San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-10-15

look that lima thought .'funny." but no
one could nave mistaken Miss Sabine for
anything but Il lady, though equally mani
fest was IL that she was II provincial.
"Mamma aud jamie are in the drawing
room," proceeded RoseL .'ROland will be
home soon; OF, il you like to go down to
the weir, llma-wliat II pretty name we
may find hin there. lie went to fish,"
selma won'r caIc Tor Gipsy's Weir, af-
ter Niagara" r,.harked Miss Duthtord,
smiling.
m shall auntic, if it's pretty" said
lima. "Why do you call it Gipsy's Weir,
Rose:"
"Ah, thereby hangs a tale! nj inform
you all about it presently. Aunt Rachel
has evidently told you nothing about the
Dark Darrells and the curse"
81 left that for you young folk" said
Miss Durnford.
"Have you Il family here with curse"
exclaimed lima. "How delightful and
old-world. We have 10 such things in
Canada. l long for IA curse, or banshee,
or something of that sort"
Rose laughed merrily; then she looked
very grave.
"You wouldn't care about the Darrell
curse, lima. I'll tell you all about it pres
emily"
She led the way through the open WIN
dow into the drawing-rOom, and a pale
sickly looking lady rose from a fauteuil
and came forward with outstretched hands
to meet the young stranger.
"Welcome, DEAR" said Mrs. Sabine cor
daily, embracing and kissing the girl
ave will all try to make you as happy as
we can. You have seen Rose. This is
Janice" anu girl somewhat resembling
Rose, but younger, paler, and slighter, adj
vanced and greeted her cousin kindly,
though less demonstratiyely than Rose had
done.
Tears filled Ilma's large brown eyes,
How good they all were to treat her SO
lovingly, as if they had known her for
| long time. Her aunt Sabine made her sit
| down by her, and, holding the little hand
in her own, asked her about her uncle,
| and her life in Canada and her journey
over. After Il time Mrs. Sabine handed
over her niece to her cousins.
81 must not usurp YOU" she remarked
| smiling; '.yOung folk like to be together.
| Rose. it is only just getting dark, perhaps
| lima would like to 90 with you to the
weir, to meet Roland"
81 should very much" said lima; "and
/
| about a great family under curse"
"We don't think it a legend" observed
| jamie; "but | am afraid you will think
Cumberland people very superstitious.'
The Sabine girls fetched their hats. and
| the three young people went OF mcrrlly
| 10 the Gipsy's Weir.
| "NOw do tell me, Rose," said lima, as
| soon rs they reached the grounds, "abOut
| tLiS N rrrII md n .nrSp
| Rose was ready eI "Ugl.
| "You foreigners are IMPATIENT" she be-
gan, laughing, unable perhaps to resist the
| pleasure of tantaliZ.D2.
| "FOreigner"
"Why, yes! Aren't you half Cornish to
star " i'll, and haven't lou been brought
up all your life abroad: And you don't
| speak like an English girl either
| "Don't L."
| 81 dare say you think we don't. RO-
| land used to be so savage with us when he
| came back from Cambridge. He'll like
| your way of talking, | know. How did
| you escape the Canadian twang:"
| 81 hardly know. You see l have been
| only five years in Canada. Now the curse,
| please" pirouette.
"All right. Well" said Rose, compo-
sing face and voice to a gravity becoming
| the momentous history she was about to
| relate, ''you must know that, first of all,
that most of the property about here be-
| longs to the barrels of the Court. I'll
| show you that to-morrOw-you can't see it
| from the weir-una they are very old
famil y-date back to Henry Ill. They
| were called the Dark BARRELS because they
| were SO very dark, and since the curse,
their fortunes have been Us dark as their
| faces; not as to worldly matters, for they
| are the wealthiest family in the North,
| but | am speaking of their lives, their sin
| ner lives you call it III Germany, don't
| your"
| .Yes," replied lima" and, looking rath-
| er mischievOus, she added sentimeutally,
"IlOw very Interestingly"
"IOu mustn't be tlippant, New World, :"
| said Rose; ''iOr it is all very Serious
| Well among the Darrell tenants are the
! people who have the Weir Mll-yOu will
| see it in Il few minutes. 1t stands Just by
| the weir that works it. The present oc-
| cupants are Job Hcstun and his daughter
| Zeph. They're OF gypsy blood, and they
| look it. The mill was granted to their
| ancestors in the reign Of Elizabeth, by
| the then Lord of the Manor; Sir Ingelhard
| Darrell. The barrels were always Il wild
| dare-all set; and Sir lngehard was like
| the rest Hiram llestOn, regular gypsy,
had saved sir lngelhards lie, and iaut
was how he ct The grant Of the mill. Hes
ton had a daughter named Zarab, who
was said by the people to practise the
black art; but that is said of gipsies al
] ways-they say the Heston's are 'canny'
/ now. However," continued Rose, 81
| think there was more black art in Sir In
| glehard than in Zarah. lie was very hand