Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-07

you are?" he said, with an apologetis infection of voice. Are you related to Maj. Goddard?"
 q am his wife !" said Blanche. sim ply.
 "What? Oh, no! Surely not!''
 'I have not misinformed you,' said Blanche.
 His face had fallen.
 ''Then I have made an awful mis- take" he said, "and T. owe you and the major a thousand apologies. hope you will pardon me. have been following false clew, and yet" He seemed to have his first opinion forti- fled by memory, land yet l can't see how I can be off the track so badly. It would undo me entirely. Surely you did not have millinery estab- lishment on Fifth avenue up to the time of your marriage
 ,"No," said Blanche, with start; perhaps you are thinking of Maj. Goddard's first wife,
 Has be been married twice?" cried the stranger. Why, only two months ago"
 Mrs. Goddard died-or was drowned about two months ago."
 My God!' he shrank back as if she had struck him in the face. "Dead? Is she deau!'
 ''Yes, she is dead"
 "When-how-oh, my God! Was her-was she called Jeanne?'
 "Yes; that was her name"
 For a moment he stared. His color had gone, and he looked as if he were about to fall.
 "Please-please explain.''
 Blanche complied with his request in few words
 "Then I have been hunting down a dead woman. May God have mercy on me-
 "Was she a-a relative of" began Blanche.
 ''She was my wife,"
 "Your wife!"
 ~Yes; the most misguided woman on earth. My name is Dugdale-Henry Dugdale. She was all ever had, and she deserted me-"
 He sat down and covered his face with his hands. Blanche softly closed the door and took seat opposite him. II see-I begin to compre hend," she said, in a gentle, tentative voice. Dugdale looked up. The impress of his fingers was on his face.
 Do you know anything of her past?" he questioned. Not thing; she kept it even from her-from Maj. Goddard. I think she refused, for some reason, to reveal her past life to him."
 When I met her," began the stranger, with a sigh, "she was the most beautiful woman that I had ever seen. 1t was in Denver, where we both lived. She was the daughter of French dancing master. She was courted by every man who met her. She could have married wealth with out limit. but she loved me. She left proofs that she loved me when she ran away, leaving our child in con- vent. l was away at the time. l met with misfortune. She was ambi- tious-she had always wanted to lead society; her mother before her had been that way. She left me when I went away to the California gold fields. She had no faith in my ven- ture; but I succeeded. It is a weak for her to take the poor woman back
  too late, you see; too late!" "Then,'' said Blanche, T am the only legal wife my husband has ever had. That is trus. is it not?"
 ''Yes, you are right; and I suppose it is only natural for you to want it so. You have been very good to trust me ito listen to me, under the circum- stances. I had better go. 1 think can get out of the grounds through the wood in the rear without attract ing the notice of your footman."
 ''World you like to meet Maj. God dard?" ventured Blanche.
 No; I don't feel equal to it."
 "Would you care if I told him what you have told me?' she asked. "No; he ought to know the truth. I am really glad her death did not that he has you to-" He checked himself.
 In justice to herself Blanche would have liked to explain even to him tha t she had possessed the majors love before his meeting with Jeanne, but she reTrained from this confidential disclosure. She saw Dugdale turn round the house cross the garden in the rear, and disappear in the wood behind the house.
 CHAPTER XVIII. .
 When the major reached Lyndhurs1 | hot o.olr al 1nx