The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-09-05
THE LIME BURNER.

For man in whose life there had been
tragedy he was cheerful. He had n habit
OIL hu1nming vague notes i'll the silence OF
conversation, as If to put you ut your case
His body and face were lean and arid, his
eyes obliquo and small, his hair straight
and dry and straw colored, and it flow out
cracking with electricity, to meet his cap
as no put it on. He lived alone in n little
hut near his limekiln by tho river, with
no near ncighbors, and few companions
save his four dogs, and these no fed some.
times Mt expense of his own stomach. He
had just enough crude poetry in his nature
to enjoy his surroundings. For he was
well placed. Behind tho limckiln rose
Knoll on knoll and beyond these the ycr-
dant hills, all converging to Dalgrotho
mountain. In front of it was the river
with its banks dropping 40 feet, and below
the rapids, always troubled and sportivc
On tho farther side of tho river lay pcacc-
full areas of meadow and corn land, and
low rooted, lowering furmhouses, with
ono larger than tho rest, having a wind
mill and Flagstaff. This building was al
most large enough for n manor, and indeed
1T was said that it had been built for one
just before the conquest i'll 1859, but tho
war had destroyed the ambitious owner.
ana 1t had become n farmhouse Garrotc
always knew the time of the day by the
way the light fell on tho windmill. He
had owned this farm once, he and his
brother Fabian, and he had loved il as he
loved Fabian, and he loved it now as lie
loved Fabian's memory. And in spite of
all they were cheerful memories both of
brother and house.
Al 23 they were orphans, with 200 acres
of land, some cash. horses and cattle, plcn-
ty of credit in the parish, or in the county
for that matter. Both were of hearty dis
positions, but Fabian had taste for
liquor, and Henri for pretty faces and
shapcly ankles Yet no one thought the
worse OF them for that, especially at first.
An old servant kept house for them and
cared for them in her honest way both
physically and morally. She lccturcd
them when mt first there was little to lee
turc about. 1t is no wonder that when
there camo II vast deal to rcprovc, good
Agatha dcsistcd altogether, overwhelmed
by the weight of it.
Henri got II shock that day before their
father died when he saw Fabian lift the
brandy used to mix with the milk of the
dying man, and pouring out the third of I;
tumblcr drink it Off smacking his lips us
he did so as though it We're II cordial.
That gave him cue to his future and To
fabian s. After their father died Fabian
gave way to the vice. He drank in the tav-
crns; he was at once the despair and the
JOY of the parish for wild as he was he had
gay temper, II humorous mind IL strono,
arm and was the universal lover. The cure,
who did not of course know one fourth OF
his wildncSs, had warm spot for him in
his heart. But there was vicious streak
In him somewhere, and it came out one
day In u pcrilous fashion. There was in
IN Nal al of IN., -,
servant from the west called Nell Barra-
way. She had been In hotel in Montre
al, and it was there Fabian had seen her
rs She waited on the table. She was n
splendid looking creature, all lifo and en-
crgy, tall, fair haired and with a charm
above her kind. She was also an excellent
servant, could do rs much as any two
women in any house and was capable of
more airy diablcric than any ten in Pom
tiac. When Fabian had said to her in
Montreal that ho would come, he told her
where he lived. She came to see him in
stead, for she wrote to tho landlord of tho
Louis Quinzc, incloscd five testimonials
and was immediately engaged. She came,
and Fabian was stunned when he entered
tho Louis Quinze and saw her waiting on
table, alert busy, good to sec. She nod
ded Mt him with q quick smile rs he stood
in English, for he understood it fairly.
This way, monsieur"
AS he sat down he said in English also.
with laugh and with swapping eyes:
Good Lordl What brings you here, lady
bird?'
AS sho pushed q chair under him she al
most Missed through his hair, "Your' and
then was gono away to fetch pot au fcu for
six hungry men.
The Louis QuinZc did moro business now
In three months than it had done before in
SIX. But 1t was whispered among q few
In Pontiac that Nell was vicious. How
IL mad crcpt up from Montreal no one
knew, and when it did come her name was
very intimately associated with Fabian's.
No ono could say that she WINS NOT tho
most perfect of servants, and also no ono
could say that her life in Pontiac had not
been exemplary.
Yet wise people had made up their
minds that she was determined tn morrv
Fabian, and the wiscst declared that sbc
would in spite of neutrality-suspicious. (sbe
was ProtcstanO, character, race. Sim
was clever, as the young sciyncur found
as the little irocat was forced to admit
as the cure allowed with sigh, and She
had no airs OF badness ut all and very liz
tie of usual coquctry. Fabian was cnum-
orcd, and it WAS clear that he intended ia
bring the woman to the manor one way or
another.
Henri admitted the fascination of tho
woman, felt it, dcsparcd, went to Mont
real, got proof Of her career, came back
and made his final and only effort to turn
his brother from the girl
He had Xy.iifnI ~, Lour 0,,.;,a