Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-09

10 be ambiguous, yet believe that It can
point oniy 10 the extinction OF your house,"
W Lie Tor life,'" repeated Darrell;
"and gladly would my life be laid down
for you, lima; but, even then, should 1 not
bring 10 you Ditterest woe:"
"Woe 10 which death were happiness"
said the girl plssionately. "But, Philip,
lie is gwen by viii as by deed; may not
that be the eXpiation"
Sir Philip started Violently.
81 cannot dare not think IT," he said
hnrriedly. ''No, the hopc were Too
bright"
"lou have lived so long, Philip, in the
shadows that the light blinds your eyes;
but, come life or death, am still yours"
"Not TO share dcath-just Heaven for
bidv' he said, looking upwards.
"Philip, Philip, what arc the mere years
Of existence when all is gone that makes
life more than tineW
Darrell gazed down wonderingly at the
exquisite face through which the woman's
soul fhone 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?
"Ob, my heart, my heart" he said,
with ineXpressible sadness, al have
robbed you of your happy childhood, and
have given You in exchange love that
must pierce you like two-edgcd sword -
"But, all, the. JOY with the pain !" 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 unheeded in the enchanted glen.
Gentle Hassan seemed content TO be for
gotten for the slight dark-cyed 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 ut the moment she beheld
him if it had been possible
"Sweet one"-he could not help smil.
ing now-''you sought. all unconsciousIy
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 l had
ridden through the glen only ten minutes
before 1 met you; so there was fate III
this at least. No snare ever set Tor bird
more complete"
"Then-oh, Philip, il any one has seen
me enter the glen 1T Will be said l came
To meet you.'
"lt is unlikely that you have been seen /;
the country is wild, aud human beings are
scarce, though we are only mile from
the gates of the Court park"
IN ear the Court: | had no idea where
/ was" said lima coloring deeply.
"Whom do you fear:" asked Darrell
watching her. "Roland Sabine"
The girl started.
"Ies," she answered in a low tone.
.Ilma," said Darrell quietly, "has he
dared to speak to your"
"No; il was to avoid him that l came
out to-day. lie said something the other
night that startled me, and said did not
understand him. When we were going,
he asked to see me that he might explain (;
and how could | refuse? 80 | said he
could come to-day; but | grew SO fright
ened, that at last, when l awoke this
morning, felt that 1 could not meet him |:
and that is how | wandered out"
"a chiidlike act indeed, darling, re-
marked Sir Philip, STOPPING to kiss the
trembling lips tnat had told him this with
| such girlish naiyete. "And 80 you fled TO
lover scarcely less dreaded, because low
| ed.' Then his face grew stern. "llma,
ii Roland speaks to you, refer him to me /;
and let him guard his tongue well, or he
! will learn To his cost that the last OF the
barrels is not one whit behind his Snce ;.
tors in ayenging AL insult"
TO BE CONTINUED.