Democratic messenger., 1903-11-07
FREAK Of OF DESTINY:

and as he waited, valise in hand, he
looked about him with the air OF one
who was not altogether a stranger. OBJ
serving a public conveyance ne peck
oned as one accustomed to being obey
ed to the man in charge, and manifest
ed no surprise when that lndlvlduai
took his own time to respond. MOO
nah people were slow and independent,
and the newcomer had not forgotten
| that fact.
"You don't seem in any hurry to get
a fare,'' he said, peevishly, as he step
| ped into the vehicle.
"You didn't expect maybe that l wuz
a-goin' to drive up on the platform,
now did ye?" drawled the driver,
where might ye be wantin'' to stop
at?"
take me to the best hotel.'
"All right. I'll take ye to the CO.
lumbus. Git up, jimmy, get up, Jack.
Say, eff you hev emmy baggidge the
express wagon will fetch it up"
At the hotel-a fine new building
the landlord advanced with flourish
ing air of proprictors:lip to address q
stranger, then started, and welcomed
his guest by both hands.
'Mr. Arnold" he SAID. effusively, Il
knew you as soon as l laid eyes on
you! And--let me see-it's 10 years
to day since you left Nconah.
"How-do, Ransom. how-do?" the
guest spoke fretfully and cCldly. Time
hasn't stood still with either OF us. You
know l live in Washington now."
Eyes, sir; yes. Mr.. Arnold and you
have done us proud there. Why, sir.
you got us an appropriation for new
postoffice to be built in the near fut-
ure-I hope to live till get my letters
there. Yes, sir, Congressman. Senator
and now"
I'm not in Office row, Ransom. My
private interests demand all my atten-
tion. Besides, you know, l am alone
in the world-neither wife nor child"
"Ah, yes, sir. I've heard. She was
fine woman, Mrs. Arnold was, and
very handsome. too-if you'll excuse
me for saying it,
"She was very extravagant," said
the widower. the scowl on his face in
tensifying, "dreadfully reckless in her
Xpenditures-why, Ransom, she was
the most eXpensively dressed woman
in Washington. where all the women
dress like the dickens"
But. Mr.. Arnold-beg pardon-h'm m
hadn't your lady fortune OF her
| own?"
Yes, Ransom. and l invested her
| money to the best advantage, but she
spent lot of it foolishly. However.
she's gone now, and it can't be helped"
and with cross, detected look Mr..
Arnold with the prefix of Hon" to his
name, followed his host to the best
room in the hotel.
Later when he had dined he asked
some questions about old-time friends
in Noonah and led the conversation
until he asked casually:
What has becomes of the Merritts?
time? The last heard Of them they
had gone abroad. Have they return
ed?"
"Yes, Mr. Arnold, and they're rich
now-brought back heap of money
from an estate that fell to them in
the old country. They do say say Mr..
Merritt might have had title but the
old mans true blue American-no
titles for him. And Miss Agnes has
never married. though we all know she
had plenty of chances He looked sly
ly at Mr.. Arnold, who was disposed to
be communicative.
"YeS, Ransom, she came near being
the first Mrs. Arnold. 1t was her own
fault that she wasn't" lied Arnold
glibly.
Few of us know ourselves as well as
other people know lis. Know thy
SELF" remains Greek to the average
man. All Noonah knew that Robert
Arnold had thrown Agnes Merritt over
for a richer girl. Ransom told of her
fathers interests in various flourish
ing enterprises. and OF their improved
style of living. This was merely a
confirmation of news Arnold had al
ready heard, which had indeed brought
him to the place he detested-Noonan.
cold smile wreathed his face and a
calculating light shone in his steely
eyes, as he reflected that Agnes had
probably remained single for his sake
Agnes Merritt sat alone in an un-
lighted parlor looking out on the gath
ering night and thinking. thinking. She
had only to reach out her hand to
touch the wall and flood the room with
a soft electric glow. but she preferred
the lingering twilight punctuated by
the twinkle of the town lamps below
and the coming stars above. The in.
toxication of the hour, when daylight
dies in the beloved embrace of night
was upon her-she was communine
with the past. On the eve of he1
thirtieth birthday her thoughts went
back to the time of her betrOthal tr
Robert Arnold How she had loved
him, how she loved him yet! Nor die
she blame him for what happened, fol
she had invited her rich friend tC
visit her, and then when she was en-.
gagged in home duties left them to eacf
other and her friend had stolen hel
lover. Womanlike. she blamed The
other woman in the case. and let the
man go free.
She had recently heard OF his wife's
death, and allowed herself to dwell or
his memory as she had not dcne ir
N<,vry hot I,N c,,0~