Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-17
SYNOPSIS.


tunate investments and loses almost en-
IRE IRE fortune His wife's actions at this
time lead him to believe she married for
money. She had been poor mil,tner with
whom he had become infatuated, She
never allowed him to learn certain things
connected with past life.
Chapter II-Arriying home from business
goddard lear.ls his wife has left for city
missing considerable sum of money from
SAFE OF which she knew leads him to con-
ciude she means desertion. Telegram comes
New York. - r. =.
Chapter III-Mrs. Goddard formulates
plan by which she and Goddard can come
will so abroad, while abroad report will
come back of her death, he will marry
Blanche who loves him but who has fatal
On Shameless death she Will prove false re.
port OF her own death. To this plan the
major G Is brought to reluctantly consent
Lyndhurst, but before doing SO secures a
mrs Nolan to go abroad with her as maid
ana play important part in disappearance
Chapter V-Mrs Nolan, according to ar
rangement, comes to Hyndhurst to Apply
Tor position of maid with Mrs. Goddard.
and OF course is accepted.
Chapter Vl,rBlancheis itnocently drawn
INTO plot by Mrs. Goddard who tells of fore
pooing that she will die abroad. Blanche
Is told that Goddard had loved her before.
R ENSUING MIS- VI ,Goddard and Mrs Goddard
marry MIN should she never return.
CHAPTER YI-Continued.
AS Blanche went out she saw her
guardian waiting on the first landing
OF the stairway, and her heart re-
preached her for remaining so long
with. his wife, for she saw that his i'm
patience was consuming him. He had
nothing to say as she passed; his face
was filed with utterances too vague for
words VI
I forgot to say he said, when Mrs.
Goddard had admitted him, .'that I die,
not go down to the ship to see your
stateroom. You said it was the Cleo
patra, 4 believen-s
Yes. dear" she drew him to the
seat just vacated by his ward. 1T is
not one of the fastest. liners. Indeed,
1t takes ten days to reach Liverpool,
but for the same price / was able to
get absolutely the chief stateroom on
the ship. 1t is on the promenade deck
and has private bath and room for
Mrs. Nolan adjoining mine. Oh, it has
every convenience, and has big, wide
bed in which can be thoroughly COM
fortable!"
am glad you have made such good
arrangements" responded the ma ior;
but l wish you wouldn't 60 Jeanne,
DO you know that you are drawing me
into depths of degradation that I
would never have reached but for you?
For Gods sake let'srenounce it all and
turn about and try to live pure, honor
able lives. | am already tired of the
plan"
"Bosh!" Her exclamation was full of
impatience. Don't show the white
feather at this late hour! You want me
to continue to love you, and / cannot
love anybody as poor as Jobs turkey.
So drop that sort of nonsense. have
argued with you all | am going to-"
Another thing" he said, cautiously,
Il don't like the looks of the woman
you employed" 49,
Lucy Nolan, and why, pray?"
She doesn't look like an honest
woman" .9s
A ripping laugh burst from Mrs.
Goddard's lips.
What are you amused over?" he
~siNeu, Si'S MY 7PlQued. ~
That you should expect me to select
. prodigy of human goodness to help
me carry out the most daring piece of
rascality ever born of woman's fertile
brain. Dear Rowland, are you jest
ing?"
DO you mean to say that you sus-
pect her to be dishonest woman?'
Il know that sheswill do anything I
lsk for money and keep her mouth
shut. ! may as well tell the truth. 1
used to employ her. She was at the
head of my sewing-room. We under
stand each other"
He seemed deeply shocked by this
confession. For several minutes he sat
staring at her dumbly. Presently he
pulled himself together. Later in his
life he recalled his reply and regarded
1t in the light of an inspired prophecy.
Jeanne, don't drive me too far"
said with sudden firmness that beat
her back into the crafty cautiousness
from which overconfidence had allowed
her to slip. Don't drive me too far.
] have always had an ideal--a woman
''AAo "obAA NC cpoVC Aubtcd0 u penGdUu
me i'll high aspirations, and if anything
should cause me tofshake you off, it
will be that you draw me down instead
of upward
Her face was full of startled concern
for single instant, then she began to
smile upon him.
Leave it-all to me, then; Rowland, ."
she said. II am plotting and planning
for your interest and mine. All I ask
Of you is to be silent and obey my or
ders. Think of the long years Of hap
piness before us. ,Youneyer could make
me believe that VIZ are doing Blanche
any wrong in making the few remain
ing months of her feshappy. She CON
fessed to me that she loved you only
few minutes ago"
You are not serious, Jeanne?"
y never was more 80. She has never