Little Falls herald., 1901-03-22

any. b1ii;ancte r.sed and Looked
over It. To her horror* she saw a man
trying to fit a key into the lock Of the
desk Happening 10 glance upward
at that instant his startled eyes met
hers S.::ss...,.s. ~ "a TIN - q
: Blanche uttered a scream OF fright
and shrank back. %zsessy..r.. :;*s,S =:
For Gods sake. don't! I am not a
thief, MISS" exclaimed the man. ris-
ing head and shoulders above the
screen, the key. falling from his
hands. III: --
Blanche paused. The thought that
she was alone with MIN in the great
house showed her the futility o. flight.
but it was the earnestness of his dec
laration of innocence which detained
her Besides, now that she had the
man fully in view, there was some
thing in the regretful expression of
his rather sad face which inspired con-
fdence. He was we'll dressed, his hair
and short beard were white as snow,
though his face did not bear testi-
mony to more than 50 years of age.
a." began Blanche, but she was
unable to steady her voice.
81 know. appearances are dead
against me-" said the intruder. "but
I hope you won't judge me too harsh
ly. l am sort of detective engaged
in ferreting out 4 case touching me
personally" ..s.--.
oh4
still agitated. 50
"Were you admitted by-by the
servant?'' she asked. =,
81 must confess that avoided him."
answered the intruder. IF you will
let me pass you, l will go downstairs;
but want to explain. cannot have
you think
II don't think I am afraid of you,"
said Blanche, strangely calmed by his
manner and tone of voice. 81 know
that detectives sometimes resort to
bold methods"
':But I am not professional detec-
tive" said the man, as he picked up
his hat. which had fallen to the floor.
"As I said, am seeking information
that concerns me alone. If you wish
you may call your manservant, and he
may be near while I try to explain my
presence here. You have a perfect
right to hand me over to the police,
and if you are generous enough to let
me go, should want to repay you by
perfect frankness on my part. Be-
sides, if | am right in my suspicious,
have most important revelation to
make to the owner of this house."
"You interest me in spite of my
SELF" said Blanche. "But perhaps we
ought to go down to the drawng-
room."
You are quite right, acquesced
the stranger. and, with deterentiai
bow, he passed Blanche on the thresh-
old of the chamber and descended the
stairs. OF his own accord he turned
into the drawing-room. Our heroine
followed and paused near the door
way. She. felt perfectly secure, with
out knowing why.
''Will you pardon me if I ask who
you are?" he said, with an apologetic
infection of voice. "Are you related
to Maj. Goddard?"
II am his wife - said Blanche, sim
ply. -: -. f., IT,. 49, ,~..-.
"What? Oh. no! Surely not!"
Il have not misinformed you," said
Blanche.
His face had fallen.
"Then I have made an awful mis-
take" he said, land I owe you and
the major thousand apologies. I
hope you will pardon me. have been
following false clew, and yet" He
seemed to have his first opinion forti-
fled by memory, 'ard yet / can't see
how I can be off the track so badly.
1t would undo me Entirely. Surely
you did not have a millinery estab-
lishment on Fifth agenue up to the
time of your MARRIAGE
"No," said Blanche, with a start;
"perhaps you are Il linking of Maj.
Goddard's first wife,
HAS he been marritd twice." cried
the stranger. why, d ply two months
ago"
"Mrs. Goddard oied-b br was drowned
about two months ago.
my God!" he shrank back as If she
had struck him in thl face. "Dead?~
Is she deaa!''
"Y!es, she is dead"
"When-how-oh, MY Godl Was
her-was she called Jel nne?"
Eyes; that was her iame." :.
For moment he t%ed. His color
had gone, and he LOOKED as if he were
about to fall.
"Please-please expl{ in"
Blanche complied wi th his request
in a few words
''Then I have been limiting down a
dead woman. May CD have mercy
on me-
"Was she "a relatie Of" began
Blanche.
"She was my WIFE"
"Your wife!" !
"Yes; the most misguided woman on
earth. My name is D Dgdale-Henry
Dugdale. She was all lever had, and
she deserted me-"
He sat down and coered his face
with his hands. BlanchI softly closed
the door and took seat opposite him.
II see-I begin to COMPREHEND" she