Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-03

| wife's recent moroseness, and he did
| not want to lose moment before
seeing her. He fancied she must be
in her own apartment, SO he went up
| stairs to her door 1t was closed. He
raped gently, but received no re-
Spouse from within. He raped again,
but with no better result; then he
tried the latch and found the door
| locked. For moment he stood mas
tered by thoughts which both contra
dicted and confirmed each other.
Then he remembered that the door
was the only outlet from the room to
the main stairway. and as there was
no light to be seen through the key
hole he half persuaded himself that
Jeanne had dressed and gone down.
He, turned quickly into his own
apartment across the hall and turned
on the electric light. His first thought
was that he would change his dress
before joining the others, but his i'm
patience to see his wife defeated this
idea and he hurried downstairs.
He looked into the library, a large,
cozy apartment opposite the drawing
room. A coal fire was burning warm
and red in the CRATE, but the room
was empty. Just then the butler,
Wilkins, opened the folding doors and
view of the electric-lighted dining
hall in it's vast splendor of white
cloth, silver and cut-glass met God
dard's rowing eye.
HAS Mrs. Goddard como down ?"
the major asked
81 did not know she had returned,
SIR"
Returned! from where?"
From the city, sir. She went in
this afternoon
ITO : ;.y! at what time?"
'She ca hit the 1:4o train" it was
Blanche's voice behind him. and it
contained a note Of startled concern.
"she said she would go direct to your
Office and return with you"
Il have not seen her; my God! what
can have happened to her?"
Blanche motioned the butler to re-
tire, and he did so, discreetly closing
the door.
The major was deathly pale and his
moment he could only stare into the
sympathetic eyes of his ward. who
like shapely pillar of consolation
stood beforerhim.
Blanche, do you think-think she
has gomez" he asked. Is
II can't say, DEAR dear guardian. I
hope not. Don't give up"
He Sao,pa1 ~ h,,,a .
ton.
Come into my study he said.
+ She followed and stood i'm the dark
as he fumbled with the electric light
fixture In a Inomentsthe little room
/ was illuminated: He pointed to big
iron safe in the corner, and said,
huslily:
She could not go without means.
She saw me. put $1,000 away yester-
day. She has always known the COM
bination."
ooh, she wouldn't dare to take your
money!" exclaimed Blanche.
'She knew I had a deposit in the
bank" he said ;e"besides, what is mine
is hers. She knows that"
With trembling f.lgers he turned
the combination bolt. In moment
the heavy door was opened. He drew
out strong box from one of the COM
pal.tmentss in the safe and raised the
lid.
The money was gone.
"That settles It'll" Goddard said
this with more calmness than Blanche
had expected, but it was the calmness
of utter despair. He closed the box
almost with scrupulous exactness,
then shut and locked the door of the
safe. He went back into the library
and stood before the fire. his limp
hands clasped in front of him.
Tell meiwhat to do, Blanche" he
said, plaintively. Il can't give her up.
/ simply cannot! / have been under
bursting shells and whistling lead as
thick as hail and not cared so much as
that" Che snapped his fingers). "but
can't face life without her.
A door opened cautiously. Wilkins
put in his bald head, fringed with
gray locks.
Shall serve dinner?" he asked.
es, butal shall not wait, said his
master. II am going back to the
city"
just then there was q ring at the
door. Goddard drew himself up and
listened, "a light of sudden expecta-
ton in his eyes.
Sign, here" a boyish voice said to
the footman who had opened the door.
"a telegram" cried the major. and
he went to the door and brought it
back, tearing it open excitedly.
Detained in town." he read, tri-
umphantly. Perhaps you ought to
come to the Palace hotel to see me.
Will returnin the morning. Jeanne"
THANK God!" he exclaimed. joy
ously; then his eyes .snatched a
thought, from the depths of his wards
great staring orbs which made him
glance towards his study, and she
saw the joyous light in his face flick
er as if strong breeze of suspicion
had blown, upon it. "Ah," he sighed,
'but she intended to go, Blanche; she
intended to leave mel"
He dronned his hand heavily IN tba