es. I'll warrant; she'd rather Iii with
him than live with YOU"
"Zeph," said Roland, grasping the girls
wrist, "tell me what you know. Are you
talking like this to torture me, or do YOU
mean that lima Costello has ned with
DaTel!"
"Ob, no." replied Zeph quietly. ''Maybe
she's home now; but | saw them on the
road together twenty minutes ago; he
was leading his horse and she was by his
side. Drop your hand, Mr.. Sabine; you
hurt me. just bit above the village they
stopped and said goodbye. lie didn't
kiss her then, though there was nobody
by that they could see; but he stood still
where she'd left him and watched her.
When she'd gone u bit, she looked back,
and he kissed his hand to her. You don't
like it, ell for Roland stamped his foot,
and, with Il terrible imprecation, ground
it on the path. "Well, so and tell him
so; but you can't have her il she loves
him; you know that"
"By the heavens abovs, he shall not
have berw said Roland, in blind fury,
81 will take her from him, or they shall
perish together! l swear it,"
Zeph's eyes flashed. She sprang for.
ward and grasped the young mans hand.
"Count Oh me-" she said. al hate her
as you hate him, aud will hate her when
she seorns you; for she will. Ay"-as
Roland shook OFF her hand her voice rose
almost TO a shriek--.it's of no use, Roland
Sabinel If she loves Philip Darrell, she
must die; and you know it. You take
her from him. Ila la r'--and she laughed
long and loudly.
nafo no nhN of Ia, la,, 20 la iaH
away, Roland was hundreds OF yards from
the spot, speeding he knew not whittier.
Not homewards, for he dare not be seen
there; nor to the Grange, for lie could
not meet lima in her aunt's presence. He
dashed i"to the woods, and there remained
till long after darkness had fallen, now
walking wildly to and fro. now lying on
the ground in chaos OF thought that made
him feel at times as IL his reason wer'
leaving him. He never doubted that lima
lad met Sir Philip Dasrell by appoint
ment; and she had either forgotten heI
promise to himself or had deliberately
ignored IL. He swore again that she
should be his, or die with the lover sh'
had preferred to him.
In Roland Sabine's nature there was {
ferocity that no one would suspect who saw
I'm him frank. perhaps at times sullen
tempered, North-COuntry squire. Hi
love was, after all, selfish passion; II
was capable of self-sacrifice. What he dc
sired to possess should be his or should be
long to no one else; rather would he de
stroy what he valued than allow another
TO have 1t. lie had displayed this trai
even as a lad. lie had shot fayorit'
pointer that had acquired TROUBLESOME
habits rather than allow a neighbor will
whom he was OH bad terms TO have thu
animal.
lie would rather have seen lima Costello
stretched dead at his feet than happy In
rivals arms. Fearful rs the thought was
he did not put il from him, or even try 3
do so. He nursed IL with fierce triumph
and even noted with grim satisfaction
as he at length walked homewards through
the night, that a heavy cloud hung solitar
I'm the heavens, otherwise clear, whic
seemed to brood over the river, and tina
the air was close and heavy. In n few day
1t might be week, it might be less-th
food would be out!
lima, kneeling at the chamber window
saw that cloud too, and bowed her sum
head; and she prayed-ah, how earnestly
with bitter tears, for her lover. Sh
had not told her aunt of her interyie,
with Sir Philip Darrell. The old lady Ia
received her with the JOY Of one relieve
from keen anxiety; and she had told lin
that Roland had called twice, and la
zone TO search for her. lima had bee
very penitent; but she had only said tina
she had been for q long ramble aud di
not know how the time had passed-whic
was strictly true; and Miss Durnford la
49,, s.tisfied with the exclamation.