The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-10-05

to stand on his head on the ridge pole.
Some fool or other had dared him to dc
it. He lost his balance, rolled down the
roof and fell not on the ground, luckily,
but on heap of straw that was about to
be used as bedding for the horses. He
escaped with few insignificant bruises,
but the doctor who attended him said he
had strained his heart. Probably it has
been weak ever since, and the active ex.
ercise he has been in the habit of taking
can have done it no good. However,
what is done can't be mended. All we
can hope for is to guard against mischief
in the future. / wish John were less
headstrong aud more phlegmatic.
He began to come to before long, and
then l made him sip dozen teaspoon.
fuls of brandy, which administered one
after the other The slipping. more than
the brandy, stimulated his circulation,
and he was able to get up and walk. He
had no idea what had been the matter
with him: thought Sibyl must have
kicked him. But it was of Sinfire that
his head was full, and l suppose he must
have suffered strong agony of emotion
during that minute and half that she
was in deadly peril and he was trying to
save her. If there had been any doubt
about his feeling for her before, there can
benone now. And, as for her, if she is a
woman and not witch (as sometimes
fancy, she cannot resist a handsome
young millionaire whose first love she is
and who has saved her life, for beyond
peradventure she would have been in
kingdom come but for John.
"Much obliged, old fellow; don't need
any help" said the heir of Cedarcliffe to
his younger brother, and took the hint,
like the dutiful youngster am, and re-
turned with my brandy flask to my
study, while John and Sinire sauntered
slowly across the lawn together. ex-
pected it would have been all settled by
the time they reached the house, but at
breakfast, half an hour later, Johns face
proclaimed more loudly than even his
sturdy tongue could have done that the
engagement was still in the future. Men.
tally as we'll as physically he was much
depressed Sinfre, who was still in her
Mephistophelian riding habit, was being
tenderly scolded by mother for having
exposed herself to such danger, and she
seemed to be in high spirits and laughed
and talked with a freedom and brilliance
that she had never exhibited before. AS
looked and listened could forgive poor
John for his infatuation. could almost
have fallen in love with the superb young
creature myself. And yet. strange to
say, never distrusted her so much as I
did then. She is hiding some secret. and
it concerns us.
But what range and scope she has.
There was an oriental quality in her face
at that moment which struck me for the
first time. could imagine that the
young Cleopatra might have looked as
Sinfire did then. But Cleopatra never
looked like cold, subdued English girl,
yet that is one Of Sinfre's phases.
wonder whether she is ambitious; I Won
der whether she hates anybody, and, if
30, whom and whyp
It is time to give Saprani bowl of
milk. Saprani is another superb crea-
ture, more trustworthy than my cousin
Sinfre, not less oriental and not perhaps
more deadly. And Saprani is very fond
of the youngest and most insignificant of
the Mainwaring family. Reason and
gratitude unite therefore in prompting
me to bestow upon her my budding af-
fections, and since ] am sure not to be
interfered with by rivals the course of
our true love has every prospect of run
ming smooth. will serenade her on the
toumril tonight.
To be continued.