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

saw that cloud TOO, ana bowed her sunny
head; aud she prayed--ah, how earnestlyl
with bitter tears, for her lover. She
had not told her aunt of + interview
with Sir Philip Darrell. The old lady had
received her with the JOY Of one relieved
from keen anxiety; and she had told lima
that Roland had called twice, and had
gone to search for her. lima had been
very penitent; but she had only said that
she had been for long ramble and did
not know how the time had passed--which
was strictly true; and Miss DurnSord had
been satisfied with the explanation.
But now the old lady could not sleep,
for she saw the black cloud hanging in the
sutry sky; and she stole softly to Ilma's
chamber and opened the door. The girl
started up from the window and came to
meet her.
"Auntiev
only dear child" said Miss Durnford,
cit is past eleven, and you are not even
undressed. What are you doing by the
open Window"
"Watching that cloud, auntie. am
not tired"
Miss Durniord could not see the speak,
er's face distinctly in the dusk OF the apart
ment; but she drew the slight form to-
wards her, and said gently
al cannot sleep tonight, aud came to
see If you were wakeful too. NY heart
fails me''-and her voice filtered" when
think of Sir Philip Darrell-still at the
Court"
lima gently disengaged herself from her
| aunts embrace, and went back to the
window, not kneeling down this time, bnt
standing with her forehead resting against
the glass. Presently she said softly, with
out looking round TO whore her aunt still
| Stood
al do not believe in the curse, auntie."
Ilma DEAR" returned Miss Durnford,
"you must not mind my saying this, that
hope you are not speaking so because you
do not wish to believe in misfortune COM
ing to Sir Darrell. l mean, L hope you
do not think too much Of him. You UNDER
stand me-"
eyes, auntie; understand"
Miss Durnford paused; but lima said
no more; and the old lady felt disappoint-
ed. Why could not tae child be frank
with her? Surely, she thought, in fear
and perpleXity, nothing had passed be-
tween lima and Sir Philip? If there had
been anything, the child ought TO tell her.
Miss Durnlord did not know how difficult
is such confidence TO sensitive nature,
even If willingly offered, and lima was not
willing. The secret belonged to herself
and Sir Philip, for the present at least.
Its revelation could only make her aunt
unhappy, and perhaps angry. Why should
any one know? SO the girl stood silent.
"llma," said Miss DurnfOrd ''you make
me anxious. You are not open with me,
as YOU should be. l do not want To blame
you; Sir Philip is a most fascinating man,
and it would be nothing strange il YOU
had allowed him to engage your fancy"
Fancy--whcn the very sound OF his
name thrilled through every nerve! But
the girl shrank from the prim phraSeology,
and felt that she could not give her con-
tdence; besides, had Sue right TO DO SO?
1t was true that her lover had not uttered
a word that implied he desired secrecy;
but she would not--indeed she would nos
speak Of what seemed TO her too solemn
aud sacred to be talked about.
"Auntie," she said pleadingly-and
there were tears in the sweet young voice
-"pease do not ask me any questions to-
night-another time perhaps, but not now.
Don't think me unkind or ungrateful; but
l couldn't say anything tonight"
Miss Durnford sighed heavily.
"You American girls" she said sadly,
care so independent, cannot understand
you. When 1 was your age, | sought my
mothers help when was in trouble; but
you fight your own battles at seventeen.
Good night, dear; go TO bed and try to
| get some sleep"
lima was alone again. independently
Yes, doubtless she was; but somehow she
did not now feel the need of even mother;
and a mother, she argued-she had never
known her own-was something that the
! kindest of aunts could not be. Her lover
seemed all-suficient.
Father to me thou art. and mother dear,
And brother too. kind husband of my heart,
| So speaks Andromache."
| And so spoke lima. Even with regard
| to Roland Sabine she felt stronger-she
still dreaded him, but not so much. She
might have spoken TO her aunt, and so nv old
| ed an interview with him; but this ideG did
not occur to,her. She, could, in her fear,
run away from him altogether; but 20 ask
any one to interpose on her behalf was
| contrary TO her nature; and, after all,
sho thought, Roland had right TO see
| her. Certainly she would not seek an
interview but she would nolongerayoid it.
At the turn Of night the rain came. 1t
| fell suddenly, like vast sheet Of water
from the heavens, with the roar and hiss
1 Oh u ~ DCdb uoWu Shc iONCio hh
the gardens; it laid fiat the corn in the
| fields; IL converted many dry mountain
watercourse into brawling stream. VIII
] layers, started out Of their sleep by the
| pouring of the torrent, drew back their
| curtains and gazed forth in terror; and the
thoughts of all turned to the grand old
| castelated mansion of the barrels and
| its doomed lord.
Job II lesion arose and went TO his daugh-
ter's chamber and knocked at the door.
class, lass, get up and look at the rain
| It has not fallen like this for more than
twenty years"
The girl was at the door in an instant.
| with a white scared face.
"Fatber, is the Mill safer"
"Aye, for tonight, yes; but, Zelh if IL
rains like this for two nights more, the
river will be over its banks, and this time
the Mill Will CO."
"And Dark Darrell?" said Zeph in
low tone, after a pause, filed by the rush
of tho rain, mingling with and almost
drowning the roar of the weir.
| "Why," replied Heston steadily, shell
die, and the foreign missy too. You saw
her with him to-day, Zeph. knew how
It would be; hers is the life for which
he'll lose his. It'll come about somehow.