The Iola register., 1901-02-08
CHAPTER w.

downstairs. The meal passed in 81
lence, which was broken only now
and then by a cheerful remark on the
part of Mrs. Goddard. He was sallow
and depressed. as II he had passed q
wretched night; she was flushed with
triumph and the prospect of winning
in a 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 a short
time to be separated from her. He
was unable to look her plot squarely
in the face. else he might have had
the courage to introduce certain
white-winged objections which had
flocked 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 a 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 home in time for
luncheon.
"I hope" she added, "that you have
no business to attend to at the Office"
He had none, and it gave his heart
a 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 l took SO much money when
left?"
The major looked confused as he
confessed: blanche happened to be
with me when-when ] went to the
safe, and, naturally. l suppose I
showed astonishment when l missed
the"
"Oh, it makes no difference" broke
in Mrs. Goddard. 81 can easily ex-
plain it, and my going abroad. l shall
say it is only for a short run over and
back. From the other side l can
easily make excuses for a prolonged
stay"
He left her in one OF the drawing
rooms and fastened to get a cab to
convey him to the station in time for
train to Lyndhurst. Good intentions
and clear moral outlook must natu-
rally tend towards lightness of spirits,
for Maj. Goddard, possessing just the
reverse, felt as If his bones had turned
to lead as he journeyed homeward
1t is a wonder that his fiercely con
tending emotions did not tear his rea,
son from its 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 OF
promenading, and drew in deeT
breaths 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 glas,
doors into the court. and as she
smoothed on her dainty gloves sh,
looked for "A cab. When she hat
chosen the best looking four-whec.ei
porter i'm uniform called it for her
mo 30 West Twentieth street" sh,
said carelessly to the porter. who re
peated il to the cabman as he closct
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 g
garbage barrel.
Mrs. Goddard alighted, dismissed
the cab and went up to the unswept
stoop and stood on the worn india
rubber mat. She rang. An Irish maic
answered the summons.
SIS Mrs. Nolan in?" asked the caller
eyes, madam: will you walk into
the parlor?"
Mrs. Goddard gave the girl card
and followed her into a stuffy draw
ing-room on the left Between the
windows of this room there was tai
pierglass belonging to the style oi
half century ago and "A concomitan
high and crudely decorated ceiling
There was a folding bed in the room
and a washstand hidden behind a Jap
anese screen, which indicated that the
apartment, IN emergencies. was used
as a bedroom. The place had the air
and the odor Of a second-class boarding
house, but the sign in the window told
the street that it was only an apart
ment house furnishing drawing-roon
privileges.
There was a step heavy enough to
have been masculine on the diamond
shaped marble tiles in the hall, and
TALL angular woman about 80 years
of age advanced into the room with
quick, angry strides. She had crushed
,s. .