Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-05-29
..id. z..po ,vlth me a, YOU Vim a..

said. DO With me as You win. Ian
. very bad man, Blanche; a very wick
ed man. If you knew me as am you
would despise me for my wickedness,
as you despised her for hers
"You never had fault till she crossed
your path, dear guardian, and nothing
you have done since is going to count"
She spoke lightly, and smiled as she
laid her head on his shoulder.
The next day was Sunday, and as
Miss Dean had gone home, they drove
alone to the village, about two miles
distant, to attend church. Blanche
had never looked so we'll. The crisp
air brought the blood into her cheeks
and blew her hair into froth of gold
about her eyes and brow.
"Perhaps we ought not to drive 50
far he said, solicitously, as they were
| entering the carriage. DO you think
DR.. Fleming would approve of it?"
HE said outdoor exercise was what
| I needed most" answered Blanche.
| Don't worry about me; the medicine
| he prescribed is making me strong
! again. Did you notice the breakfast
| I ate? I was ashamed of my appe-
| tite."
He was silent moment as they
drove along, then he gravely said:
| II want you to go to a good ply
sician tomorrow and ask his advice.
It has been some time since you saw
DR.. Fleming
'Oh, don't begin that" said Blanche,
pretending to pout. Il am getting along
beautifully"
"But III want-you must see doc
| tor" he stammered. II shall feel bet
ter now to know that everything is be-
ing done that should be done for you.''
! you talk as if I were going to de-
said the girl. "Why, I've just begun
to live
For a moment he looked confused.
He could not reveal his real fears, and
yet he was now deeply troubled about
| her condition.
''Of course, it isn't anything Serious -
he said; 'but still to please me you
| W III 1CC lC SCAu I'LL liz l. 4d11Cu.
NO, I don't know him, and 1 don't
like to make new acquaintance. Be-
sides, DR.. Fleming is coming to New
York in about ten days. I promised
faithfully to see him when he re-
turned"
How do you know he is coming ?'
asked the major, in surprise.
II had note from him yesterday.
He explained that he was coming to
New York earlier than he expected
owing to sudden change in his plans
I will go to see him, if you insist on it
but I know he will tell me I have
taken enough of his tonics.''
''Well, that will do,' said Goddard,
reluctantly. He thought of the Grim.
son pictures in the medical book he
had consulted, and his heart sank
After all, his new-found happiness was
only to end in her death, and then
Goddard's meditations about Blanche
always stopped there. He has shut
his real wife out of his thoughts as
men who are striving for better
things shut out the memory of past
evil deeds and associations.
That night when the house was still
and he found himself alone in his study
he forced himself to the task of com,
municating with Jeanne. And as I car
in no better way reveal the workings
of his heart, I shall reproduce the let
ter word for word.
In beginning it he wrote ''Dea1
jeanne but there he stopped abrupt,
ly, and sat staring at the words fol-
several minutes, then he tore the sheet
into small bits and let them filter
through his fingers. His letter began
simply as follows:
well, have at last done your bidding
was mailman. confess that-the very
| flames of hell had scorched my brain.
| have committed unspeakable crime
against the purest. love1iest creature thai
! God ever gave life to. You will be sur.
prised perhaps to find that have changed
SO quickly, and really I have changed COM
| pletely. The scales have fallen from my
| sight. feel like man who has been hyp.
| Noticed and wakes to find he has murdered
! his best friend. I despise myself as nc
mortal ever despised himself before.
now know that my passion for you was
| the blindest, most insane infatuation that
ever dragged the soul of a man from ar
atmosphere of hope down into the Inire OF
! hellish dependency. now know that my
| love for my ward was the only pure love
I have ever experienced. Yes, loved hel
when I met you, and love her now with
all the tortured soul within me. have
| Wronged her as no man ever wronged q
pure, unsuspecting woman, but as her life
| will be of such short duration, il I car
| prevent it she shall never know of the
| stain have put upon her fair name. While
she lives I shall lavish all the tenderness
! OF my soul on her, praying to God that
| may In that way atone a little-a very little
| for my crime against her. She married
| me to comfort me in my loneliness; I mar
r1ed her at the bidding of an intriguer
| OF the most objectionable type. I would
confess all at this moment but for the feat
| that the shock would kill her. How could
tell her that you are alive, and that am
not her legal husband?
Il would not write to you now, but fol
the fact that it is due you to know rhs
stand I have taken, and that we must now
! thoroughly understand each other in re-
gard to Blanche's fortune. AS God is my
| judge 1 do not want her money, and al
| God is my judge you shall never lay your
covetous hands upon it. I shall at once
take precautions to see that, at her death,
the money shall go to her blood relatives.
AS to you, shall never willingly see you
again, nor write you another line from
this day forth. I see my duty and shall