Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-02-02
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ~.
The Goddards breakfasted together
the next mo~nin in a private room
downstairs. The meal passed in ST.
lence, which waa broken only now
and then by cheerful remark on the
part of Mrs. Goddard. He was sallow
and depressed, as if he had passed
wretched night; she was flushed with
triumph and the prospect of winning
IN great game. Now that his word
had been tacitly given he had the
cowed air of most men of refined in
stincts who have sold themselves to
the devil. His handsome face was
stamped, too. with the lines of regret
for his downward plunge. and keener
regrets that he was in such short
time to be separated from her. He
was unable to look her plot squarely
IN the face. else he might have had
She courage to introduce certain
white-winged objections which had
fiocked around him in the dead hours
Of the night when all the city seemed
asleep. Mrs. Goddard ate heartily;
he bolted his food. She said the coffee
and rolls-those dainty crisp things
no larger than giants thumb-were
alone worth the inconvenience of
spending a night in the city. When
they had finished she told him she de-
sired that he should go at once to
Lyndhurst and inform Blanche that
she would remain that morning in
town to attend to some shopping, and
that she would be Esns in time for
luncheon.
II hope" she added, "that you have
no business to attend to at the Office"
He had none, and il gave his heart
q wrench to think that her shopping
had to do with her preparations for
her voyage.
There is something else" she went
on. did anyone at Lyndhurst know
that / took so much money when 1
left?"
The major looked confused as he
confessed: blanche happened TO be
with me when-when / went to the
safe, and. naturally. I suppose 1
showed -astonishment when 1 missed
the
ooh, it makes no difference" broke
an Mrs. Goddard. 81 can easily ex-
plain it, and my going abroad. 1 shall
say it is only for a short run over and
back. From the other side I can
easily make excuses for a prolonged
stay"
He left her in one of the drawing
rooms and FASTENED to get cab to
convey him TO the station in time for
\ train to Lyndhurst. Good intentions
and a clear moral outlook must natu-
rally tend towards lightness of spirits,
Tor Maj. Goddard, possessing Just the
reverse, felt as if his bones had turned
20 lead as he journeyed homeward
1t is wonder that his fiercely con-
tending emotions did not tear his rea-
son from it's seat
As to his wife, she was, as she had
always been, Numerically his oppo-
site. She took one or two turns in
the corridors. where a considerable
number of people were seated or
promenading, and drew in deep
hreaths of something like thorough
satisfaction. She seemed unconscious
and yet keenly aware of the glances
OF lettering men of fashion who
nudged one another and made admir-
ing comments as she passed. She
went through the revolving glass
doors into the court. and as she
smoothed on her dainty gloves she
hooked for a cab. When she had
chosen the best looking four-wheeler
. porter in uniform called it for her.
mo. 80 West Twentieth street" she
said carelessly to the porter, who re-
Peated it to the cabman as he closed
the door.
The house before which the convey
ance presently halted was a rather
old-time, four-storied brown stone
'front.', the steps of which were crum-
bling and broken. and before which
stood those badges Of an uncleanly
neighborhood, an ash can and q
garbage barrel.
Mrs. Goddard alighted. dismissed
he cab and went up to the unswept
stoop and stood on the worn india
rubber mat. She rang. An Irish maid
answered the summons.
''Is Mrs. Nolan in? '' asked the caller.
"Yes, madam: will you walk into
Che parlor?"
Mrs. Goddard gave the girl a card
and followed her into a stuffy draw
ing-room on the left. Between the
windows of this room there was a tall
Pierglass belonging to the style of
half a century ago and a concomitant
high and crudely decorated ceiling.
There was q folding bed in the room
and washstand hidden behind a Jap
anese screen, which indicated that the
apartment, in emergencies. was used
as bedroom. The place had the air
and the odor of second-class boarding
house, but the sign in the window told
the street that it was only an apart
ment house furnishing drawing-room
privileges.