The Irish standard., 1901-07-06
CHAPTER xyI.-CoNr1NuEp.
Icepy,rh.. 1890. BY A. N. Kellogg Newspaper c

CHAPTER XVI.-CoNr1NuED.
"Ah!" Father Surtees' brows wers
knitted together. As he uttered that
exclamation he rose and began to
walk back and forth across the room.
Suddenly he turned and stood over
Goddard.
@Do you think she could have in
duced you to take hand in this plot
If you had believed Blanche to be per-
tectly sound, physically?"
Certainly not; it is because she has
such q short life, and"
Father Surtees laid his hand on the
majors shoulder.
"Then," he said, "your wife must
have known that it would require
most extraordinary pressure to induce
you to enter into her scheme, and
end has it never occurred to you that
her story may be deliberate lie out
of whole cloth?"
The major could hardly formulate
IA answer. His eyes were wide open,
and his face was like death mask.
Blanche" he began, presently, sis
taking DR.. Fleming's medicines. !
have seen that"
Medicines" said the priest, "are
often given for slight ailments. That
fact ought not to substantiate the
statement of your wife-that fiend In
carnate-especially when it looks aa
II she could have gal ed her purpose
by misleading :ou.''
Maj. Goddard groaned. AS he bowed
there beneath the earnest look of his
friend he seemed wreck of past man
liness.
"Whut can l do? Is there any.
thing?''
"There is hut one thing RICH, now,
answered Father Surtees. "You
ought to go at once to see this DR.
Fleming. ! see by the papers that he
arrived yesterday, and is at the Sher.
nran house."
There was startled stare in the
eyes of the MA. or as he rose.
"Come with me-" he said, huskily;
''come with me-"
81 should like to. I am very impa
tient, Rowland, to know the truth OF
that point. Much depends on it; very
much"
In a moment the priest had put or
his overcoat and hat, and the two mer
were walking down the avenue to
wards the hotel just mentioned.
II shall wait down .-erc for YOU
said the priest, when they had entered
the office of the hotel and been tolt
that DIR. Fleming was in. Goddard
cent up his card, and in few mo
1nents he received permission to gt
up.
'Ah, Maj. Gotldard!" cried DR.. Elem
ing. u tall, heayy-set, full-be ardet
nan, as he came to meet his visitor
ri was half expecting to meet you
wife to-day, burt this is an unexpected
surprise. hope she is not ndisposed.'
81 think she is no worse said TIL
major, helplessly, as he drew off hi
gloves. "ln fact, she did not know
was coming"
but you are not going to fame,
yourself i'll, Mnj Goddard" said tn
physician, lightly. you are nervous
that's all. 1 detected that fact whel
] took your hand; but otherwise yol
are as sound as block of 4ne steel.
ut is about Blanche, who is nov
my wife, that called" said the major
"You-you knew, l presume, that m,
first wife"
DIR. Fleming saw that Goddard wa
unable to finish his remark.
"And L was awfully shocked to hea
of the accident, ! assure you; and
!. was glad to hear of your recent maj
riage. Your ward was one of m
most interesting patients. You wi
pardon an old man like me, who is oil
enough to be her father, when TAX
the liberty of saying she is one of tn
finest characters l ever met. Yo1
know it is almost an instinct with m
profession to be able to read huma
nature we'll. Maj. Goddard, you are t
be envied."
81 am sorry" said the major, "tha
you did not speak to me of her phys
cal condition when she began to tax
your treatment; but, of course, 70
knew best us to the advisability {
LAk1nB Me HLO your commence.
may rs well tell You that Mrs. Got
dard, just before smiling for Englan,
confided to me what you had told hi
about Rlanche's con...Gion."
DR.. Fleming raised his bushy, ire
gray eyebrows inquiringly; then l
said:
81 was really somehow under tn
impression that you, were presen
~ nnjcr,. when talked to the ladies ,
your house. am really curious to S,
your ward again. I'll venture ii
weighs ten pounds more than she ,di
IL and .haS , eompiexio chat couldn't
{. bought by all the wealth of II
ear4l1l,s'' s,
no you mean that there is really
n realAY hope Tor her7- gasped the m
jar.
- z.rF Why, what do "
nsan2r