Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-05-29

could live my life without love. 0nce-it
was years ago. saw one whose face was
fair enough to linger In my thoughts; and
L feared and would not see her again; and
soon almost the bare memory Of that face
passed away. Since then 1 have seen
many fair women in many countries, but
not one who could win me to break the
VOW 1 had made. But, when saw you,
knew for the first time the force of the
power that had thought more under my
own control. l was master Of my own
heart no more. There was one being in the
world, through which had wandered SO
many years, who was TO enter into my life
and make IL her own; and that one was o
golden-haired child, with cloudless eyes
that spoke to me language they were not
conscious Of uttering."
He paused q moment his voice failed
him; but lima whispered softly
sit is so sweet to think that it was nv
lot first to win your heart, Philip, and
that even on that morning when you saw
me on the river bank you gave me what
must ever be mine."
cay" he said bitterly; "bst l should
have been stronger. 1 did struggle, Hcav-
en- knows, TO conquer, but not till had
madly Hung myself into tcmptation-till
L had sought you defying my fate, and
giving my whole heart to you; and then,
when l believed you loved me, Ilma-ah
forgive me for the cruel test put you to,
and never blush, now dear one, that your
heart betrayed truth it did not recognise!
II thought the last cord that bound me
had snapped. Yet | made no more effort
to be true TO myself. On that last evening
that l saw you l resolved to keep away
from you'll would try To discover whether
your love was but girls fancy-and in
one second OF time all was swept to the
winds OF heaven, save only my love for
you. And now must your dear life be
sacrificed for mine: oh, lima, when you
will not believe my evil tate, it is your
great love that speaks! But, even so, is
my guilt the less IN winning you?-for
cannot plead doubt"
"Guilt?" The girl almost smiled. "Your
heart, L think, spoke better in that than
your reason. You know am not an utter
sceptic, Philip. 1 was az first; but, after
what heard, could be so no longer. But
why is there only one reading TO the full.
tilment OF the prophecy! You all allow it
to be ambiguous, yet believe that it can
point only 10 the extinction of your house."
" Life for life,'" repeated Darrell;
Sand gladly would my life be laid down
for you, lima; but, even then, should not
bring to you bitterest woeg''
"Woe TO which death were happiness"
said tue girl passionately. "But, Philip,
life is given by will rs by deed; may not
that be the eXpiation."
Sir Philip started violently.
81 cannot dare not think it," he said
hurriedly. "No, the hope were too
bright"
"lou have lived so long, Philip. in the
shadows that the light blinds your eyes;
but, come life OF death, l am still yours"
"Not to share death--just Heaven for
bid"' lie said, looking upwards.
"philip, Philip, what are the mere years
Of existence when all Is gone that makes
life more than timer
Darrell gaZed down wonderngly at the
exquisite face through which the woman's
soul shone so clear and strong. Was this
the happy careless child he had seen but
few days before dancing in the sunshine,
without il would seem, thought for the
morrow?
"Oh, my heart, my heart" he said,
with ineXpressible sadness, 81 have
robbed you of your happy childhood, and
have given you In exchange "a love that
must pierce you like a two-edged swordW
"But, all, the JOY with the painv' she
whispered, hiding her face. "And is not
one hour more Of earthly happiness worth
long years of dull content"
"Dost thou so love me, darling:"
He could say no more, but bowed his
head on hers again in silence; and he was
almost won to her faith, and the bitterness
almost passed away in the glory of her
sublime love.
The sun was now past the meridian; but
time was unheedcd in the en- chanted glen.
Gentle Hassan seemed content to be for
gotten for the slight dark-eyed girl to
whom his master spoke so low and tender
ly; and the birds sang softly in the deep
foliage.
Softly, little by little, yielding to his
questions, lima confessed to her lover how
she had suffered during those days of his
absence and how, when she knew her own
heart, she feared him, although she yearned
to see him again, so that she would have
fled from him at the moment she beheld
him if it had been possible.
"Sweet one"-hc could not help smil-
ing now-.'you sought. all unconsciously
what you would most avoid. There is not
one in these parts who will enter this
vale, save myself; there is no outlet at the
other end, as you imagined, and had
ridden through the glen only ten minutes
before l met you; so there was fate in
this at least. No snare ever set for bird
more complete"
"Then-oh, Philip, il any one has seen
me enter the glen it will be said came
TO meet you!"
alt is unlikely that you have been seen;
the country is wild, aud human beings are
scarce, though we are only u mile from
the gates OF the Court park
IN ear the Courty had no idea where
1 was" said lima coloring deeply.
.Whom do you fear." asked Darrell
watching her. ,"Roland Sabiney"
The girl started.
eyes," she answered in a low tone.
.Ilma," said Darrell quietly, "has he
dared to speak to your"
"No; it was to avoid him that came
out to-day. lie said something the other
night that startled me, and said / did not
understand him. When we were going,
lie asked To see me that he might explain;
and how could l refuse! So 1 said he
could come to-day; but grew so fright
ened, that at last, when l awoke this
morning, felt that could not meet him;
and that is how wandered out"
"a childlike act indeed, darling, re-
marked Sir Philip, STOPPING to kiss the
trembling lips that had told him this with
| such girlish naiyete. "And so you fed to
lover scarcely less dreaded, because low
! ed" Then his face grew stern. "Ilma,
| il Roland speaks to you, refer him to me;
and let him guard his tongue well, OF lie
will learn TO his cost that the last OF the
| barrels is not one whit behind his ances-
tors in ayenging an insult"
Lima had herself too high spirit to re-