Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-08-21
Dark DarreII's Bride.
CHATTER Iu.-coNTINUEp.

BiaHcihS very hcchiy AT lima. "Decn
showing the foreign young lady the weir,
and the ill and all, | sec.'
lima made out the drift OF this speech,
though the words were delivered with
broad Cumberland accent. Roland re-
piled - It.
"This young lady is Miss Costello, our
cousin, Zcph,"-another curtsey from
Zeph--"and she thinks the place very
beautiful. We shall ask job to show us
over the Mill in a day or two"
"Shc's welcome most welcomed" said
Zcph, scanning lima furtiyely again.
"Did We see the lord ride past, Mr.. Ro-
land?"
"No. Where and when:"
ooh, just before you came up. He rode
by OH black horse-a rare beauty. 1t
will he best Tor the lord not 10 stay here
long"
"Why, Zephy" asked Rose eagerly.
"Fathcr says there will he 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"
"It" was apparently the Darrell curse
In the Scarth Abbot.
"Well, but" said Roland ..the barrels
have braved the floods again and again
See how Sir Philip himself escaped when
ho saved widow Hunt"
ellis time was not come, Mr.. Roland"
returned Zeph, frowning little; "but
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-
Mt lima, and a covert glance at Roland,
Zeph went on her way
"What an oddityw said lima. gazing
after ncr II 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
which Sir Philip had not had the last time
lie came to Scarth Abbot, AL the way
home, while lima walked by Roland's side
and asked him hosts of questions about
the place and the people.
The remainder of the evening passed
Pleasantly in music and conversation, and
1t was late when Miss Durnford aud lima
returned TO the Grange.
Ilma's dreams that night was tumble
OF Ottawa and Scartl Abbot, gipsies,
weirs, mills, and Spansh-lookipg cavaliers
on black horses; and she awoke early,
49," VI" oH' nuiHiHo III ucT ROOM.
1he girl sprang up, dressed quickly, and
opened her bedroom door. Not a soul
was stirring In the house. lima looked at
her watch; it was barely six O'clock.
"JollyW she thought. q" shall ryn
down to the weir before breakfast"
She did not put OH her hat, but ran out
bareheaded, efecting her exit by her bed
room window. A creeper grew without,
and by means Of this the agile young girl
rapidly reached the garden; she then hur-
ried away toward the river. She had the
dewy morning all to herself, and scattered
the diamond drops like spray as she moved
through the grass, laughing to see how
wet were her shoes and the bottom of her
blue-and-white serge morning-dress.
The mill-wbeel had just began TO work,
but no one was about; and lima stood for
nearly quarter OF MI hour OH Zarah's
Leap-so Roland had told her the fatal
spot was called-looking down upon the
weir; then stepping back TO the bank, she
wandered along towards the bridge which
Mistress Anneris Darrell had refused 10
cross. The ground rose in this direction,
and, looking ahead, lima could see that
the river, which wound very much, flowed
between banks fully twenty feet high, not
more than quarter OF mile from where
she now was.
She paused presently close to the bridge
and, going up TO the extreme verge OF the
bank, looked down at the rapid current,
flowing ut this spot with terrible velocity
towards the weir. Absorbed in listening
TO the roar Of the weir, which seemed 10
drown all other sounds, the girl might
have remained thus for IN hour, had not a
most unexpected sound made her look up
and glance quickly towards the bridge,
whence had come clear penetrating
"loloa"' In a mans voice.
A man mounted Oh splendid black
horse was crossing the bridge, and, as lima
turned her face, he waved his hand with
nm imperative gesture, intimating TO her
to draw back. She obeyed instantly, re-
firing several feet, with less OF any fear in
her heart of possible peril against which
the rider had warned her, than u feeling
OF keen amusement and pleasure OH be-
holding one who could be 10 other than the
famous Dark Darrell, the accursed. Yes;
there was the dark handsome face: and,
as she drew back the rider raised his hat
and bowed, as if to apologize for having
called to her, or TO thank her for con-
descending 10 have her life saved. She
stood still, watching the horScman, and
little thinking what an exquisite picture
she herself made with her youthful beau
ty.
While yet hundred PAGES from where
lima stood, Sir Philip Darrell drew bril-
die, and, springng lightly to the ground,
advanced on foot, with dotted hat
Seeing that he approached her, the girl
went forward TO meet him, thinking that
this last of the barrels needed only shin
ing armor or velvet and lace TO be hero
of some wild poetic romance of the Rhine.
"Pray forgive me-" he said, as the two
met, "for shouting to you but you were
standing in very dangerous place. The
earth there frequently yields"
"Why, / ought TO thank you very
much!' replied lima earnestly, looking
up almost fearfuly into u pair of large
steadily-brilliant eyes Of the deep gray
that seem black in the shade. .sIf |
had fallen i'm, should have been washed
over the weir. But / came only yester-
day; so / don't know where there is dam
ger"
al should know you were n stranger by
both your looks and speech" said Sir Phil
ip. smiling; and lima tclt that so sweet