St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1894-01-27
CHAPTER l.
MIN BEI{ SIX

se~ @Nrgg| which gave no
as ~ outward sign
IAn ~. of the tragedy
that was being
lS enacted within
its w lis. It
stood IS duly
respectable and characterless on that
June morning as it's hundreds of dup
licated neighbors.
Inside there was the awed stiffness of
the presence of the king of terrors.
For Number Six was dead.
Mrs. Evesham, the landlady, had an-
ticipated his fate from the moment that,
summoned by her chambcrmaid, she
had found him delirious and writhing
with pain on his bed; the physician,
who had arrived just FIVE minutes too
late to be of service, had dropped the
limp. cold hand with professional in
difference and pronounced life extinct,
and the coroner had already given notice
of his intention to hold an inquest on
the body
Poor Mrs. Evesham was plunged into
sincere grief ut the catastrophe, for not
only was her tender nature touched by
the sudden and awful incident, but she
saw, at critical time in her affairs,
one Of the principal sources of her
income abruptly cut. off.
Ambrose Arlington the unhappy
Number Six-had been to her prince
of dodgers, prompt and liberal, unob-
trusive, easily satisfied, and, in the brief
communications she had, had with him,
urbane and considerate. Ills very re-
serve, which to some might have been
obnoxious, was to her, who had seen
more prosperous days, his best recon-
mendation, for she had not long reigned
over the fortunes of the present domi-
cile.
Nor must /. be understood that the
house was a common boarding place.
No lone bachelor in that we1l-regulated
establishment growled over the tough
ness of his beefsteak nor bewaiied the
feeblcness Of his coffee. Only room
ers," and those of the very best class,
found an abiding place under its hospi-
table roof.
TO the inmates it was not a sociable
way of living, for they knew little or
nothing of each other, while among the
servants their individuality was obliter-
ated and they were only spoken of by
the numbers of their rooms. Thus in
this democratic atmosphere every
guests name became absorbed in the
humble figures painted on his chamber
door.
With some of her patrons Mrs. Eve
sham did enjoy a passing acquaintance,
but this man, Ambrose Arlington, who
now lay dead IN number six, was as
much a stranger to her as though he
had not dwelt beneath her roof.
The whole Evesham family sat in
mournful consultation over the morn
ing's disaster. There was the widow
herself, still in the generous summer of
life. retaining the matured beauty of
the sweet girl face which, sixteen years
ago, had won the love of the light
hearted Hal Evesham, the prince of
good fellows and life and soul of the
press club, who was now lying at rest
in Brooklyn cemetery. and had left, ah
me! such q pittance for his wife and
little ones to begin the world upon.
There was b1ue-cyed, brown-haired
Alice, a thoughtful maiden of thirteen;
there was Kate, the exuberant, of
twelve, whose wild, glorious hair would
not keep out of her sparkling eyes; and
last. though not least in the widows
estimation, Harry. mtat ten, whose
short, crisp. auburn curls were In per-
fectsympathy with his clear, sharp, in
telligent features and trim figure.
They were sounding fearful pmans of
praise to the virtues of the dead.
$50 quiet and regular In his pay
mcnts," sighed the widow, with prac-
tical sympathy.
80 delightfully."- mysterious" mur-
INJURED Alice.
Never scolded when he caught mo
stufiing paper in the keyhole OF his
door, 1noaned Kate
Nor blabbed to ma when hit him
on the head with my ball, though Of
course I didn't mean to-" whined Harry.
s.He must have been rich, for he
seemed to follow no profession, yet had
always plenty of money" Mrs. Eveshnm
continued, still, poor soul. harping on
the loaves and fishes.
Then, to think that next Tuesday
his sister is to arrive from London on
the steamer" Alice lamented. what
on earth we shall say to the poor girl
OF what we shall do with her when she
comes am sure do not know. mann
darling"
''Nor I. either. child; it Is g terrible
dilemma to be in. )"
..WcIl. at any rate" Kate hazarded,
''she will be able to tell us who he was
and where we can find his folks"
$50 she viii, dear; had not thought
of that, but it is long time between
now and Tuesday" Mrs. Evesham as
scntcd with some assumption of cheer
fulness.
At this moment, the discussion was
interrupted by servant who announced
visitor. No, he did not give his name
nor card, but the girl felt sure he was
gentleman.
.I will see no one-but stay, perhaps
/ had better" Mrs. Evesham said,
brushing away her tears and proceed
ing to the reception-room, where she
found herself face to face with singu-
larly handsome middIc-agcd man, whose