The Laughing Mill and Other Stories

that the mill stream was swollen beyond precedent, and rolled thundering through the gorge with the force of a full-grown cataract. Bu

set his teeth edge to edge, and clench his thin hands desperately, and utter an inarticulate sound of menace. But at a certain hour of the evening he would arise and walk with noiseless steps to the door of a darkened chamber. There he would pause and lean and listen. Presently from withi

and he would press his clenched hands upon his breast. Returning at le

bbed me of my love, and my hope, and my salvation; he has defiled and dishonoured that which was mine; he has made my life a desert and an abomination! Yet I wou

s heart forgive them. He could not forgive till he had had revenge. Since that hour in which he had first learnt the truth, and with hysteric fury had sprung a

nce the calamity which had befallen, her manner towards Gloam had undergone a change. She had before exercised a kind of authority over him, such as a compact and unsympathetic nature easily acquires over one of wider culture but more sensitive tha

opped. He did not turn, or show that he was awa

home again, sir. He's going to make it all

s and body slowly stiffened, until they became quite rigid; only his head had a

he same slight, involuntary shiver pervaded his

comin

a message from

. marr

laid heavy on his conscience ever since. And so he says he hopes you'll f

ss it. There was another long pause, as though he feared to trust

-when

there he'd foot it over here; and that wouldn't bring him here till nigh midnight. But likely he'll wait over, and get

gidity had passed away, and he seemed to be recovering from the agitation into which the first shock of the news had thrown him. Jael's mind was a good deal reli

ghastly expression of the mouth and eyes. It was not a smile, unless an evil spirit smiles, foreseeing the destruction of its victim. Evil it was-delightedly evil, like the triumph of long-baffled hate. It was a cruel, hungry, debased expression, hideously at varianc

of his face. So far from succeeding, however, he was forced to break out into a frantic laugh, which echoed shrilly through the s

e could speak; "it's nervousness-it's the re

et,-I thought I'd best

he might not come after all!" Then the mocking devil seized upon him again; and though he folded his arms and held

wn, she thought better of such a proceeding. The explanation of his behaviour which Gloam himself had given seemed, upon reflection, reasonable enough. The abrupt manner in which she had told the news had thrown him for the moment off h

en-hearted gentleman; or of a lady, with diamonds sparkling on her hands and bosom. They would say, "We have learnt that the little niece or cousin whom we had thought lost, was saved, and is living here with you." "Yes," Jael would reply; "and she has been brought up as true a lady as if she were in a queen's palace; for we knew she had blue blood in her veins, and would come by her own at last." Then Swanhilda would appear, and captivate them with her beauty and simplicity. But when they offered to take her

uiries proved fruitless, he had abandoned the hope of obtaining wealth and station through Swanhilda's means. Yet the girl loved him, and was very beautiful; much of their time was of necessity passed in each other's society; and in the end the sin was sinned. Doubtless he had regretted her ruin; but to make her honourable amends had not been co

is question; but from hints which it contained, the housekeeper had drawn favourable inferences; and she looked forward to his coming with agreeable anxiety. She had told Gloam the news, intending (should he refuse a reconciliation) to ack