The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-03-21

I I will go to see him, II you insist on IL
but y know he will tell me have
taken enough Of his tonics. -
.Well, that will do, said Goddard,
reluctantly. He thought Of the crim-
son pictures in the. medical book he,
had consulted, and his heart sank.
After all, his new-found happiness was
only to end in her death, and then
Goddard's meditations about Blanche
always stopped there. He had shut
his real wife out of his thoughts as
! men who are striving for better
things shut out the memory of past
evil deeds and associations.
That night when the house was still
and he found himself alone in his study
he forced himself to the task of COM
municating with Jeanne. And as can
in no better way reveal the workings
of his heart, I shall reproduce the let
ter word for word.
In beginning it he wrote Dear
Jeanne" but there he stopped abrupt
ly, and sat staring at the words for
into small bits and let them filter
through his fingers. His letter began
simply as follows:
well, I have at last done your bidding.
I was mailman. 1 confess that-the very
| flames of hell had scorched my brain.
have committed an unspeakable crime
against the purest, loveliest creature that
God ever gave life to. You will be sur
| prised perhaps to find that have changed
so quickly, and really have changed COM
pletely. The scales have fallen from my
sight. feel like a man who has been hyp-
Noticed and wakes to find he has murdered
his best friend. I despise myself as no
mortal ever despised himself before I
now know that my passion for you was
the blindest. most insane 1nfatuation that
ever dragged the soul of a man from an
atmosphere of hope down into the mire of
hellish dependency. I now know that my
love for my ward was the only pure love
have ever experienced. Yes, loved her
when I met you, and I love her now with
all the tortured soul within me. I have
Wronged her as no man ever wronged
pure, unsuspectfng woman, but as her life
will be of such short duration, if I can
prevent it she shall never know Of the
stain have put upon her fair name. While
she lives shall lavish all the tenderness
or my soul on her, praying to God that
may In that way atone a little-a very little
for my crime against her. She married
| me to comfort me In my loneliness; mar
| ried her at the bidding of an intriguer
of the most objectionable type. I would
confess all at this moment but for the fear
that the shock would kill her How could
tell her that you are alive, and that am
not her legal husband?
Il would not write to you now but for
the fact that it is due you to know the
stand have taken. and that we must now
~ 1rrt11
gard to Blanche's fortune. AS God is my
judge do not want her money, and as
God is my judge you shall never lay your
covetous hands upon it. I shall at once
take precautions to see that, at her dea tn,
the money shall go to her blood relatives
AS to you, l shall never willingly see you
again, nor write you another line from
this day forth. see my duty and shall
DO 1t. Any letter you write me will be re-
turned to-you unopened. Do your worst,
| If you wish to publish to the world that
| you and have played on it's credulity, do
so, shall then confess to the part took
| In your scheme. AS much as I now hate
you. would not let you bear all the blame.
am as guilty as you because I am a man.
| l herewith enclose draft payable to Mrs.
Nolan; 1t is all the money I can send YOU
| now. l am about to enter into a specula.
ton in railway stock and If it turns out
Well L shall send you more money. You
are my wife and I shall provide for you
as we'll as my own means will allow, but
OF Branches money You nor shall ever
have one penny. I shall try to get means
out of my own resources to keep you
quiet at least as long as Blanche lives, but
| you need not look to me for large remit
tances. 1 am not exactly under your
thumb; your threats of exposure will
not trlghten me. 1 am desperate. want
Blanche to know what am. I cannot face
her pure eyes and know that am as
| vile as the deepest dyed convict The
| sooner you make the whole thing known
the better shall be pleased.
'ROWLAND GODDARD"
Mrs. Nolan was standing in the door Of
the little gray brick cottage when the
postman handed this communication
to her. Recognizing the handwriting
she took it unopened to Mrs. Goddard,
who was restlessly walking in the
little, high-walled garden in the rear
| OF the house.
"Ah,' she exclaimed, :'he has writ
ten!"
Eyes, it is from him." said the an.
gular woman, approaching slowly.
Mrs. Goddard tore open the envelope.
She had hardly read dozen lines be-
! fore she uttered a little scream, and
| then. with quivering hands and ex-
| banding eyes, she continued to read.
! what is the matter?" asked Mrs
| Nolan.
Matter enough" answered Mrs.
Goddard, clenching her hands and
grating her teeth together. "Matter
enough. He has married the girl but
has already-already fallen in love
with her, and now he wants to throw
me over"
Didn't you expect that?" asked
Mrs. Nolan, whose innate dislike for
her mistress often fostered opposition
to her plans.
1T was the last thing did expect
the very last"
"Your egotism has undone you,
Jeanne" said Mrs. Nolan with no
little cautious JUNCTION. 81 had no
sooner laid my eyes on that beautiful
young creature than I knew if he
| in 7,