The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-06
The Kindness of
Goddard GOOd@mOuQho
BY JOHN j. A'BECKET.
toopyrighs lsss TIE s. 5. Mcclure Coz

I his rooms tomorrow OF the executors
and the heirs of the estate in regard to
the disposition of certain things OF vast
Importance. Necessary documents re-
lating to this transaction were taken
out Of the safe deposit vaults yesterday
by my husband and the other two execu-
tors and my husband took them to his
rooms. He is lawyer and he had to
study out two or three points with these
documents close Mt hand to refer to.
I'm my frenzy over his treatment OF
me, | took these documents away this
morning, after he had left his rooms to
so down town. l knew that their loss
would ruin him. / left a note for him
that / had been called out of town by
a telegram from my sister. Why
should have done this, when | meant
never to return to him, / do not know.
But it was a Providence, for it gives
me a chance to rectify my fatal mis-
take, if you will assist me. | have dis
covered that by belief was wholly wrong
and that / have done a terrible"-the
girl put her hand to her eyes and seemed
overcome at the thought. for a moment
"a terrible injustice to one of the finest
men that ever lived"
1t was naturally very trying con-
fession for a devoted wife to make, and
that she should feel the greatest re
luctance to it was to be expected. Her
narrative was full Of pauses, hesitations
and difficulty But when she would mas
ter this repugnance she went on quickly
and her speech was not only fluent but
full Of feeling The young man respect
fully waited in silence till she should
recover her control, though considerably
affected by her emotion.
Il know him better than any one liv-
ing" she resumed. IF he were to find
out what | have done, even if / returned
with the box of documents, showed the
hatefully specious grounds for my sus-
picious, confessed my fault and plead
for forgiveness, he would drive me from
him, and never look at, or speak to, me
again. He is one of those stern, I'M
yielding men who can not forgive an in
Justice too good to forgive a fault.
Here is where you can be Of greater
assistance to me than / ever dreamed
mortal could. If l can get that box
back to the very place from which / took
it before he returns tonight. he will
never know that it has been touched.
Tomorrow, / come back after this visit,
apparently to my sister, and all will go
on as before He has no idea that ever
entertained doubt of him. | dare not
take it back myself for fear, in some
way, he should discover what | have
done. If his distrust were aroused in
the slightest degree, he would get the
whole thing out OF me, despite myself.
And this worry and prostration from the
heat would make me afraid to attempt
1t. lest | should be overcome again. am
not strong, and this strain has quite I'M
nerved me- You must see with what
effort | am letting you know the situa-
ton. After ruin had fallen on him. I
meant to declare myself, his wroneed
wife, as its author. Oh, it was n hide
Gus wrong. You must despise me al
most rs much as despise myself. The
only excuse is that it was the mad act
Of a woman who loved her husband to
distraction and felt that she had been