The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-05-17

the waiHng OF a wOman'S voice. This
startled him, and he tried the door
latch. It turned. Inc door opened
into cherries room. Around the
walls sat dozen old men and women
as still and silent as Quakers at q
meeting. A door in this room opened
into another chamber, and there he
saw throng of women and children,
and cries of grief. Bewildered, he
went to the door and looked for
Blanche. His eyes fell on the corpse
of a woman covered to her wrinkled
face with white sheet. Looking over
the heads of this group Goddard saw
Blanche seated on low couch be-
tween two sobbing lung girls. She
had an arm round the waist of each,
and the major heard her trembling
voice try to speak words OF consola-
ton.
'Oh, Mrs. Goddard" the elder girl
said. 81 cannot bear it, simply can
-all-all!"
So much was Blanche concerned in
the duty before her that she did not
look up. A light broke upon the
major, but he did not have the pres
ence of mind to retreat unnoticed, as
he might easily have done. His relief
at finding his fears ungrounded was
so great that he felt weak all over.
Suddenly the younger of the two girls
with Blanche looked up. She pointed
at him, and touched her sister across
Blanche's lap.
''It must be the new DOCTOR" she
said.
Blanche stared at him in bewilder-
ment for an instant. A slight flush
mantled her brow.
'sNo, it is my husband" she said;
"excuse me moment"
She came to him at once.
"Why did you Gomez" she asked, a
look of embarrassment on her face.
"I-I am so surprised. really do not
understand how"
He drew her to the side of the room
away from several persons who were
listening curiously.
81 have no excuse for spying on
you," he said, lamely; "none, except
that I was afraid you were in danger,
and came TOTO protect YOU"
81 don't understand" she said. ST
really do not"
For a moment he was reduced to
saying:
Pardon my foolishness. dear; do
pardon mel"
she said, quickly. 81 am glad you are
here now, but"
81 may as well tell you that have
enemies, darling little girl, enemies
who would entrap you-take your life,
anything to take revenge on me.
When first saw that letter did not
like it's appearance, and when you
would not tell me about it my fears
got the best of me-
"It was from Mary, there-the old
er of the two girls" replied Blanche.
81 knew her and her mother when"
Blanche flushed a little-"when used
to visit this quarter when I was in
school. Ever since then she and have
been friends, and have tried to help
her family. They are so poor. I
ought to have told you that was en-
gagged in this sort of work, at least
after we were married.; but, knowing
that your other wife was opposed to
such things, I thought you might
think was parading my deeds, so I
could not tell you about it."
"Oh, darling, you ere an angel, and
I am not worthy to touch the hem of
your garments! God have mercy on
me-you don't really know the man
you have married. If you did you
would turn from me as you would
from a leper."
Her face shrank sensitively before
the force of his strong sentences.
''You are the noblest, most abused
man in the world, and love you too
dearly to. believe anything against
you," she exclaimed, with startled ten
derness. "But you'd better leave me
now. am perfectly safe. I have
been here often before. 1 know al
most every family in the building. I
shall be very busy all day. This death
is awfully hard on these poor girls.
You and I, who have SO much to be
thankful for, ought not to stand talk
ing of imaginary troubles in the pres
ence of such reality as this
"When shall you come home?" he
asked.
"On the i've o'clock train, think.
Good-by, till then"
That afternoon while making some
purchases in one Of the big shops on
Sixth avenue Blanche met Lottie
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