Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-10-16
CHAPTER v.

land Sabine went to the Grange, only to
learn that Miss lima was out and had left
no message. No message! Had she for
gotten her promise TO him? Roland ground
his teeth; but. hiding his wrath from the
servant, he said lie would wait till Miss
Durnford returned.
The old lady came back before one. She
knew nothing OF lima; doubtless she
would be in during the afternoon. Roland
departed, and at three called again. lima
had not yet returned. Miss Durnford had
fattered herself that the girl was at the
Larehes; But the young Squire's, appear
ance made her anxious. What could have
become Of the child? She could never
have staid away so long on purpose.
Roland shared her anxiety, and went
at once to make inquiries about lima.
lie turned his steps first towards the
! river, and was just approaching tue lock
bridge, when he saw Zeph coming down
the slope. She stopped the momeut she
saw Roland; and, as he came towards her,
she looked into his face with wicked
fash in her eyes and laughed.
"YOu can keep off," she said shortly;
sand you needn't try to hide what you're
after. It's Dark DarrelI's lady love you
were going TO ask about, know"
"Dear Zeph," began Roland, "if you
have seen-"
"Don't 'dear ZepR mew interrupted
the girl tercely, stamping her foot.
"You'd drown me as soon as look at me il
you dared, or see me drown, which is the
next thing to il. It's that golden haired
| foreign cousin Of yours you are In love
with; and all the pretty things you have
said TO me count for nothing now. But
you won't get her. Didn't know Sir
Philip would have her when L saw her
riding the Araby"
"Zeph, are you madp cried Roland
hoarsely. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, 1 may suffer-" retorted the I'M
daunted girl; "but you must not wait an
instant to know what the girl you love is
about! You may talk TO me, and tell me
you love me, and give me things, and
there is no harm done; as ii had no heart,
and need not mind seeing you throw me
over directly beauty from foreign parts
comes your wayl Ills no use TO fume,
Mr.. Sabine; you have treated me as Sir
Philip would not have done, whatever his
ancestor did. He's a noble gentleman
anyhow, and he'd never fool with an honest
girl he couldn't marry, as you have done.
You needn't worry after Miss lima;
she's chosen handsomer lover than YOU
la, ha! She's been dreeing her weird
while you've been hunting the woods for
her. She's not afraid Of Sir Philips kiss
es, Pll warrant; she'd rather die with
/ him than live with you"
"Zeph," said Roland, grasping the gir's
wrist, "tell me what you know. Are you
talking like this to torture me, or do YOU
mean that lima Costello has fled with
| Darrelli"
"ob, no" replied zepb quietly. "Maybe
she's home now; but l saw them on the
road together twenty minutes ago; he
was leading his horse and she was by his
side. Drop your hand, Mr.. Sabine; you
hurt just bit above the village they
stopped and said goodbye. He didn't
kiss her then, though there was nobody
! by that they could see; but he stood still
where shed left him aud watched her.
When she'd gone a bit, she looked back,
and he kissed his hand to her. You don't
hike It, Ell v'--for Roland stamped his foot,
and, with q terrible imprecation, ground
1t on the path. "Well, go and tell him
so; but you can't have her ii she loves
him; you know that"
"By the heavens above, he shall not
have herp said Roland, in blind fury.
al will take her from him, or they shall
perish togetheri 1 swear it,"
Zeph's eyes flashed. She sprang for
ward and grasped the young mans hand.
account OH me-" she said. al hate he-
MS you hate him, and will hate her when
she scOrns you; for she will. Ay"--as
Roland shook OIL her hand her voice rose
almost 10 a shriek-sit's Of no use, Roland
Sabinel If she loves Philip Darrell, she
must die; and you know it. You take
her from himi Ha La p'-and she laughed
long and loudly.
Before the echo of her laughter Rad died
away, Roland was hundreds OF yards from
the spot, speeding he knew not whittier.
| Not homewards, for he dare not be seen
there; nor to the Grange, for he could
not meet lima In her aunps presence. He
dashed into the woods, and there remained
till long after darkness had fallen, now
walking wildly to and fro, now lying on
the ground In u chaos ofthOught that made
him feel at times as II his reason were
! leaving him. He never doubted that lima
had met Sir Philip Dasrell by appoint
ment; and she had either forgotten her
promise to himself or had deliberately
ignored it. He swore again that she
should be his, or die with the lover she
I had preferred to him.
In Roland Sabine's nature there was
ferocity that no one would suspect who saw
in him frank, perhaps at times sullen-
tempered. North Country squire. His
love was, after ali, selfish passion; IL
was capable Of self-sacriice. What he de-
sired to possess should be his or should be-
long to no one else; rather would he de-
stroy what he valued than allow another
to have IL. He had displayed this trait
i even rs lad. He had shot favorite
! pointer that had acquired troublesome
habits rather than allow neighbor with
whom he was on bad terms to have the
animal
He would rather have seen lima Costello
stretched dead at his feet than happy In
rivaps arms. Fearft as the thought was,
he did not put IL froi i'm, or even try TO
do 30. He nursed It with fierce triumph,
and even noted with u grim satisfaction,
a. he at length walked homewards through
the night, that heavy cloud hung solitary