The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-03-22
CHAPTER vi.

All the remainder of the week Mrs.
Goddard was occupied with hurried
preparations, running into the city
on the morning trains and returning
in the afternoon. AS her stay short
ened Goddard's depression became
more and more obvious. He Stunned
the companionship of his ward and neg
lected to give Talley any work to do.
When he was not following his wife
about like doting slave he was brood
ing alone in his room or walking nerv-
ously in the wood behind the garden.
The night before her departure Mrs.
Goddard retired to her room imme-
diately after dinner was over. The
first two hours were given to her hus-
band, but at ten o'clock she dismissed
him with the request that he send
Blanche to her.
Our young lady found her seated over
a little fire in her luxurious boudoir.
The gaslight in a yellow globe was
burning low and the red Goals in the
CRATE gave a rich tint to the furniture
and tapestries. She greeted Blanche
with the superficial smile which she
had been comforting on her without
stint since the Matching of her nefari-
Gus plot, and taking her hand she
drew her down beside her on sofa.
II want to have one friendly chat
with you before I co." she said. 81 am
afraid have not been so good to you
as should have been; but was born
thoughtless and have never gotten
over it"
Blanche could not think of suitable
reply, though she allowed her hand to
rest passively in the clinging grasp of
the woman, which action was sufficient
ly cordial for nature so coarse of
fiber as Mrs. Goddard's.
what do you suppose have been
doing every spare moment lately?
Don't laugh, but''-Mrs. Goddard point
ed to Bible on the table near her, a
rich affair bound in Russian leather
and gold-"I have been reading that
Book and finding out how wicked I
am. Before going away I want, hum
bly,. to beg your pardon, Blanche. /
could have treated you better. You
are Christian, aren't you. dear?"
81 try to be, Mrs. Goddard; hope
I am"
"My attempts in that direction have
generally been spasmodic," went on the
older woman, smiling. 81 presume
have really not striven hard enough, or
kept at it long enough, for my efforts
to be really good have always ended
in an explosion of good intentions.
The devil has always beguiled me into
places from which there seemed no out
let without making other people un-
happy, and that is the keenest sort of
punishment-to be made to feel that
you have made yourself the devils CO.
adjutor. It has been that way in re-
gard to your guardian"
"Mr. Goddard % murmured Blanche.
81 don't understand"
blanche, I shall feel better If make
a full confession to you before go.
want you to sympathize with me
pity me if you wish, but try to see a lit
tie good in me. Dear girl, i was SO
worldly-minded that I married your
guardian for what could get out of
him, because he was at that time rich,
but 1 do not love him and, to be more
frank, I am miserable with him. It
seems to me that simply cannot stand
it here another day."
"You don't love himl" said Blanche,
with shudder, and she recoiled and
drew her hand from Mrs. Goddard's
clasp.
"Ah, SEQ you don't understand how
such q thing could be, but it is so, and,
try as viii, cannot make myself
care for him. This voyage gives me
infinite pleasure because shall be free
II only for = liff1a while Pint won snr1sf