St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-01-12

GicIes. in kaeniro. with those already
mentioned. The room was hot and the
street below was noisy. He Law there
Estlesslt, looking az the stuntad naples,
with leaves all covered with dust. whose
tops Just reached the open window by
his bed, yearning for one breath OF
pure, fresh air, one hour of perfect
quiet. But there never would be
ANYTHING else but this until It was all
over; he would never leave this room
until he left the world. He turned
YEARLY away from the window ard
covered his eyes with his hand.
There was 4 knock ut the door. and
he responded feebly, 'scome I'M 1t
was too early for the doctor; it might
be his IandIaGy, who sometimes came
in to see if he needed anything, and to
give lin his medicine. lie heard the
rustic Of drapery, and smelled faint,
sweet odor. He lifted his hand from
his eyes and beheld vision. 4 fair,
slender woman, clad in soft white null
that seemed to make the room several
degrees cooler, was standing by the
bed She wore u bunch of heliotroBe
in her belt, whose fragrance seemed
like blessed breath from thatofar-away
nook he had been longing for only a
moment before; from under the fluffy.
feathery poke bonnet fell slightly
curling fringe of bright brown hair,
and pair OF large violet eyes beamed
OH him with sweet compassion.
He was an uncompromising subject
truly; his face was sharp aud salloW,
and beard about a week old added
much to his haggaaness He must be
very tall, for he seemed to stretch away
from her indefinitely, as she stood Saere
at the beds head, and he was thin to
cmaciation. 49,
.'This is Mr.. Hemingway she said,
at last.
at was once,' he answered, wee
rily.
II am Miss Margaret Winthrop she
continued II am Dir Ainslee {. sister
in-law. / believe YOU are his patient?n
Eyes; Tom and l are old friends, and
( remember your father very we'll.
Won you be. seatcd2p he asked, sud-
denly remembering his position as
host.
She drew up the shabby armchair
and sat down 5y the bed. It was rot
so easy to BEGIN as she had imagined
s.He will take me for a lunatfe or an
assassin with designs upon imaginary
wealth. she thouohS. as she sat there
revolving her coId-blooded scheme. and
wishing she lad deliberated upon it
more fully bafore taking this step.
But It was too late to 20 back now.
What plausible excuse could she give
for having come there unattendedp He
would tell Tom, of course. that she had
been there. Tom would tell Annie.
who would look unutterable things and
lecture her for week. He had evil
DENLY suffered much; he was living
there so miserable and HELPLESS; t
seemed that she had never appreciated
the Humanity OF the whole proceed
ing until now. But she was a woman
of resolution. She had satisfied her
self that the arrangement would be
one of mutual advantage. The only
question in her mind was how to be-
gin.
!" It was very kind and thoughtful of
You to come, he said, breaking the
somewhat protraeted silence.
.tIhonghtful but not kind, perhaps,
she replied, with nice dlscr n 1l
.SIom was telling Us to-day now un 4;
Portable you We're here, and how IL.
understood from nm that Joa aia not
nave proper attention a s.l
could not get Wen, and came with tl g
purpose.
he looked up gratefully; and she
could not rave 1elt more guilty or CON.
JemPaole i she had STABBED nm Witn
q KNIFE AMI received IN return ms aY-
ing nene1ictleh. but she nad the cotlf-
age OF aesPeffatlon ana she. KEPT on.
ohe told ann hef plan, when was.
bfieny, 20 marry MN anu a{tend MIN