Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-31

u.
wronged her as no man ever wronged
| pure, unsuspecting woman, but as her life !
| will be of such short duration, II can |
prevent it she shall never know of the |
| stain have put upon her fair name. While |
she lives l shall lavish all the tenderness
| of my soul on her, praying to God that I |
| may in that way atone little-a very little |
| for my crime against her. She married |
me to comfort me in my loneliness; mar |
ried her at the bidding of intriguer
of the most objectionable type. would
confess all at this moment but for the fear
| that the shock would kill her. How could
/ / tell her that you are alive, and that am
not her legal husband?
II would not write to you now. but for
| the fact that it is due you to know the
| stand | have taken, and that we must now
thoroughly understand each other in re-
gard to Branches fortune. AS God Is my
Judge l do not want her money, and as
God is my judge you shall never lay your
covetous hands upon it. l shall at once
take precautions to see that. at her death,
the money shall go to her blood relatives.
AS to YOU shall never willingly see you
again, nor write you another line from
this day forth. | see my duty and shall
do it. Any letter you write me will be re-
turned to you unopened. Do your worst.
II you wish to publish to the world that
you and | have played on its credulity. do
so, l shall then confess to the part took
in your scheme. As much as | now hate
you, 1 would not let you bear all the blame.
/ am as guilty as you because am man.
/ herewith enclose draft payable to Mrs.
Nolan; it is all the money can send you
| now l am about to enter into specula-
ton in railway stock and If 1t turns out
we'll | shall send You more money. You
} are my wife and shall provide for you
as well as my own means will allow, but
: of Blanche's money you nor shall ever
have one penny. l shall try to get means
out of my own resources to keep you
quiet at least as long as Blanche lives, but
YOU need not look to me for large remit
, tances. l am. not exactly under your
thumb; your threats of exposure Will
: not brighten me. / am desperate. want
Blanche to know what l am. l cannot face
her pure eyes and know that l am as
vile as the deepest dyed convict. The
sooner you make the whole thing known
V the better shall be pleased.
.'ROWLAND GODDARD
: Mrs. Nolanwas standing in the door of
). the little gray brick cottage when the
postman handed this communication
to her. Recognizing the handwriting
she took it unopened to Mrs. Goddard,
who was restlessly walking in the
little, high-walled garden in the rear
of the house.
An she exclaimed, "he has writ
tent
Yes. it is from him said the an.
gular woman, approaching slowly.
Mrs. Goddard tore open the envelope
She had hardly read dozen lines be.
: fore she uttered a little scream, and
: then. with quivering hands and eX'
banding eyes, she continued to read
What is the matter?" asked Mrs
Nolan.
matter enough answered Mrs
Goddard. clenching her hands ant
grating her teeth together. matter
enough. He has married the girl. bu
has already-already fallen in low
with her, and now he wants to throw
n me over"
Didn't you expect that?'' aske'
Mrs. Nolan, whose innate dislike TO
w her mistress often fostered opposition
to her plans.
e, 1T was the last thing I did expect
lg the very last
"Your egotism has undone you
&c Jeanne said Mrs. Nolan with n
It little cautious JUNCTION. Il had n
re- sooner laid my eyes on that beautiful
|. young creature than l knew if h
:, ever was in love with her once h
IN would be again"
.sFor mercy's sake, dry up!" CON
"a. manded the furious woman. This
no no time for you to lecture me. d
us YOU know that we shall be strande
;. here without money enough to kee
s. us? Do you know that he defies m
oe to expose the matter and that h
swears | shall never touch the girl
= money"
oe- :sNot after her death?" asked Mr.
{" Nolan, her own face growing suddel
~ ly grave.
re- Death, you idiot? The girl is {
-, sound as dollar"
Z 81 thought you said"
cit makes no difference what
~. said" broke in Mrs. Goddard. "She
70 never die till l get back to Americ
and"
us Mrs. Nolan caught the excited wor
IT, an by her shoulders and forced h,
we to look at her.
'sDo you mean that-that you i
I'd, tended to commit murder, Jeanne?'
M "lf he did not give me the great
ne part of the girls money-yes," w
Tx. the sullen answer.
:. swell, you must not draw me in
~ that, Jeanne!"
~ 81 shall draw you into nothing, b
~ I shall expect you to hold 20
80 tongue"
.et would he hold his tiff you I
A'' sorted to-if you killed herr" ask
an Mrs. Nolan in a low, quivering voice
a. They had now returned to the
10y tie sitting-room in the cottage. Nj
~. Goddard was looking through b
,an of writing-paper, with nervous, flu