Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-06-05

Wv 40 PdNb CltNOnt anu lou Oftn
undressed. What are you doing by the
open Window"
"Watching that cloud, auntie. am
not tired"
Miss Durnford could not see the speak
er's face distinctly In the dusk of the apart
ment; but she drew the slight form to-
wards her, and said gently
al cannot sleep tonight, and came to
see If you were wakeful too. Ny heart
fails me"-and her voice ALTERED" when
/ think Of Sir Philip Darrell-still at the
Court"
lima gently disengaged herself from her
aunts embrace, and went back to the
window, not kneeling down this time, bnt
standing with her forehead resting against
the glass. Presently she said softly, with
out looking round to where her aunt still
stood
al do not believe in the curse, suntie."
"Ilma dear" returned Miss Durnford,
"you must not mind my saying this, that
hope you are not speaking so because you
do not wish TO believe In misfortune COM
ing TO Sir Darrell. mean, hope you
do not think too much of him. You under
stand me!"
"Ies, auntie; l understand"
Miss Durnford paused; but lima said
no more; and the old lady felt disappoint-
ed. Why could not the child be frank
with herY Surely, she thought, n fear
and perpleXity, nothing had passed be-
tween lima and Sir Philip. If there had
been anything, the child ought to tell her.
Miss Durnford did not know how difficult
is such confidence TO q sensitive nature,
even ii willingly offered, and lima was NOT
willing. The secret belonged to herself
and Sir Philip, for the present at least.
Its revelation could only make her aunt
unhappy, and perhaps angry. Why should
any one know So the girl stood silent.
"Ilma," said Miss Durnford "you make
me anxious. You are not open with me,
as you should be. l do not want to blame
you; Sir Philip isa most fascinating man,
and it would be nothing strange if you
had allowed him TO engage your fancy"
Fancy-when the very sound of his
name thrilled through every nerve! But
the girl shrank from the prim phraseology,
and felt that she could not give her con-
tdence; besides, had she RICH. 70 do SOP
1t was true that her lover had not uttered
a word that implied he desired secrecy;
but she would not-indeed she would not
speak of what seemed to her too solemn
and sacred to be talked about.
"Auntie," she said pleadingly-and
there were tears In the sweet young voice
-"please do not ask me any questions to-
night-another time perhaps, but not now.
Don't think me unkind or ungrateful; but
couldn't say anything tonight"
Miss Durnford sighed heavily.
"YOu American girls" she said sadly,
dare so independent, cannot understand
you. When l was your age, sought my
mothers help when was In trouble; but
you fight your own battles at seventeen.
Good night, dear; go TO bed and try to
get some sleep"
lima was alone again. Independent!
Yes, doubtless she was; but somehow she
did not now feel the need of even a mother;
and Il mother, she argued-she had never
known her own-was something that the
kindest of aunts could not be. Her lover
seemed all-suficient.
"'Father to me thou art. and mother dear,
And brother too, kind husband of ruy heart,
So speaks Andromache."
And so spoke lima. Even with regard
to Roland Sabine she felt stronger-she
still dreaded him, but not so much. She
might have spoken to her aunt, and SO avoid
ed an interview with him; but this idea did
not occur to her. She, could, in her fear,
run away from him altogether; but TO ask
any one TO interpose on her behalf was
contrary to her nature; and, after all,
she thought, Roland had a right TO see
her. Certainly she would not seek an
interview, but she would no longer ayoidit.
At the turn of night the rain came. lt
fell suddenly, like vast sheet of water
from the heavens, with the roar and hiss
of cataract. 1t beat down the flowers in
ha r1a II laiA Hat fha i'm the
fields; it converted many Il dry mountain
watercourse into Il brawllng stream. Viii
layers, started out of their sleep by the
pouring of the torrent, drew back their
curtains and gazed forth in terror and the
thoughts of all turned TO the grand old
caste!lated mansion of the barrels and
its doomed lord.
Job Heston arose and went to his daugh.
ter's chamber and knocked ut the door.
class, lass, get up and look at the rain
1t has not fallen like this for more than
twenty years"
The girl was ut the door in IN instant,
with white scared face.
"Father, is the Mill safe!"
"Ayc, for tonight, yes; but, Zeph, il it
rains like this for two nights more, the
river will be over its banks, and this time
the Mill will co."
"And Dark Darrell:" said Zeph in a
low tone, after pause, filled by the rush
OF the rain, mingling with and almost
drowning the roar OF the weir.
"Why," replied Heston steadily, "he'll
die, and the foreign missy too. You saw
her with him to-day, Zeph. l knew how
it would be; hers is the life for which
he'll lose his. l'll come about somehow.
They'll toll the great bell in the chapel
for the last of the barrels before Sunday
comes around again."
The storm began to lessen at three
| o'clock, but the rain still fell in torrents
till nearly midday; and at that time the
Coalmere was rushing rapidly between its
green banks, u swollen and angry tide.
oThe waters risen more'n two feet
since six o'clock this morning" said the
old lock-man to Zeph. elf l was your
father, I'd clear out of the Mill for there's
no saying what may happen II the rain
comes again tonight AS 1t did last night"
"We'll have To 90 TO uncle's yonder,"
| returned Zeph gloomily, pointing across
| the bridge.
"And I'd see to it before nightfall If
! was YOU" said the lock-man. I'd war;
| rant the Lords life us soon Ms I'd warrant
| the Mill tonight IL the rain comes OH
heavy; and, once the floods are out, how'll
| you get away, even IL the Mill don't go
| and it's bound to-"
| Early in the afternoon 1t became known
that job Heston and his daughter were
| transferring all moyab,es from the Mill To
places of safety OH the Scarth Abbott side
of the river, household goods being de-
posted with u relative Of Jobs late wife
who was only Il cousin, though Zept
called him s.unc!e."
No one liked the lIestons; so, even In
his present extremity, job could obtain
little help but what lie paid for. lie