Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-02
CHAPTER XII

The door bell had rung, but non. oP
the trio had heard it. Just at tbi.
1unoture James came in bearing a
telegram on tray. He handed il to
me major, who opened 1t slowly. q
wonder what this tsp" he muir
mured.
Mrs. Goddard has arrived safa.
suggested Tslley; "this in Tn. tenth
day, you know"
No, II is net a easlegrsm." an
swsred Goddard, whose eye was wen
scnoeied In such matters: at is from
the city"
The others watched hi. face a. b.
vnfclded the sheet Of paper. They
saw him start, and his eyes open wide.
Surely, she could not" he began.
and there paused.
May see ftp" asked Talley. hia
thoughts on falling stocks, bank fall
ures aud possible financial crashes.
The young man engaged in speculs-
sion now and then.
The major gave him the telegram
end turned away. He was deathly
pale and tripped on q rug ~ he
walked towards the door. Blanche
locked over Talley's shoulder. The
message was from the agents of the
Cleopatra's company on Broadway,
and ran as follows:
We regret to inform you that your
wife. In temporary At of insanity.
during severe storm two days before
the Cleopatra arrived at Liverpool.
threw herself overheard ana was not
rescued Our information comes di-
rest from the captain of the Cleo
Patra, who adds that full particulars
are being sent to the New York pa
pers-"r
isn't it awful-poor old mani" said
Talley, looking at Blanche, but she
seemed to have lost the power of
speech. She turned white to the
roots Of her hair. Going into the lit
tie reception-room adjacent, she found
her guardian standing at a window.
She laid her hand on his arm.
oh, am so--sorryl" she said, ten
DERBY.
But he emily laid an unsteady hand
over hers, pressed 1t little, and said:
THANK you. dear little girl; leavs
me alone zow, please"
And as she moved away she aaw
niR sink into big armchair and
cover his face with his hands.
That afternoon tho papers came
bearing long account Of the tragedy.
The major was in his room and sent
one OF the maids down for them. so
no one saw HIS face while he was
reading the details. which shocked
him as IL every word Of the account
hsd been true.
Did you ever imagine that Mrs.
Goddard was not quite right mental
Tyr" asked Talley when he was abls
TO catch Blanche alone that after
noon. cg .E-...F r-,.s
"Ses." she answered. AZ suspected
or rather. she confessed TO n ten-
dency In that direction the night be-
Tore she sailed. She said sbe bopad
che voyage would cure her.
All, that sort of thing never en-
tered my head" said the private Sec
Rotary. AT thought she had the clear
est head Of any woman alive, but
bright people do lose their balance" :
They saw little Of the major that
cay he remained in his room.
FRIENDS called to offer condolences
and letters and kilograms of avn
patty piled up on his desk in his
Study but he saw nc one nor opened
any communication. 1he next day
he went to the city, and there IN a
small hotel where he was unknown to
any Of the inmates he took up his
abode. v-rv
he was as nearly insane as q man
Of sound mind can become. His exist
ence became . routine of mental tor
sure. he spent each day In WALKING
Through streets where he wa. not
known. At night he would lie awake
TIL his physical nature would refuse
longer to bear the burden his wife
mad put upon him, and then his strong
frame sank under the blessing Of
sleep.
he realized fully what she was ex-
Peeting of him, and he hardly knew If
ne would be equal to carrying out her
plans. At the expiration of the first
week after the reception of the news
a letter arrived in his private letter
box on Sixth avenue He was almost
AFRAID to open it. 1t seemed like a
AOu inc Oeld-OT
worse, command from hell. And
when he had finally devoured It. and
found that Jeanne and Mrs. Nolan
were comfortably domiciled In a lit
tie furnished villa near Kensinpton
Gardens and really enjoying life in
perfect security from detection-even
then, I say, he had no more hopeful
horizon.
4" was the sin of it all that ground
mis- finer nature down into despair,
and he was wise enaSgh to know it.
however, there was even in Jeanne's
letter much of the potent charm which
had been since his marriage his d.
recting influence, and he read and re-
read the graphic account of her adj
ventures till the awful picture was
stamped on Ills brain. She wrote
often, and her epistles were always
rePlete with good humor, her old vi
Vacity and endearing expressions.
In that way month passed. He
scarcely spent an hour out of each
day at Lyndhurst. Often he went out
on an afternoon train and tool +ho