Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-02-19
"A.
FREAK OF DESTINY.



serving a public conveyance he beck
oned as one accustomed to being obey
ed to the man in charge, and manifest
ed no surprise when that individual
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
fare" he said, peevishly, as he step
ped into the vehicle.
"You didn't expect maybe that | wuz
a-goin' to drive up on the platform,
now did ye?" drawled the driver,
where might We be wantin' to stop
at?"
Take me to the best hotel"
"All right. I'll take We 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 proprietorsnip to address a
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
10 day since you left Noonah.
"How-do, Ransom, how-do?" the
guest spoke fretfully and coldly. Time
hasn't stood still with either of us. You
know | live in Washington now"
Yes, sir; yes, Mr. Arnold and you
have done us proud there. Why, sir,
you got us an appropriation for new
postof1ce to be built in the near fut-
ure-I hope to live till l get my letters
there. Yes, sir, Congressman, Senator
and now"
I'm not in Office now, Ransom. My
private interests demand all my atten-
ton. Besides, you know, | 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 extrayagant,' said
the widower, the scowl on his face in
tensifying, 'dreadfully reckless in her
the most extensively dressed woman
in Washington, where all the women
dress like the dickens"
But, Mr.. Arnold-beg pardon-h'm
hadn't your lady fortune of her
own?"
Eyes, 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?
I suppose Agnes is married by this
time? The last | heard of them they
had gone abroad. Have they return
ed?'
Eyes, Mr. Arnold, and they're rich
now-brought back a heap of money
from an estate that fell to them in
the old country. They do say say Mr..
Merritt might have had a 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.
eyes, 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 us. Know thy
SELF remains Greek to the average
man. All Noonah knew that Robert
Arnold had thrown Agnes Merritt over
for richer girl. Ransom told of her
fathers interests in various flourish
ing enterprises and of tneir improved
siyIe of living. This was merely a
confirmation Of news Arnold had al
ready heard which had indeed brought
him to the place he detested-Noonah.
4, 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 I'M
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 food 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 communing
with the past On the eve Of her
thirtieth birthday her thoughts went
back to the time of her betrothal to
Robert Arnold How she had loved |
him, how she loved him yet! Nor did
she blame him for what happened. for
she had invited her rich friend to
visit her, and then when she was en-
gagged In home duties left them to each
other, and her friend had stolen her
lover. WomanlilSe, 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 hersess to dwell on
his memory as she had not done in
many years, Now that he was free.
would he seek her, now that she had
love and fortune both to give him? She
could not Know Of his hard cruelty to
the woman who had just died, his pet
ty pecsecutions-she would not have
believed them if that woman could |
have risen from her grave to warn
her. She was in love With an ideal
Looking out on the night and its
panorama she saw him coming toward
her with the Indifference with which
one beholds an ordinary passerby.
Surely love is blind Her eyes rested
on Che spare figure. slightly bent, and
saw At hint of resemblance to any one