San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-10-16
THE GIPSY'S CURSE.
BY THE AUTHOR OF equity WITHOUT
CRIME" "THE wRECKERS OF
ERNA doom" ETC.

y
not cross the river one year when the
floods were out, though she had to take
an important journey South; but nothing
happened. The bridge she would have
had to cross remains still. Generally the
barrels have been reckless about that
warming; and not one oil them has come
to grief at the time of the floods. Sir
Philip when he was boy, crossed foot
bridge just above the lock when he was
told it was dangerous; the river rose in
September that year, and three minutes
after he had reached safety the bridge
was swept away. The last time he was
here, was one October more than five years
ago, he did fearfully daring thing. One
Of his tenants, poor woman, lived in y
cottage near the river; the water rose so
high that she had to take to the roof of
the cottage. Sir Philip launched a boat
he's splendid oarsman; put the current
Of the COalmere is always strong, and of
course at the flood-tlme it is like mill
race; nevertheless he put out. He was
carried down nearly mile, and how lie
managed to escape or to reach the cottage
know not; but he did manage, and saved
the woman"
"How glorious" cried lima, flushing
with excitement and clasping her hands.
"Oh, Rose, a man who could do such
sdeed of deering-do' must bear charmed
life! No curse for a crime not his could
touch him."
Rose looked admiringly at her enthusi-
astic cousin.
"He believes i'm the curse" she said
gravely-"they all do; and am afraid it
will be fully worked out with his life. L
should feel far easier if he left before the
river rose. Why, he is thirty-one, and
still unmarried; and such man as he is
need never go begging for wife. He
ought to marry for the sake of the old
house, whether he would fall in love or
not. No one of course ventures to ask
him any questions; but he is hardly ever
at the Court, and when he is it is only for
a week or two. He came back few days
ago from the Continent, and you will not
hear anything talked of now but Sir Philip
but don't fall in love with him. am in
earnest lima"
$50 you seem," said lima, laughing;
'.but you tempt me to try him. What
fun! Do you think he has made up his
mind never to drag any hapless maiden ill.,
to woe through giving him her heart. l
declare III find out"'
"Ilma, you must not" said Rose
'.YOu'll have to meet him, you know;
for we know him, and so does aunt
Rachel, of course. He is most fascinIt-
ing man-Deen all over the wOrld-and so
intellectual. | always feel half afraid of
him; there seems kind of recklessneSs
about him, as if he was trying to fly from
himself; and lie does such reckless things.
He does not seem to value his life; yet he
always escapes danger, as if there was
something supernatural about him; and
then the knowledge that he is under "a
curse, gives one all eere impression in it.
self"
"You are superstitious, you North
Country people," returned skeptical IL
ma. awe are bad enough in Cornwall;
but then left il so young. l believe you
really think Sir Philip is u kind Of Mephis-
topheles."
ale would do for it," remarked jamie
--'.the beautiful Mephistopheles of the
German legends"
"Dear me-" said lima, 81 wish he would
fall in love with you, jamie! Now cross
yourself and mutter a charm"
But jamie shook her head.
"Wish me anything but that, lima
However, l am safe. L am not the kind
of girl Darrell would fall in love with,
though am sure he could make any wo-
man love him if he tried"
"What al irresistible cavalierw
"Ah, you New-WOrld skeptic," said
Rose, rising, ..you mock, but take care |!
Everybody must have told you how beau
tiful you are.'
"Oh, this is lOvely"' cried the girl,
clapping her hands. Fancy tom-boy me
winning the heart and ever so many tHou-
sands year of Dark Darrell, who is I'M
der a curse and half supernatural, and
rides about OH Il black hOrse-it must be
black, to be in kceping-and who plays
battlcdOOr and shuttecock with his lie,
and yet is miracuIOusly preserved! Why,
Rose, you pique me to the combat"
"You mustn't talk So" cried Rose,
catching Ilma's arm. 81 would rather see
you in your coffin than lady of the [ curt
it can't be mere legend that such man
AS Darrell believes in so thoroughly. Come
on and see the Mill and the weir, and meet
Roland"
"Poor Rose" said lima, safer all,
don't know that Sir Philip isn't wise. 1t
must be dreadful nuisance to fall in love.
Is Sir Philip very wicked?"
81 don't know. They say he was no
saint at Oxford or anywhere else; but 1
don't know. l never heard of his doing
anything wicked here"
"Then he is not Il second Sir Irgel-
hard?"
"Oh, no, no. He is true Darrell, .
high-souled gentleman; in any matter
Of honor, would trust him to the utter
most"
"Then he is not ephistopheles. That
is a comfort" said lima; and then she
paused suddenly, with a delighted "Ah,
thnt il haautifulv,