The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-08-18

that there was something wrong with poor Luigi. He had no more initia- tive than baby; he had almost to be
 told to put one foot in front of the other, and never spoke except in an. swer to 8 question. Poor Conway evidently thought I had treated him
 very badly in foisting such a visitor
 upon him for entertainment.
 At dinner we all began to get on
 well. Atherstone told some amusing election stories, and Conway cheered
 up immensely. He was panting to
 hear some tales of blood and adven-
 ture, with the prospect of which had
 bribed him to assume somewhat less disgusted and injured appearance.
 Just as we were setting to work on
 our fish I noticed an odd change in
 the Italian boy's face. The gentle,
 vacant smile had disappeared, and he was looking about him with an anx- ious, apprehensive expression. A young Viennese footman whom I had lately engaged handed him the fish sauce; he shrank away apd stared up at Hans with an expression of horror and fury which amazed that luckless youth, who stood there still proffer- ing the peaceful sauce- boat. Ather- stone, absorbed in the story he was relating, noticed nothing. told Hans in German to pass on, but had scarcely spoken the words before Luigi started up with an incoherent exclamation, and staggering back a step or two, fell senseless on the floor.
 Atherstone was beside him in a mo- ment, the butler and Hans rushed to the rescue. "For heavens sake, send that German boy out of the room," exclaimed Atherstone, when Luigi showed signs of coming to life again.
 Later in the evening, when peace was restored, Luigi up stairs, and Con- way relieving his feelings by setting night lines in the big pond, my friend and l sat out in the veranda smoking cigars in the warm twilight. Ather- stone was silent for some time, but presently, heaving 8 mighty sigh, he spoke:
 "I owe you some explanations" he began, thrusting his hand through the long locks at the side of his head tili they stood out at right angles to it, with an action familiar of old.
 "Not at all," I said, crossing one knee comfortably over the other. ''Don't attempt any unless you feel inclined. I am afraid, though, you are in trouble. You look worn out, and you have heavy burden on your hands. It is just like you, Atherstone, to sacrifice yourself in this manner. I call it over-indulgence in benevolent action carried to an incorporate ex- cess. If you must act guardian to that poor boy, why can't you get some one to look after him instead of giving up your whole life to him in this way?"
 Atherstone interrupted me with a groan of anguish.
 "Give up nag whole life ]" he cried. You little know what you are talk ing about. Do you know, Holbrook, that l am murderer, that the deaths )f Luigi's father and mother both lie 1t my door, and that the wreck of himself is all my fault, my fault?"
 He grew louder and louder in his excitement; it was necessary to calm 1im. l was startled, I own, and | should have been more SO if these | statements had been made by any one less extravagant in speech and action han Atherstone.
 "My dear fellow," said, "you look ike the remorseful Weelyam of the Men who have really | murder don't treat it in | that sort of style. Do be calm and | ell me your story in a manner suited | to my plain and unpoetical imagina- sion. I have little doubt that you will | prove to be quite conventionally re- ,pectable character after all."
 A little gibing reduced him quickly to more collected frame of mind, and | he went on:
 "I should like to tell you about it. It. is 30 long since I have seen any one belonging to the old days. I had be- gun to think they never existed, ex- ,ept in my own imagination. The tight of you seems to bring 1t all back and make real that impossibly happy old life. Here are you at thirty -four, a young man with a career before you prosperous, able, making your mark in the world, with nothing but hope in the future, and no regrets in the past; while I at the same age have nothing but the wreck of 6 miserable life left, and the irreparable harm I have done embodied in human form always before me. We'll, it cheers me somehow to be near you for bit and it in the sunshine of your prosperity. had almost come to disbelieve in the sx xistenoe. of happiness."
 have grunt of sympathy and of of these morbid senti-