The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-05-04
wife's coming departure had fallen up

wife's coming departure had fallen up
ON him with new force.
In few minutes Mrs. Goddard re-
turned. She was smiling with amused
satisfaction.
''She is just the woman I want" she
declared, looking at the major, "but
perhaps you will feel better if you have
seen her and spoken to her. l asked
her to wait to see YOU"
"Have you really engaged herr?
asked Goddard, dejectedly.
"Oh, yes; we came to terms at once.
She has son in London and is anxious
to see him. She will not want much
more than her passage money, but OF
course shall try to be generous with
the poor thing. Don't expect to find
her beautiful. She is anything but
yoodlooking, but that is not what I
am after. Good-looking women are
rarely useful"
AS the major left the room his wife
color was high; her eyes were as full
of life as fine diamond, and Blanche
could hardly keep her eyes from her
face. She was beginning, now that
Mrs. Goddard was exerting herself to
be attractive, to comprehend the hold
she had on the major. To-day Mrs. God
dard looked as she had when Blanche
had first seen her and realized that the
place her guardian had filled in her girl
ish heart must be deprived of its ten
ant, that she must never even in
dreams remember those days when he
used to sit beside her in the little re-
ception room at Nine. Bells select
school. She had been sure during
those visits that his eyes. the pressure
of his hand, his parting kiss had meant
the same as her delicious yielding to
them had implied. But the awakening
shock had come and she had borne in
silence her secret and gone through
the daily torture of witnessing both
her guardians alteration for another
and, what was almost as painful, that
others Indifference to it all.
When Goddard reentered the room
there was droop of utter dependency
on him that added years to his appear
ance.
"Well, how do you like her?" his wife
asked.
ooh, she is all right" he said. "she
seems good enough; but somehow
simply can't reconcile myself to"
"Oh, publ" Mrs. Goddard rose with
graceful sweep of her 1.-THE body and
stood with her beautiful hands linked
behind her head; her yawn, showing
her perfect teeth, was as pretty and in
sincere as coquette's kiss. Blanche
she said, ''if you ever marry, make just
as many voyages as you can. The more
wife is away the more she is appre-
ciated. But l must go and give that
woman some final directions. What is
her name?" Mrs. Goddard picked up
the visitors card. "Nolan, ugh! what
frightful mouthful. I'll have to call
her Lucy, as much as hate to address
q maid by her Christian name"
When she had gone out Blanche went
to the sofa on which the major wal
seated and sat down by him.
"Dear guardian" she said, II wish ]
could do something to hep you"
When he answered there was dis.
tinct touch of faultfnding in his tone
"You would not go away on pleas.
ure trip and leave husband you loved
behind, would you, Blanche?"
She had hesitation to answer, but
when she did it was without twinge
OF conscience, and her firmness sur.
prised herself.
II could not do so, guardian"
II know it, my dear GIRL" he said
signing; "but she is not like you. How
ever, she wants the trip and she shall
have it,
Just then he saw Jeanne and Mrs
Nolan passing through the hall to the
cab waiting at the door. He rose anc
went out on the veranda. but was just
in time to see the cab driving away
with it's occupant. He put his arm
around the statuesque figure of hi.
wife.
"For Gods sake, drop it, Jeanne" h.
muttered. II don't feel as if Lean e
on with it."
"1t's too late now, dear" she said
giving him glance from her wonder
full eyes. "Think of all the fun we shall
have when the girl finally succumbs
No, you have given me your promise.
shall hold you to it,"
Jeanne" he said, gazing into he
eyes, "you are beautiful mystery t
me. don't understand YOU"
"Don't try, then" She smiled be
witchingly and turned back into tn
house.