The Irish standard., 1901-04-27

ayes, had written my last note
to you. 1 say it now plainly, so that
you will not keep me waiting so long
again"
Il assure you, Lucy Nolan, that I
came only by the merest accident"
"Oh, l don't care why you came,
just SO you came with the money. T
have my room-rent to pay and several
other bills. If you had not come this
morning, 1 was going to Maj. Goddard
with my whole story. 1t makes me fu-
rious to know that you are rolling
in luxury while am living like this.
! haven't had new dress for"
sit is as well as you lived when you
were my forewoman," said the visitor,
with a sheer; land when you had to
work from morning till night. You
can't brighten me, Lucy; you had as
well realize that. Now, what will you
say when l tell you that have not
brought you any money-not one
cent?"
"What!" gasped the angular wom-
an, you mean to tell me"
II mean to tell you that the hen
(begging my husbands pardon) which
has been laying golden eggs for you,
can't do it any longer. Goddard has
lost everything he has except Lynd-
hurst and an income barely enough
| for a parsimonious man to keep it up
on"
| Mrs. Nolan sank on to a rickety
sofa, and sat stiti1y erect.
"Iou are not IN earnest, Jeanne?"
| cleft him?"
81 was obliged to. / can't live on
| his present income; besides, when you
| told me Duedale was here looking fol
me, | knew that he'd hunt me down
sooner or later. Lucy, l must make
for Europe. l couldn't live here with
that fellow on my track. He is as
sharp as can be-"
"llow are you going to Europe with
out money!" asked Mrs. Nolan, sus,
piciously.
II have a plan; a desperate one
too, but L had to conjure up some
thing. What | have in view includes
you."
''Inc,udes meg"
Eyes, it happens that 1 may really
be able to put you to some use al
last
81 will do nothing without being
paid tell you that"
'Wc will have Il good bank to draw
on, it, everything works we'll" Mrs
| (,nlt1n,.1 1o, III nj, of
her chair nearer to her confederate
and explained salient features of hel
scheme. Before she had finished Mrs
Nolan was trembling all over, aud he
eyes were batting rapidly from shee!
excitement
"Is-is the girl so dangerously ill?'
she asked.
"ln most critical condition"
"Why did you smile when you sal.
that, Jeanne?"
Il don't know; did smile? Be
cause our success depends on tn
state of her health, you know"
81 never heard of such a-such {
bold idea"
SIT will work like charm"
"But what part shall play?"
II shall need you as companion
of my travels: and you know I sham
be able to make a creditable exit iron
this life without somebody to testif,
to my demise"
40! you want me to shoulder tn
risk"
"Puh! don't be silly; the Who'll
thing will rest on me.'
81 should love to go abroad, Jeanne.
"Well, there is nothing to hinde
you. Goddard, after his marriage
will be involved as deeply in the mat
ter as you or I, and with all that fol
tune to draw on, we sha'n't want 70
money, and we shall have the worl
before us. Lucy, am simply enchan1
ed with the thought of freedom-glor
GUS freedom! I have not closed m
eyes in really sound sleep since 20
wrote you had seen Henry Dugdal,
I shall kill two birds with one stone
get out of his way and get plenty c
money into the bargain. I wish 20
were less cowardly. I haven't til
slightest fear"
swell, you may count on me-" sal
Mrs. Nolan, forced in spite of hersel
to enter into the buoyant spirit c
her friend. "When once get starte
I'm regular war-horse."
4