The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1891-11-06
Dark DarrelI's Bride.
CHAPTER xL-coETrxUED.

did not forget my promise TO you"
"1Ou need not apologies" rsturned her
cousin, declining the pronered hand. az
know why you broke your promise; and Is
Il not worth while TO ask whether your
other promise WAS made before I said
goodbye TO you the other night or after
Wards.0
'GOther promised What do you meani''
said tue girl haughtily. .'I made no other
promise went out TO avoid you; that Is
the plain truth-nothing more"
every well, then; / wrongcd you,o an
swered Roland, who did not doubt his
young cousins truth III lima had made
an appointment with Darrell, she might
have refused TO answer questions; but she
. would never stOop to an untruth. al
Thought you had promised Sir Philip OAR
rell to meet him; for you were with him.
You were seen walking along the road
with him."
1What thenl' said lima. "Is that so
very new or strange = thing TO dos Rave
/ never walked or ridden with Sir Philip
berorei What Is IL TO you or any one Ia this
place wha: do or where I go:"
alt Is everything 20 me, lima, ;" cried the
young man, 'ir Darrell Is-as believe he
ts-your lOVeri No; you shall hear me
You know that love You aud that can
give you what nc, with all his beauty aud
his wealth and his intellect, cannot give
you-happinessi Sheer as YOU will, YOU
cannot shake OF all faith In that terrible
curse. You must believe that to love him
Il fatal"
'Then how can you save met" inter
rupted lima, with flashing eyes. elf
love him, IL is too l4te-I must share his
(Ate.'
"Lovei No, no." said Roland almost
wildly: ait Is not loye-only fancy. You
are captivated by his graces; hrs very
doom has excited your Interests. He Is
bastard TO have tried to win you; aud he
tried from the beginning. Look back, and
you will see that 1 am not unjust to
him. lie threw himself In your way, he
gave yeu a costly gilt, such rs no man
would have given TO girl he did not
want TO lay under an obligation TO him.
Did he, mean nothing by those flowers,
uothing by"
"Stop, stop, Rolsndi 1 will not listen
20 you'll How dare you speak so TO me OF
Philip Darrelli" The slender girl seemed
transformed into n woman, rs she stood
erect, with stern brow and commanding
gesture, never more supeTbly beautiful
than now. "Leave me, you have said too
much already. l should not have loved
you II 1 had never seen Sir Philip OAR
relli l never liked you, never trusted
you, and you have proved that my instinct
was right"
'.EeVer liked me, never trusted me -
echoed Roland, drawing back a step. His
face was liyid-the look In his eyes made
the girl trembe inwardly, though size
showed nothing OF this In her fearles, mien
and daumIless gaze. Then you love Philip
Darrell, and lie loves your"
"Why should 1 deny itf Even Il his
fate Is sealed by gipsy-woman's curse,
am | not Tree to choose death with him
rather than live without him:"
Roland stood still for moment, gazing
on the beautiful girl before him. lie felt
N.FFa
should his vengeance be worked out.
Suddenly lac burst into II diScordInt laugh.
"Hes, 1 suppose you have right TO
choose your fate. Yours, Is fair life To
win from him the 'needfu sacrifice A
man might well lose all for YOU. Yours
will be merry marriage-chimcs. liza, hal
Tell them not to toll tue minute-bell when
they bring the last Darrell home with his
bridel No, am not mad; you need not
recOil with that white face. II " i'll De
whittier Tomorrow by this timer
lie laughed again, aud, dashing open
the door, rushed from the room aud the
house, leaving lima in the full belief that
his mind was unhinged.
An hour later Roland Sabine stood In
the little wood near the Coalmere, talking
In low tones to Job aud Zeph Hrston;
and. n the trio parted, Zeph nodded with
. resOlute look OF evil in her black eyes,
and said. ''All right; Pll do IT." anu job
dropped some money into his pocket aud
Said, A.reed-all one to me sir"
Then Roland turned back towards the
village, but not homewardS. lie went 10
farther than u deserted barn little way
up tue slope; aud there lac sat down, with
the wide landscape of hill aud void aud
river before him, aud his heart full OF u
foul design that lac scarcely cared even to
try to veil with IA euphemiSm.
He had not told Zeph the whole truth
When IA had enlisted services. he huI
not told her that lima should have Que
chance for her life, and that that chance
was TO 1y with him; he had only told her
the alternative, As though IL were the
entire scheme; aud, Ii lima chose that,
his crime would perish with her. The
Hestons dared not betray him, for his
guilt WAS theirs. and Zeph regarded her
self AS in some sort an instrument to fulfill
the cure OF her Ancestress. Moreover, in
speaking TO her trst,' he had flied her
foolish andiselplined heart with wild hopes
Tor the future, till lie gave the girl cause
20 think that be would some day make her
his wife. What the result would be when
Zeph found herself deceived Roland did
not ask himself; he was not man who
at the best OF times was able TO forecast
beyond = short period, or to hedge round
any contemplated misdeed with safe
guards; aud now he was Ia no condition OF
mind for even ordinary precautions. Had
Sir thtI1p Darrell ~ that moment appeared
before him, he would most likely b-Ve
sprung at him with the feroclous instinct
Of . wild beast, without = seconds consid-
GRAFTON OF his Infe riortty to his antagonist
or OF the consequences to himself if even
he succeeded Ia taking the hated life.
Startling was the change that evil pas
Sions had wrought In the young man Ia a
few hours. His cheeks were liVid and hax-
gard, his Aether lip was dropping, and his
xufIH auE hionsishnA.
who had seen him seated In that dreary
place, with his elbows on his knees aud
his hands propping his chin, might well
Aave deemed that he had committed or