Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-10

IN u MBE IL OF
my sin has wound around me.n The
speakers voice dwindled away into 81.
lence. Then she seemed to make re.
solve to be more candid than ever.
Blanche she sighed, ~ have not
told you the worst yet. Ihave wronged
you more than did him-more than T
ever did anybody in my life, because
you were SO young at the time, and
struck you from the dark
"Wronged me?" The girl drew her.
self up with sudden intuition of what
was coming,
Yes. you, my poor, innocent child.
When the major first began to come to
see me it was simply that he might
pour his love for you into sympathetic
ear. He was madly in love with you.
He could talk of nothing but his beauti-
full ward. had heard of his riches,
and at once set about to dethrone
you. laid the most adroit plans to se-
cure his attentions. used all the wileS
IN my power. 1t was an awful strug-
gle, but the prize was a big one in my
sight. ! was heartily tired of the sor-
did life was leading and was fred
with the ambition to be social leader
Ito use the arts felt was born with.
When he fell it was very sudden. Then
l pretended that was trying to re.
treat because he was rioh and / was
poor, but that only inflamed him all
the more, as I knew it would. You
know the rest. Now, you may hate me,
for II it had not been for me he would
have gone on loving you, and-and You
would have made him happier than
can. for-oh. Blanche, I know your se-
cret, and that has been part Of my pun
fshmentl have ruined both your life
and his"
why do you tell me all this" asked
Blanche, bitterly, and, unwilling to dis
claim the accusation Just uttered, she
put her hands to her face and began to
tremble from head to foot.
why do I tell you about itp' said
Mrs. Goddard, a cold, snaky CLEAN in
her eyes. because if anything were
to happen to me want you to remem-
Der that I now say that God selected
you for his bride and Satan and I
thwarted the plan. Therefore, remem-
Der that-if should die abroad (you
see, l cannot forget that woman's un.
canny prediction)-I want you to con-
sole him at once by marrying him as
soon as he asks you"
"oh, thisis simply dreadful" Blanche
uncovered her white face and stared
fixedly at the woman.
i know it, was the answer, shut see
that you keep whatI have told you to
yourself. Blanche. you cannot DENY
that you have loved him long time"
don't intend to,"ssaid the COM
quered girl. "He is the best man that
ever lived-the noblest, the truest, the
most abused. Ifyou had only made him
happy-but you have not; he is beside
himself with grief over your depar-
ture."
That is true, but it can't be helped.
Now leave me. feel very unhappy to-
night-unhappy because 1 have made
you SO. am not all bad.'
Blanche rose. She was like a boat
buffeted by conflicting currents. She
believed Jeanne to be remorseful be-
cause her confessed deeds appeared 80
horrible to her unsulied mind.
Il am SO sorry for you," she was
enabled to say sincerely.
will you kiss me, Blanche?"
Yes, for I am sorry for you, in spitA
Of"
II know" broke in Mrs. Goddard, and
she kissed the girl on the lips. 1t was
just such kiss as she bestowed on
her husband thousand times, and il
had never failed to deceive him. It
made our heroine shiver.
I have another trouble, Blanche,''
and Mrs. Goddard pressed her hand
upon her white brow. my father was
insane when he died. That's the other
secret. He had strange fancies. often
have them. too. Awful delusiens. ]