Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-10-16
CHAPTER Y.

no message. NO message! ilau sne lOT-
gotten her promise to him: Roland ground
his teeth; but. hiding his wrath from the
servant, he said he would wait till Miss
Durnford returned.
The old lady came back before one. She
knew nothing of lima; doubtless she
would he in during the afternoon. Roland
departed, and at three called again. lima
had not yet returned Hiss Durnford had
battered herself that the girl was at the
Larchcs; But the young Squire's, appear
nnce 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 the lock
bridge, when he saw Zeph coming down
the slope. She stopped the moment she
saw Roland; and, a. he came towards her,
she looked into his face with u wicked
flash in her eyes and laughed.
"You can keep Off" she said shortly;
"and you needn't try to hide what you're
after. It's Dark DarrePs lady love you
were going to ask about, | know"
"Dear Zeph," began Roland, 'if you
have seen-"
"Don't 'dear Zeph' mep interrupted
the girl tiercely, stamping her foot.
you'd drown me IA soon Is 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 / saw her
riding the Arab!"
"Zeph, are you mad y cried Roland
hoarsely. "What do you meaB!"
"Oh, / may suffer-" retorted the un-
dauutcd girl; "but you must not wait an
instant 10 know what the girl you love is
abont! You may talk to me, and tell me
YOU love me, and give me things, and
there is no harm done; rs il | had no heart,
aud need not mind seeing you throw me
over directly beauty from foreign parts
comes your way! Ills no use TO fume,
Mr.. Sabine; you have treated me rs Sir
Philip would not have done, whatever his
ancestor did. He's noble gentleman
anyhow, and he'd never fool with an honest
girl lie couldn't marry, as you have done.
You needn't worry after Miss lima;
she's chosen handsomer lover than volt
ha, 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, I'll warrant; she'd rather die with
him than live with YOU"
"Zeph,' said Roland, grasping the girls
wrist, "tell me what you know. Are you
talking like this to torture me, or do YOU
mean that lima Costello has He'd with
Darrelli"
"Oh, no" replied Zeph quietly. "Maybe
she's home now; but | saw them on the
ho
was leading his horse and she was by his
side. Drop your hand, Mr.. Sabine; you
hurt me. Just bit above the village they
stopped aud said goodbye. lie didn't
kiss her then, though there was nobody
by that they could see; but he stood still
where she'd left him and watched her.
When she'd gone bit, she looked back,
and he kissed his hand to her. You don't
like it, ell w-for Roland stamped his foot,
and, with terrible imprecation, ground
1t OH the path. "Well, go aud tell him
so but you can't have her ii she loves
him; you know that"
"By the heavens above, he shall not
have herV said Roland, in bliNd fury.
al will take her from him, or they shall
perish together | swear it,"
Zeplfs eyes flashed. She sprang for
ward and grasped the young mans hand.
"Count on me-" she said. 81 hate he
as you hate him, aud will hate her when
she scorns you; for she will. Ay"--as
Roland shook oil her hand her voice rose
almost to Il shriek-''it's of no use, Roland
Sabine! If she loves Philip Darrell, she
must die; and you know IT.. You take
her from him Ha la v'-and she laughed
long and loudly.
Before the echo Of her laughter lad died
away, Roland was hundreds Of yards from
the spot, speeding lie knew not whittier.
Not home wards, for he dare not be seen
there; nor to the Grange, for lie could
not meet lima in her auDps presence. lie
dashed into the woods, and there remained
, till long after darkness had fallen, now
walking wildly to and fro. now lying oil
the gre und in chaos Of thought that made
hIm feel at times rs if his reason were
leaving him. lie never doubted that lima
had met Sir Philip Dasrell by appoint
meut; and she had either forgotten her
promise TO himself or had deliberately
ignored it. lie swore again that she
should be his, or die with the lover she
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, NortlrCountry. squire. HIS
love was, AFTER ali, selfish passion; IL
was capable of self-sacrifce. What he de-
sired to possess should he his or should be-
long TO no one else; rather would he de-
stroy what he valued than allow another
TO have IL. lie had displayed this trait
even as o lad. lie had shot q favorite
pointer that had acquired troublesome
habits rather than allow neighbor with
whom he was on bad terms TO have the
animal.
lie would rather have seen lima Costello
stretched dead at his feet than happy In
rivals arms. Fearft as the thought was,
he did not put IL froi i'm, or even try TO
do so. He nursed It with fierce triumph,
and even noted with u grim satisfaction,
~ he at length walked bomewards through
The nichf that heavy cloud hung solitary