The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1901-05-09
through his fingers. His letter began
simply as follows:

-- .#-.aaHa f
well. I have at last ION your bidding.
flames of hell had scorched my brain. I
nave committed an unspeakable crime
against the purest, loveliest creature that
COO ever gave life to. You will be sur
prlsed perhaps to find that I have changed
SO quickly, and really I have changed COM
pletely. The scales have fallen from my
sight. I feel like a man who has been hyp-
Noticed and wakes to find he has murdered
his best friend. I despise myself as no
mortal ever despised himself before. I
now know that my passion for you was
the blindest, most insane %infatuation that
ever dragged the soul of a man from an
atmosphere of hope down into the mire of
hellish dependency. I now know that my
love for my ward was the only pure love
l have ever experienced. Yes, I loved her
when l met you, and 7 love her now with
all the tortured SOU within me. I have
Wronged her as no man ever wronged a
pure, unsuspecting woman, but as her life
Will be OF such short duration, If I can
prevent 1T she shall never know of the
stain l have put apo her fair name. While
she lives I shall lavish all the tenderness
OF my soul on her, praying to God that I
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
ried her at the bidding of an intriguer
of the most objectionable type I would
confess all at this moment but for the fear
that the shock would kill her. How could
l tell her that you are alive, and that I am
not her legal husband?
Il would not write to you now, but for
the fact that it is due you to know the
stand 1 have taken, and thai we must now
thoroughly understand each other In re-
gard to Blanche's fortune. As God is my
judge l do not want her money, and as
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 so to her blood relatives.
AS to you, I shall never willingly see you
again, nor write you another line from
this day forth. I see my duty and I shall
do it.. Any letter you write me will be re.
turned to you unopened. Do your worst,
If you wish to publish to the world that
you and I have played on Its credulity, do
SO, T shall then confess to the part I TOOK
in your scheme. As much as I now hate
you, I would not let YOU bear all the blame.
1 am as guilty as you because I am a man.
I herewith enclose a draft payable to Mrs.
Nolan; it is all the money I can send you
now. I am about to enter into a specula-
ton in railway stock and If 1t turns out
well I shall send you more money. You
are my wife and I shall provide for you
as we'll as my W means will allow, but
of Blanche's money you nor I shall ever
have one penny. 1 shall try to get means
OUT VI lily O"l EISSOuICeS 10 keep you
quiet at least as long as Blanche lives, but
you need not look to me for large remit
tances. I am not exactly under your
thumb; you threats of exposure will
not brighten me. I am desperate. I want
Blanche to know what I am. I cannot face
her pure eyes and know that I am as
vile as the deepest dyed convict. The
sooner you make the Whole thing known
the better 1 shall be pleased. 3i2F i
800 "ROWLAND GODDARD"
Mrs. Nolan was standing in THEODORE of
the little gray brick cottage when tho
postman handed this communication
to her. Recognizing the handwriting
she took it unopened to Mrs. Goddard,
who was restlessly walking in the
little, high-walled garden in the rea,
of the house. ~ -t
"Ah," she exclaimed, "he has writ.
ten!"
":Yes, it is from him." said the an.
gular woman, approaching slowly.
Mrs. Goddard tore open the envelope
She had hardly read a dozen lines be
fore she uttered a little scream, and
then, with quivering hands and ex'
banding eyes, she continued to read.
ITO Be Continued ''.