Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-07-06
CHAPTER XIX.-CoNr1NUEp.

As Father Surtees went into the
next room Blanche did not rise. She
seemed completely stupetied.
Rowland is anxious for me to make
a certain disclosure to you," the priest
said, taking her hand. 81 must first
beg you to be lenient. if you can,
with man who loves you with all his
soul. OF that there is no Doubt
'He has lost my fortune?' cried
Blanche, sharply. what do you sup
pose 1 care for money when-when he
is dying?"
1T is not that. my dear Mrs. God
dard," said the priest. averting his
solemn gray eyes. 81 am afraid it is
even more serious than that
'What is it? What is wrong, then?"
questioned the young wife, laying a
trembling hand on the arm of the priest.
Can you bear blow from a most
unexpected source?" asked Father
Surtees, "a revelation which will
1ove?''
''Hush!" Blanche cried, firing imme-
diately. do you dare to speak against
him when he is dying? Oh, my God!"
Father Surtees shrank from her an
instant, and look of pain spread over
his fine face. He allowed her indig-
nant eyes to rest en- him for a mo-
ment, then he said:
HE has begged me to make a con-
fession to you of the greatest i'm
portance. My poor child, you will
have to have great fortitude to listen
calmly to what I am going to tell
you"
What do you mean?" Blanche ques-
toned, the fire still kindlingin her eyes.
Would you not be shocked if [ were
to tell you." Father Surtees began to
look about the room as if searching
for the gentlest means of conveying
his meaning, eff [ were to tell you
that there was IA mistake about
Mrs. Goddard's death?''
Blanche's eyes grew large.
"You mean that-that she is alive ?'
she asked, slowly.
Eyes, she is alive"
Blanche fixed his eyes with steady
stare of incredibly.
1Nob dSdu-HOt Q6du
The priest nodded.
And there is something else,' he
went on, ''and to do Mai. Goddard full
justice you must make UP your mind
to believe that he did not love you as
he does now till-till after he mar
ried you. He has told me his full
story, and my heart bleeds for him.
He says he was trying to confess to
you when the accident cut him short"
''He was trying to tell me what?"
asked Blanche, her brows wrinkled in
perpleXity.
He was trying to confess that he
knew that his wife was alive when he
married you"
"O-oh!" That exclamation was as
sudden and sharp as if it had been
caused by crushing blow.
The priest took her hands and held
them tenderly.
But there were many, many extern
uating circumstances" he continued
pleadingly. "He was the tool of a de-
signing woman; he was out of his
mind. had noticed his downfall
from the moment he met her and
came under her baneful influence. She
convinced him beyond doubt that Won
had fatal malady which would carry
YOU off in a few months. She wanted
your money; he was temporarily in
sane For Gods sake pity him. 1
know men as a botanist knows his
plants, and t could swear that he has
been man changed for the better
since you became his wife. If you
could only believe this it would,
know. be cfumb of comfort in your
great calamity"
Bianehe's head sank to the table at
winch she sat. Father Surtees still
held ole of her hands He waited for
moment, but she did-not lock ND or
utter "a word He would have thought
she had swooned but for the visible
shuaders passing through her frame.
He did not find out till this after
noon that she had. deceived him about
your health, then he. came to tell Won
the whole truth. He would have lola
you earlier, but Mrs. Goddard had