San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-10-16
CHATTER III.

what she ought to think OF the tall, broad
shouldered, fair-haired cousin who, drop
ping his fishing-tackle, advanced to greet
her. What he thought of her was to be
read pretty plainly in his face, without
the aid of his somewhat blunt speech
swell, cousin lima, you are beauty;
it's u double pleasure to see YOU"
He was cOmely, of fair complexion, O
good deal tanned, he had bright, but rath-
er clOsely-set gray eyes. The mouth how.
ever was heavy, the jaw massive, and both
seemed to indicate sullenness-possibly
under strong provOcation, ferocity. Not
that lima, who was scarcely more than a
child, was able to analyZe her Cousins de-
fects but she felt them instinctiyely, and,
though nine people out Of ten would have
called Roland frank because of his blunt
manner and hearty laugh, lima did not be-
lieve he was.
sHe has u furtive look" she said to her.
self; s.he has bad temper, too. l don't
think / shall like you, Roland"
Roland however made himself very
agreeable, lie led the way down to the
weir, and showed lima the spot whence
Zarah HestOn had cast herself; but when
the young Canadian went and stood fear
lessly on the dizzy platform, above the
roaring flood, the young man would have
pulled her back.
81 am never giddy," she said smiling
81 have stood over many fall hundreds
of feet higher than this. l suppose you
call it Gipsy's Weir because Zarah named
it SOP"
eyes, before that it was merely Scarth
Abbot Weir. The lock was built in 1890
by the grandfather Of Sir Philip Darrell.
Old Reuben Daft, the lOck-keeper, is q To-
cal character. l don't think you would
understand one word in ten of his"
81 shall have talk with him to-mor-
row." said lima, still looking down on the
weir; and, as she stood there, her slen-
der figure thrown out against the back
ground of the hills, the soft evening breeze
stirring the golden curls, she looked like
fairy, or the presiding naiad of the Coal
mere.
Roland gazed Oh her admiringly for
few moments before replying to her last
words.
"Perhaps Daft won't understand you
either"
"Why? Do you say talk like Il foreign
er! Rose and jamie said sop
'They were right; you do. But coma
down, lima, please; you make me very
giddy."
ado 1? l beg your pardon"
She stepped down ut once, aud as she did
so, door in the Mill opened, and q girl
came out, and began crossing the lock.
bridge.
:Here is Zeph Heston," said Roland
Snow, lima, let us see if you understand
her!'
There was nothing particularly striking
about the girl who now approached the
cousins. She moved with certain easy
grace inherent in her tribe, the character
istics which three hundred years of sta
tionary life had not obliterated. Zeph
Heston had swarthy gypsy face and black
eyes, and fair share of cool looks; but
she was not handsome, though red kerr
chief on her head, in lieu of hat or bon
net, gave her Il picturesque aspect.
"GOod evening"" she said, curtseying
to the gentleman and ladies in turn, and
glancing very kcenly ut lima. "Been
showing the foreign young lady the weir,
aud the Mill and all, / see.'
lima made out the drift of this speech,
though the words were delivered with a
broad Cumberland accent. Roland re-
piled to it.
"Ths young lady is Miss Costello, our
cousin, ph,"-another curtsey from
Zeph-"and she thinks the place very
beautiful. We shall ask Job to show us
over the Mill in day or two.''
''She's welcome most welcome ~ said
Zeph, scanning lima furtively again
'Did we see the lord ride past, Mr.. Ro-
land?"
''NO. Where and when"
"Oh, just before you came up! He rode
by on black horse-a rare beauty. 1t
Will be best Tor the lord not to stay here
long,
"Why, Zeph:" asked Rose eagerly.
''Father says there will be heavy rains
next month, and he knows"
,'What them" asked Roland.
"Father says the floods will be out to
the hills this year, said Zeph oracularly;
"and you know what it says?"
"1t' was apparently the Darrell curse
in the Scarth Abbot t4' g..
"Well, but" said Roland "the BARRELS
have braved the floods again and again
See how Sir Philip himself escaped when
he saved widow Hunt"
ellis time was not come, Mr.. Roland"
returned Zeph, frowning little; shut
the time must come, and Sir Philip is the
last OF his house. Good evening, my la
dies; good evening, sir"
with another !Ook-not over-friendly-
at lima, and covert glance at Roland,
Zeph went on her way.
what an oddity"' said lima, gazing
after her. 81 can follow her pretty well.
What pity we missed seeing Dark Oar
rell on his black steed! / knew it would
be black, Rose"
Rose and jamie discussed the black horse