The Opelousas courier., 1905-04-29

the earnest wish that I might see it
never again.
1t was not loig before 1 met with
a farm hand goiiiig to his early work,
and by him l wis conducted to the
house Of his empbyer, a jolly farmer,
who acted towaIn me as the best Of
good SamaritaE.s. He fed me-, and he
clothed me;ahe drove me II his dog
cart to Lanfa1r, explaining that he was
one of Mr.. JOAN Lanfair's tenants, but
one thing neiV her he nor his ef1ptoye
would do-the..i would neither of them
allow me to sEsak % the habitation
in which l had spent the previous
night. Each uttered the same single
exclamation when l. sought to tell my
story: "You must have stopped at
Deadlake FARM" and with that they
closed the subject in a peremptory
fashion. Well, Mr.: John Lanfair
should resolve the mystery.
It was afternoon. My host and l
were sitting in his library, with the
u beginning to sink toward the west,
and radiating it's golden lights, when
with the following words my eompan-
ion narrated the story of Deadlake
Farm:
Until some two years ago, Dead
lake Farm was occupied by d young
farmer named Blythe, who was mar
ried to a charming wife, and who
only needed children to complete his
happiness. No man in the n%eighbor-
hood was more liked and respected,
and no woman was more admired. In
deed, l doubt If 1 ever set eyes on so
perfect a type Of rustic beauty as Mrs.
Blythe. Troubles never came near to
the fortunate couple, who would have
been the subject of envy had they been
less amiable, but their neighbors sin
cerely rejoiced in their prosperity. How
often have / heard the remark pass
round that Blythe's presence at any
social gathering made the whole scene
look bright.
Then, without the least warning, the
thunderbolt fell. Mrs. Blythe left her
home with a ~companion-so much she
declared in a letter-but of that COM
panion's identity the husband had not
even a suspicion.
Poor Blythe's distress was fright
full to witness, and for a time / feared
that his mental powers would alto
gether give away; but this did not
occur, and he settled down into a
state of sullen, savage gloom. Then
he also quilted Deadlake, bent, as It
was commonly believed, upon finding
his wife, and avenging himself Upon
the man who had done him such in
famous wrong.
"He was absent for some weeks, and
on his return he was resolutely silent
about his proceedings. We did not
know then, we do not know at this
moment, whether he met with the
guilty pair. 1t is ali a matter of con-
lecture. But Blythe now settled him
self at Dead1ake, and there he re-
sided In absolute solitude; he would
not allow even a servant to sleep in
the house. and he avoided all inter-
course with his neighbors with scrupu-
lous care. 1t is proboble that since
be came back from his quest, success
full OF otherwise, no human being. but
himself ever crossed the threshold of
Deadlake farmhouse. And so matters
went oE till ON the night of the TWEEN
ty-ehird of December last year the
farm Was burned down, and reduced
to the total ruin which vol have
seen"
l started. why, then" I said, last
night was the first anniversary of the
FIRE.
Certainly said my host.
"And what became of Mr.. Blythe?'
II cannot tell you," said Mr.. Lam
fair, ~gravely; his fate is wrapped up
in p;ofound obscurity.' But there is
no theory on such a question:"
'You have observed for yourself
that people shrink from speaking of
the subject. They regard it as un-
lucky
But in spite Of their superstition
they must entertain some opinion"
said.
Il imagine" said my host, "that if
you tOuiu gam pooSoSSAOl Vi Inelf In
most thoughts you would find that
most of them are convinced that
Blythe, quite overcome by misery, re-
solved to destroy the house in which
he had onee been so happy, and that
the fire Was his own work"
And he himself persisted in the
hames?" I Exclaimed.
Yes; but / hold it more likely my
self that Blythe made up his mind to
leave the neighborhood secretly, and
without allowing his future destiRa-
ton to be suspected. AS to the fire,
it may have been intentional or acct
dental
There is another possibility" . said;
the house may have been fred by an
enemy, who desired Blythe's destruc-
ton"
My host shrugged his broad shout
ders.
Nothing is known; your magma
ton may run riot as it pleases."
SUPPOSE I continued, with the
meIlory of my dream recurring to me
with extraordinafy vividness, the mar
who stole Mr.. Blythe's wife to be Iiv-
ing in fear of the husbands venge-
ance. Suppose him to come in the
dead OF night to inc1ose his victim in
a locked chamber from which there
was no escape, and then to kindle the
fatat fiames!!"
Mr.. LAMAR. for a second time.
shrugged his shoulders, and then, as