Year: 1877

CHAPTER III.
sILvEsTIK RESOLVES To CONSULT THE
WITCH


When Silvestik reached the mill of
Nizpn be found that lis cousins
health had improved


81 am better shall not die di-
reetly," the sick man said "but that
makes no difference to you, Silvestik
| shall never walk again, my legs are
useless aud you are as much master
of the mill as if lay in the church
yard but while live must keep
the name and | must have a corner
OF the old house to live in"


Tears rolled down Silvestik's face


His cousin had always been good
to him, but till lately two well-grown
sons had barred any hope of success
sion TO the mill Lately one OF these
had been lost at sea and the other had
died of fever-a double grief which
had caused the paralysis from which
the sick man could not rally.
His young cousins sympathy
cheered the miller, and ne agreed to
spare Silvestik for few days, so that
he might arrange his affairs at Kerion
before be came 10 settle down for life
at Nixon


That light, hen the youth bad stow
ed away his long legs into one of the
eupboard-like bejsteads in the chief
rooL of the mill, be could not sleep.
He lay thinking OF all that bad taken
place that day-Of Annik, of the far
mer's repulse, Of .he old witch Ur-
sale


The short-drawn wheeling breath
told that the sick man was at last
asleep, and fore some time past the
grunts and snores Of the two servants
the miller'5 man ana his maid
had been sounding through the great
darS loom. All at once it seemed to
Silvestik that be heard the clack Of
the mill and the plash, plash of fall
ing water, aud these sounds joined 10
dull cbant-"Go to Ursule-Ursule
.-Ursule," till the words came so
close they deafened him-ihey hurt
his ears, and starting awake, he found
Jean Marie, his cousins man, below
ing to him that it was time to rise.


The broad daylight and the inter-
est be felt in learning his'new busi-
ness kept Silvestik from thinking of
other things, and he laughed and
joked oil through the morning with
the m;ller's man. When be came in
at last from work into the room where
his cousin lay, the sick mao smiled at
him feebly.


The sight of you does me more
good than the doctor,n be said. "Who
knows. when you are here every day,
and | see your fresh face and hear
you laugh. and feel, too, that GOOD
work is doing-wbo knows but |
may mend and strengthen, too but
the mill is yours, and the papers will
be ready for you to sign when you
come back"


He kept on putting of the youths
departure till the light began to fade;
then, as Silvestik bent over the tent
bed on which he lay, be laughed.
Bring wife in thy pocket, young
one ; there Is enough ana to spare for
you both, and she will make the place
as bright for you as you have made
it for me. Do what I say, Silvestik. :"


No such luck, eousin.n Silvestik
turned away hurridly TO hide his red
face, aud went out through the low
doorway


Ii was wild piece of up and
down road between Nixon and Keri-
on to travel on dark night more
over, it is bordered on one side By a
vast stretch of waste land On this,
sometimes standing up 10 naked rug
gedness, sometimes fallen and over
grown with brown gorse and tufts Of
heather, are huge mishapen blocks of
granite


A hoarse wind had risen after sun
set, and bad broken up the dull lead
en- expanse, so gloomy in the day
light, into yet darker but less solid
masses, black flimy clouds that drove
nurridly across the sky, as il they se
tually feared the hoarse voice of the
ever-rising wind 1t was not late, but
darkness bad come with suddenness
unknown in England. All at once
the bowling of the wind lulled, aud
then sbriekio9 wall burst over the
waste


Silgestik stood still and crossed
himself, and then looked fearfully
about. Just in front of him an open
ing came in the road, and q narrow
went steeply down between two high
banks All around him were the pa
gan stones, some of which, 80 trsdi-
ton said sheltered dwsrfs and korri-
gans. while some Of the taller ones
had been knowa to walk aud to crush
unwary travellers who met them on
their way.


ut was only the wind" be thought,
as be stood at the opening Of the
steep narrow path.


A at once be remembered that it
was down such steep, uncsnny bit
of road as this, only nearer home, that
Ursuie lived and the words of old
rheumatic Barba, and his dream Of
last night, came back-came back so
vividly, that it seemed as il voice
from among those dark. weird stones
were whispering 10 his ear. "Go to
Ursulen Should be go ? Could she
teach him how to win Annik


He went musing along :be high
road. difficult TO keep now that waste
land spread along each side Of the
way. Once he went pianging into
the midst Of this, among the furze
.,a e.,ua, and ,ha.. . croa. xleaod