Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-09
CHAPTER XIII.

the house of Rev. Mr.. Strothers a thin
white carpet lay on the earth and fine
teathery flakes Continued to fall.
The servants had been appraised of
the astonishing event and they gath
erd at the windows which look ont
upon the drive.
"a very sensible thing for 'em to
do" said James. "She is the sort OF
mistress want to work for. should
have left the other il she hadn't gone
10 the bottom of the Atlantic. /
haven't lived with the aristocracy for
ten years without knowing a sample
when 1 see it. The good Lord has
been kind to the major"
Il wish she had waited awhile, lust
for the looks o. the thing" said Katie.
Blanche's favorite maid. Then she
could have had swell wedding, plen-
ty of presents, and"
And give you all her old clothes"
sneered James, who was too fat to
make use of the majors discarded
apparel
get everything 1 want anyway"
was hatie's defense. cit is only be-
cause l think she deserves all that any
rich young lady has that 1 object to
this kind of a marriage; but if she Is
only happy, won't complain"
These gossiping hirelings were at the
windows when the returning carriage
appeared in sight an hour later. The
brides beautiful face was flushed bv
the contact with the wind, and she
had never looked so happy or moved
With so much grace. Talley and Miss
Dean had very serious faces as they
came up the verands side by side.
well. IL is all over" said the major
to his bride when they were alone in
the luxurious company chamber, where
red fire glowed. He had never been
such mystery to himself as now. He
felt as IL he were drunken. with de-
hcious memories of their old court
ship.
Yes, / am your wife at last she
said. with smile. 81 am your wife.
and 1 am going to make you happy. l
feel 1t away down in my heart"
you feel it." he repeated, as If in
dream, and he helped her to take of
her cloak. He felt her warm breath
on his face. He laid the cloak aside,
then drew her into his arms and kissed
her. "And SO do I, dear girl. And SO
do l."
At that strange moment Jeanne
Goddard and all her evil plans seemed
as much removed from his life as IL
she had never entered it. II was as IL
the old life had come back to him
the life in which his love had for its
object a creature so pure and unde-
filed that it lifted him up and opened
his eyes to spiritual possibilities.
Il was at first afraid you would not
consent so soon after-after her
DEATH" he said.
Il felt that it was my right to have
you now" said Blanche, frankly.
sShe told me how she had deliberately
beguiled you from me when she dis
covered that you loved me. The night
before she sailed she confessed She
had resorted to every trick and arti-
fee within her power to make Won
east me aside"
''She told you that?" the major ex-
claimed.
''Yes, and not only that, but she said
ahe had some sort of presentiment
shat she was going to die abroad, and
said IL anything did happen to her
she hoped 1 would marry you. Oh,
I've tried to regret her death-to feel
sorry for her at being taken away in
the midst of such sins, but cannot.
She even tod mech, can't tell you
what csc she said. 1t makes me al
most hate her memory"
"Please go on" said the major.
"She confessed that she was I'M
happy with you-that she wanted to
get away from you-that she married
you simply for your money"
Il suspected that" said the major,
dreamiIy.
1t seemed SO wonderful to him that
he could now calmly contemplate
Jeanne's shallow faithlessness with
cut the pangs such thoughts had al
ways caused him. Was il because he
really loved his ward and that he had
never loved Jeanne-that his passion
Tor her had been only a base infatua-
ton which had already taken wings?
He could not answer these cues
lions; he could only wonder at the
strange exultation which was swell
ing in his breast-the boundless en-
thusiasm over the thought that he
was AONSO ny the DeauIlIul young
creature before him. He lost sight of
the wrong he had done her. She had
only a short while to live-that time,
he told himself, should constitute his
life and hers; beyond that brief Pc
Hiod he could not reckon.
"You have suffered 2" he heard him
self murmuring.
Ever since that awful day when
you introduced me to her in the draw
ing-room. 1 had never dreamed that
God intended you for anyone but me.
You had been my whole life, and
even afterwards, when / saw the hold
she had on you, could not keep from
suffering. The pain, the loss was
with me night and day. 1 hated her;
despised myself. 1 planned a thou
sand times to leave, but I could not
tear myself away, because saw your
soul In danger. 1 saw her day by day
leading you downward instead of up
ward, as I had dreamt OF doing. 1
knew how charitable you had been be-