Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-04-10
CHAPTER ".

The Goddards breakfasted together
the next morning in a private room
downstairs. The meal passed in 81
lence, which was broken only now
and then by cheerful remark on the
part of Mrs. Goddard. He was sallow
and depressed, as if he had passed a
wretched night; she was flushed with
triumph and the prospect of winning
in a great game. Now that his word
had been tacitly given he had the
cowed air of most men of refined in
stincts who have sold themselves to
the devil. His handsome face was
stamped, too. with the lines OF regret
for his downward plunge, and keener
regrets that he was in such a short
time to be separated from her. He
was unable to look her plot squarely
in the face. else he might have had
the courage to introduce certain
white-winged objections which had
focked around him in the dead hours
of the night when all the city seemed
asleep. Mrs. Goddard ate heartily;
he bolted his food. She said the coffee
and rolls-those dainty crisp things
no larger than a giants thumb-were
alone worth the inconvenience of
spending a night in the city. When
they had finished she told him she de-
sired that he should go at once to
Lyndhurst and infor N Blanche that
she would remain that morning in
town to attend to some shopping, and
that she would be home in time for
luncheon.
ST hope" she added, shat you have
no business to attend to at the office"
He had none, and it gave his heart
a wrench to think that her shopping
had to do with her prepare atoms for
her voyage.
''There is something else," she went
on. ''Did anyone at Lyndhurst know
that 1 took so much money when I
left?"
The major looked confused as he
,onfessed: blanche happened to be
with me when-when I went to the
safe, and, naturally. I suppose
showed establishment when l missed
the
ooh, it makes no difference" broke
in Mrs. Goddard. 81 can easily ex-
plain it, and my going abroad. l shall
say it is only for short run over and
back. From the other side I can
easily make excuses for a prolonged
stay"
He left her in one of the drawing
rooms and fastened to get a cab to
convey him to the station in time for
a train to Lyndhurst. Good intentions
and a clear moral outlook must natu-
rally tend towards lightness of spirits,
for Maj. Goddard, possessing just the
reverse, felt as if his bones had turned
to lead as he journeyed homeward.
It is wonder that his fercely con-
tending emotions did not tear his rea-
son from it's seat.
AS to his wife, size was, as she had
always been, Numerically his oppo-
site. She took one Or two turns in
the corridors, where a considerable
number of people were seated or
promenading, and drew in deep
breaths Of something like thorough
satisfaction. She seemed unconscious
and yet keenly aware of the chances
of lettering men Of fashion who
nudged one another and made admir-
ing comments as she passed. She
went through the revolving glass
doors into the court. and as she
smoothed on her dainty gloves she
looked for cab. When she had
chosen the best looking four-wheeler
porter in uniform called it for her.
mo. 30 West Twentieth street." she
said carelessly to the porter, who re-
peated it to the capman as he closed
the door.
The house before which the convey
ance presently halted was a rather
old-time, four-storied brown stone
front, the steps of which were crum-
bling AID broken. and before which
stood those badges of an uncleanly
neiSnborhood, an ash can aud a
garbage BARREL.
Mrs. Goddard alighted, dismissed
the cab and went up to the unswept
atoop and stood on the worn india