St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-12-03

more like pigs than human beings.
just look at the dust on the desk; it's
shameful. Ard Sarah says you won't
let her touch your papers. I'm
ashamed of having such dirty hole in
my house; I'll come and dust it my
self tomorrow"
At these words Arbuthnot lost his
philosophical self-con.rol.
II must ask you rot to touch the
papers on my desk" he said, hastily.
81 allow Sarah to brush and dust every
thing in the room but my desk, and
that l attend to myself"
''Of course, you fly at my throat
when offer to do anything for you"
said Agatha, angrily, letting her hand
fall on the desk and crumpling several
of the loose sheets together. 81 can't
speak to you but what l do wrong.
That comes of marrying genius!
You're enough to make any woman
want to drown herself"
II beg your pardon if I spoke has
tily," said Arbuthnot, ruefully contem-
plating the sheets of paper which
Agatha was fast crumpling into balls;
''but I've nearly finished my book, aud
these sheets of paper are rather valu-
able"
Agatha threw the balls onto the
table.
"And this book is to make you IA
mous?" she asked, with bitter con-
tempt. 81 suppose, when its published.
everyone will come and envy Inc be-
cause I'm the wife of the genius,
George Arbuthnot."
Her scornful emphasis only brought
| a smile to Arbuthnot's face.
81 don't know about that" he said,
good-temperedly, "but it's the best
work I've done yet. And ifit's sue
cessful. Agatha, I shall be able to bCy
you that diamond bangle you coveted
the other day."
But even the reference 10 the dia-
mond bangle failed to move Agatha.
"How long will it take you to finish
it?" she asked, slowly, looking down
| at the untidy desk.
81 hope to finish it by next week,
| said Arbuthr OF, triumphantly. I've
| allowed Lcrrimer, the Weekly Review
man, to see some parts of it, and he's
expressed very favorable opinion and
thinks it's bound to be success"
Agatha's eyes narrowed at the cor
ners.
"Lorrimer's q fool" she said, an
grily.
1t was one cold afternoon, ten days
later, that Arbuthhot stood on his
doorstep in the act of inserting his
latchkey, smiling at some pleasing
"reminiscences Of his recent talk with
his publisher.
Suddenly wild. terrified cry broke
from the house, followed by scream
after scream, reiterated with such in
tensity of anguish that Arbuthnot him.
self caught the infection of terror, and
fumblcd with trembling hands at the
latchkey.
At las; he managed TO open the door
and run into the hail. a fearful sight
met his eye. From his study door few
something object enveloped il
| wrirking flames, and from it there
| came piercing, agonized shrieks. A.
the draught from the open door flew
| fiercely down the corridor the flame!
| leaped higher and higher round thei1
living prey. until Arbuthnot's sick
| ened gaze saw nothing but brillian,
ball of fire.
God! it was Agatha. Mad with tor
ture, the flaming figure rushed toward
him and threw out its arms in agony
Arbuthnot caught it in tight em
himself and the shrieking figure onto
the carpeted floor and rolled over and
over until at last the flames were
| beaten out and he knew the fire wa!
conquered.
Three hours later the doctor came
softly downstairs. He had used all hi!
skill to bring life back to the disfig
ured body that now lay motionless OF
| the bed. 1t was all in vain. Agatha'i
injuries were beyond all help, and sh.
had lived only three hours after Ar
buthnot had carried her upstairs.
Her husband had never left her side
and, though badly burned about tn,
hands ard face. had scarcely realized
his own injuries. As he looked at tha
cruelty difigured face, now swathed Il
bandages, rush of tears blinded hi
eyes. and he knew that all past differ
ences were swept away, and tina
Agatha would live hencefcrth in hi
memory only as the woman whom h,
had once loved with all his heart. Be
fore life fiickered out in that suffering
body Agatha opened her eyes ono
and met her husbands gaze fixed witt
intense pity and love upon her face
To Arbuthnot it seemed that she plead
ed dumbly for forgiveness, but even a
he looked the lids closed again, an,
in a few moments Agatha's spirit ha,
slipped into the great silence.
When all was over, Arbuthno
stopped and kissed the cold, pale lips
Later in the evening he went down
stairs to his study. As he entered tn
room a shudder ran through his body
he remembered the figure of flame tha
had leaped into his arms but fev
hours ago, and his heart was torn q
the thought of Agatha's sufferings.
i And yet it was n mystery how sh
had caught fire. Presumably she ha
been warming herself in his study, an,
her thin grenadine dinner dress ha'
swept too near the flames. A few dul
red embers still burned in the CRATE
Arbuthnot lit the lamp and sat dow
mechanically to his desk.
/ thank God for work." he said, wit
deep sigh. AT least can forget TO
time"
II He opened the deep drawer wherei
his pile Of manuscript laid ready fo
the printers hand. One or two omi.
s:ons could easily be rectified now. an
the work would soothe his weary hear
and brain. But-the drawer stoo
empty. Hastily he pulled out its cour
tcrpart. No; that, too, held nothing
With feverish hands he rummaged eac
pigeonhole, turned everything out q
his bureau. sought on the chairs, tn
tables. The manuscript had disaI
peared!
A fearful thought darted into hi
brain. He ran to the fireplace-his ey
fell ON some charred ashes in the Tel
i -.