The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-07-20
CHAPTER XIX.-CoNr1NuEp.
copyright. 1900, by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper G.

CHAPTER XIX.-CoNTINUED.
As Father Surtees went into the
next room Blanche did not rise. She
seemed completely stupefied.
Rowland is anxious for me to make
certain disclosure to you," the priest
said, taking her hand. II must first
beg you to be lenient. if you can,
with man who loves you with all his
soul. OF that there is no doubt"
"He has lost my fortune?" cried
Blanche, sharply. what do you sup
pose | care for money when-when he
is dying?"
ut is not that. my dear Mrs. God
dard, said the priest, averting his
solemn gray eyes. 81 am afraid it is
even more serious than that"
what is it? What is wrong. then ?"
questioned the young wife, laying a
trembling hand on the arm of the priest.
Can you bear blow from a most
unexpected source?" asked Father
Surtees, "a revelation which will
shake your faith even in the man YOU
love:"
Hush!" Blanche cried, firing imme-
diately. do You dare to speak against
him when he is dying? Oh. my God!"
Father Surtees shrank from her an
instant. and a look of pain spread over
his fine face. He allowed her indig-
nant eyes to rest on him for mo-
ment, then he said:
He has begged NE to make n con-
fcssion to you of the greatest I'M
portance. My poor child, you will
have to have great fortitude to listen
calmly to what ! am going to tell
you.'
"What do you mcan?" Blanche ques-
TONED, the fire still llindlingin her eyes.
"Womld yom not be shocked if I were
to tell YOU" Father Surtees began to
look about the room rs if searching
for the gentlest means of conveying
his meaning, "if ! were to tell you
that there was IA mistake about
Mrs. Goddard's dcath?"
J Blanche's eyes grew large.
"You mean that--that she is alive ~
she asked. slowly.
eyes, she is alive"
Blanche fixed his eyes with steady
stare of incredibly.
''Not dcad--not dead?"
The priest nodded.
"And there is something else" he
went on, "and to do Maj. Goddard full
justice You must make up your minc
to believe that he did not love you al
he does now till-till after he mar
ried you. He has told me his full
story and my heart bleeds for him
He says he was trying to confess tt
you when the accident cut him short
"He was trying to tell me what p
asked Blanche, her brows wrinllled il
perplexity.
"He was trying to confess that h,
, knew that his wife was alive when h,
married you.'
"O-oh!" That exclamation was a
sudden and sharp as if it had bee,
caused by crushing blow.
The priest took her hands and hel,
them tenderly.
'But there were many, many exten
uating circumstances" he Continued
pleadingly. ''Hc was the tool of de
signing woman; he was out of hi
mind. I had noticed his downfall
from the moment he met her an
came under her baueful influence. Sh
convinced him beyond doubt that yo
had fatal lnalady which would carr
YOU off in few months. She wante
your money: he was temporarily in
sane. For Gods sake pity him.
know men rs a botanist knows hi
plants, and 1 could swear that he ha
been a man changed for the bette
since you became his wife. If 20
could only believe this it would,
know, be a crunb of comfort in you
great calamity"
.Rlanche's head sank to the table q
& which she sat- Father Surtees sti