Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-03

4 well-and yet, remember, she is talk.
| ing his medicines"
l. "Dr. Fleming explained that to alt
outward appearances she would be,
even to the end. as healthy looking
] as o perfectly sound person. He says
she cannot possibly live longer than
two years, and that it is most likely
that she will drop off sooner-at any
moment. The least excitement or un-
usual exertion may kill her instantlyA
"Does Blanche know of her condi.
tion?' asked the major, almost for-
getting his own troubles in his vast
sympathy for his ward
"No: oh, no! DIR. Fleming said that
the knowledge of it would only prey
on her mind and hasten the end. He
was afraid to tell you; he said men
wereapt to show SO much concern over
matters of that kind that patients
would suspect the truth. promised
him faithfully not to hint it to a soul,
SO You must never mention it or let
her suspect you are anxious about
her"
"Can nothing be done?"
Absolutely nothing: the medicine
she is taking is just what she needs,
and he even advised me not to have
her consult any other DOCTOR pre-
sumo, considering the fact that he is
such great authority. his wishes,
even on that score, ought to be re.
spected"
II presume So" responded the mas
jor; but isn't it awful?' Then he
came back to his own affairs almost
with start. He frowned and sat
silently looking at the fire. 1t was as
If he were wondering what connection
this disclosure could have with his
wife's strange fight. He gently ex-
pressed this idea to her presently.
AFTER left you to-day got to think-
ing about it." was her answer, and her
fingers frightened on his. Blanche
has, as you know, about three mil
lions in her own name"
II know that" answered the major.
when she drops off suddenly all
that money will go legally to people
she never saw. an aunt and cousins
for whom she doesn't care a pin"
THAT is the truth Jeanne, but
please do not interrupt ME, dear"
pursued his wife, and she began strok-
ing his hand again. "You told me that
since you had taken charge of her af-
fairs Blanche's money has more than
doubled"
Yes, happened to invest it better
than did my own capital
There was silence in the room for a
moment. The muffled strains of the
orchestra below stole up to their ears.
The handsome woman had never
thrown SO much power of enchant-
4 ment into her beautiful. long-lashed
eyes as at this moment. She held his
gaze as reptile might that of its
wondering. bewildered victim.
Dear husband" she said sweetly.
"John Briscoe loved you as few men
4 love their friends. Do you know that
he would rather; have you enjoy that
money after his daughters death than
those people?"
II don't know: I never thought
| about it. jeanne
Well I know he would want you
to have it, and have it you must"
declare you mySIl1y me.
Il have something else to say.
Blanche was in love with you when I
first met YOU | knew it from the ac-
! counts you gave me of your visits to
her. l used TO think you We're fool
not to have seen it. She loved you SO
much that"
20, how absurd"
s0That ubap vo,, b-.nn,.l,t ,,o I,
as your wife she swooned away. One
of the maids told me about it. She
pretended to be confined to her room
with headache. but in reality she
| spent the two days in tears. She
keeps diary, it has lock and key,
but one day found it open, and read
her heart. She not only loves you,
| but she has worshiped you since she
was Is years old You have thought
she was happy at Lyndhurst. The
| truth is she has not had one content
ed moment there. She dislilles me
and imagines me unworthy of you,
and that has only irritated her pas
| SION"
Jeanne" said the major. ST can
hardly believe all this, but even if III.
were true, what has it to do witl,fbis
awful breach between you and. me p
You must have her money or
shall never be content as long as Il
live." The speaker paused as if to let
her statement settle into his dis,
turbed consciousness, then she ended:
'"You must have it, or 1 cannot live
with you any longer"
You mean he was unable to pro-
coed.
81 mean that you and /. Rowland,
without harming the girl in the slight
est, can, after her death, live the rest
of our lives on that money. over half
of which you have fairly earned by
your business care and Judgment"
Il don't see how we can do it,n
Goddard said, after he had endeavored
to fathom her meaning.
"She has only two years to live at
the very longest, dear. 1t would mean
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