St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-07-17

| "IClCuCu poCU W iICh bIltF "tIb OUT Oh
doors. Il am grieved to the heart.
All this misery was of my making.
have known her for twelve years. and
there does not breathe better woman.
She is as pure as a flower, as charitable
as the day.
''She spoke the truth" said Phil,
who was greatly moved. 81 am sure
of it. [ know it. But there was moth
ING in what she told lis to make Arthur
| part with her. There was something
| else to poison his mind about her. He
| could never have driven her away for
| that alone
Phil had to believe both in Ire
! garthen and his wife, but the poet
| found simple solution to the mystery.
| 1t was plain to him that Tregarthen
was Il fanatic and a fool. But even
| that view would not reconcile itself
! with the old stories of Tre9arthen--;.
| man so foul-mouthed that his brother
officers could not endure him.
'Do you know the history of Mr..
Trcgarthen's expulsion from the
| army9' he asked, not purposing to tell
it, but seeking any new light that
| might be had.
Phil did know the story, and told it
as he had it from Tregarthen's lips.
! Possibly, thought the poet, the man
a0as a fanatic, and certainly he was
fool.
The two friends parted, and each
| went his own way. On the following
afternoon Phil called on Mrs. Ire
garthen, was admitted and answered
all her questions for an hour or two.
There was no comfort for the wife, who
had all these years been widowed in
| anything he had to tell her; but when
he had taken his leave he turned a new
idea over in his mind, and, after look
ing at it in many aspects, made ar
| engagements to put it into execution.
He astonished Mr.. Calhcm that even
ing by the announcement of his inten.
ton to 60 down to Tregarthen without
delay. In answer to the tutors in
quiries he could only say that he had
lately possessed himself of information
of the utmost value to his protector,
and that it could not be conveyed by
letter, but must by the very nature of
it be delivered by word of mouth.
Phil was not the sort of young man
who invents mendacious yarns on pur-
pose to get opportunity for clandestine
amusement; but the tutor was yet q
little scared by this arrangement, and
not easy in his mind even when he had
accompanied his pupil to the station,
and had seen hm safely in the railway
carriage, booked through to Gorbay.
The youngster knew well enough
that he was going to wound the best
friend he had ever had in his life, but
he believed, (and he ncrved himself in
that belief with a courage beyond his
years) that he might bring peace back
again to a mind which had not known
peace for many day. 1t was Quix-
otto enterprise, perhaps, and there are
even people in the world who would
think it meddlesome; but he was moved !
to it by gratitude and affection, and by
for the young.
From London to Cornwall is a long
ish railway journey, and he had plenty
of time in which to look at his purpose.
There were many moments when for
Arthur's sake he felt afraid of it, but
never really faltered in it. He had
written, before starting, to announce
his arrival, and at Gorbay station he
found one of the Pollarths awaiting
him.
"Grown man now, Mister Philip"
said the messenger, admiring him; Il
didn't hardly knaw ye.''
He carried the travellers portman-
teau to the water-side, set it into the
boat, took the souls leisurely in his
big, brown hands, and pulled ross
the bay, with Phil at the rudder The
old housekeeper stood on the sands at
the Sea-gate, and Phil, who had kissed
her when he went away, kissed her ON
arrival.
Chow is Mr.. Tregarthen?' he asked.
"Ailing," she said iling bit
badly, I'm afraid, Mr.. Philip. He's
had dreadful cold all winter, and he
looks wild-like, as if he was worried.
And 60 to bed he won't for nights to-
gether. Sits steWed up in that laber-
try, and sometimes won't touch his |
very meals"
When they reached the house Phil
marched straight to the laboratory
door, and would have knocked there;
but the housekeeper stopped him.
'You must wait till he comes out,
SIR she said, whisperingly. s'He
won't let himself be disturbed for any
thing
Nonsense said Phil, who began to
feel his homecoming little dreary.
''He will see me, / know
He knocked, and the housekeeper
rustled away. Receiving no answer,
he knocked again, more loudly, and
after pause he tried the handle of the
door. Tregarthen sat, in dressing-gown
and slippers, in an old leathern arm
chair, and at first Phil thought him