A Life's Hatred.

Ihe woman made a movement as if about to re-enter the font . "Not there , we may be overheard , " remarked her companion , "there are too many eavesdroppers about . " " This way then , '' said she , and at once plunged into the depths of the wood . The stranger followed , and after a few minutes scramble through the copse , his guide halted b y the margin of a brook which ran swiftly across the plantation .

Pointing to the trunk of a fallen tree , the gipsy abruptly said , "Seated yonder , ye can talk freely . The stream is at our back , and no one can approach from the tents without being seen . " Her companion nodded in assent , and sat down . " Time has dealt kindl y , with you , Ruth , " commenced he , smiling . " The , life of a gipsy has its disadvantages , but il cannot be denied that if is characterised by two great blessings , health and longevity . "

"Have ye sought , me out for no other purpose than to gabble compliments ? " scornfully asked the woman . "Come , come , Ruth , speak moro pleasantly . In days gone by yon would have given me a better and warmer welcome . There is

no necessit y for you to show your si ill pretty teeth like a wild eat , " remarked the other . " However , " he added , "I will not waste time , but at once proceed to business . Where is the boy ? " The gipsy became agitated , but did not answer . " Is he dead ? " demanded the stranger . "I think not , " was the reply .

"Has he left you ? was the next query . " Yes , hc ran away some weeks ago . " " What made him do that ? " he asked .

"He was a contrary little whelp , " coarsely said the woman , " and would not fall into our ways , lie had been spoiled by old Mike hooper who used to put curious notions into thc lad ' s head about lonesty . He taught him fo read play books and such like trash .

\ fter that old fool ' s death my brother tried lo heat fhe moral lessons inf-of Dick , hut all fo no purpose , fhe young cur would whimper luring his thrashing , but afterwards was as obsfinafe as ever . One norning after his little hide had been well fanned by Hugh , he left hc tonfs , and we have not seen him since . "

" Woman ! " exclaimed the si ranger , rising from his seat , " what a brute you are . Neither yon nor your brother had any right fo tori ore the lad . "

" Indeed , my ( me gentleman , ' sarcaslieall y said fhe gipsv also rising , and boldly confronting her companion . "Why then did ve not , fetch him away years ago r We thought ye dead . 1 should like to know how the brat was to be fed and clothed , lie would neither beg nor steal , and was opposed fo us in everv wav . "

"f was abroad , " answered the other , " and had no means of communicating with you . J am terribly annoyed . Thc boy must he found . Did yon not try fo ( race him ? " " To what rod Y " replied his hearer . " We were onl y too glad to get , rid of an idle encumbrance . Nad we heard from ye , things might have been dillerent . "

" Well , well , there is some reason in what yon urge , " mused tht stranger , " but still I must repeal , if was brutal fo heal Ihe bo \ because he would not do wroii ''' . "

" Ye should have thought of thai , ere ye left him with ns , " coolly said fhe gipsy . " We are brought up in a hard school . " she bitterly added . "Hounded from place in place with every man ' s hand raised against us , it is not fo be supposed fhaf we should he overstocked with too much kindness . We love fo roam the highways and byways of the land . We feel at home in the wild glades of the

forest , or the wide expanse of some desolate moorland . We pitch our tents , or halt our caravans near some running stream , and with the broad expanse of the stars above us , sleep far more peacefully and conteiifed ' y than ( hey who dwell in the stifling surroundings of a large city or town . Our wants are but few . All we ask is lo be

left alone , hut that poor request is frequentl y denied us . As soon as it is known that we have pitched our touts on a piece of common land , even though it should be far removed from the homes of fhe house-dwellers , a keeper or a constable of Ihe justices commands us to pack up our belongings and seek some other resting place . " - " Why , then , do not your people renounce their semi-savage life ,

A Life's Hatred.

and become peaceful citizens or busy workers m the hives of commercial industry ? " remarked her companion , who had been struck by the passionate diatribe of the speaker . "Because it is our destiny to be wanderers for ever , " solemnl y

said Ruth . " l . Air ages our people throughout thc world have led the same restless life , aye . and for hundreds of years yet , to come , wo shall continue to do the same . It is our destiny , the stars tell us so . But enough of tin ' s . What is your will ? "

"You must send one of fhe people fo soonr every village and town near the spot where the boy was last seen , I will reward you well , in any ease , for your pains , but should you be successful in finding him , I will cheerfully give a hundred guineas , " replied the gentleman .

" A hundred guineas ! repeated thc woman in astonishment "If the lad was worth so much , why did ye leave him to share my rough lot ? Ho was not very strong , and the hard life did not seem to agree with him . " " That is my business , " curtly answered ( lie other . " Here are ten

guineas as an earnest of my good intentions , and then he abruptly added . " If you hear of anything let me know at once . I am to be found at ; the ' King ' s Head , ' Thateham . It is getting late , I must be on ihe road . " With these words he strode rapidly through the

wood towards fhe camp , followed b y the gipsy . His horse was still secured fo the free . Bidding Rufh "Good-night , " and nodding carelessl y to the rest of ( he wanderers he guided his animal through the thicket until he gained the highway , where he mounted and cantered off .

For ihe purposes of our story , we must now return to Mr . . Mordaunt . Thai gentleman , upon reaching fhe school , where his protege , had been placed , gleaned but little moro details of fhe boy ' s disappearance ( ban had been conveyed in the principal ' s letter . He heard , however , wilh melancholy satisfaction that Richard ' s conduct

towards his superiors and school-fellows had been-most exemplary and genial . Mr . Mnrduunt look up his quarters at an inn in the adjoining village , and for some lime , assisted by the local oflicers of peace , made every enquiry , but in vain . He advertised in several of Ihe rural papers , offering a valuable reward for fhe discovery of the

missing youth , but nothing came of if-. Upon his return home in a very dejected state he became ill , and took to his bed . A medical man was sent for , who prescribed perfect rest ; he said that the indisposition of his patient was more of a mental than a physical mil lire . In a few weeks . Mr . Mordaunt was siillieienfly recovered to

get up . ye ( he was still m a very low state of health . He became the victim of curious fancies , and his sleep was frequentl y disturbed by visions . For two nights in succession he dreamt that he was wandering for some unaccountable reason over the house after the servants had retired , and that ihe taper he carried suddenly went

out . lie ( hen heard light loofsteps pass him , and descend the staircase . Without hesitation he followed the unknown intruder , when all at once fhe footfalls appeared to cease somewhere in the basement , lie found means fo gel . a light , and discovered that he was in a large room totally unknown to him ; af one end a door was

slightly open ; lie went towards it , and saw it led to a ( li ght of stone slops ; he was about lo descend , but his taper was again extinguished , lie ( hen delected the movements of some person near him , and presentl y ( lie footsteps went tripping gently upstairs ; he unhesitatingly followed , and upon arriving at the top of the house the sounds

again mysteriousl y ceased . He groped his way fo his own apartment , and his subsequent proceedings were a blank . On the morning following the recurrence of his strange dream , ho brooded over the

inafter for some time . A curious idea at last took possession of him , and he paid a visit to the lower regions of his establishment , much lo ( he surprise of his housekeeper , whom he found in the kitchen in conversation with fhe cook .

" ( iood morning , Mrs . Ambrose , " said he . "I have a curiosity to inspect- fhe ollices , I have never penetrated lower than this room I wish particularl y to see the wine cellars . "

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