The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1901-04-26

down TO luncheOn, MISS Dean having
sent down word that she would be
detained in her room.
The door bell had rung, but none of
the trio had heard it. Just at this
juncture James came in bearing a
telegram on tray. He handed it to
the major, who opened it slowly.
II wonder what this is?" he MUIR
INJURED.
"Mrs. Goddard has arrived safe"
suggested Talley; "this is the tenth
day, you know
mo. it is not cablegram," an
swered Goddard, whose eye was well
schooled in such matters: sit is from
the city"
The others watched his face as he
unfolded the sheet of paper. They
saw him start, and his eyes open wide.
Surely, she could not he began,
and there paused.
MAY I see it?" asked Talley, his
thoughts on falling stocks, bank fail
ures and possible financial crashes.
The young man engaged in specula-
ton now and then.
The major gave him the telegram
and turned away. He was deathly
pale and tripped on a rug as he
walked towards the door. Blanche
looked over Talley's shoulder. The
message was from the agents of the
Cleopatra's company on Broadway,
and ran as follows:
eve regret to inform you that your
wife, in a temporary fit of insanity,
during severe storm two days before
the Cleopatra arrived at Liverpool,
threw herself overheard ana was not
rescued. Our information comes di-
rect from the captain of the Cleo
patra, who adds that full particulars
are being sent to the New York pa
pers."
"Isn't it awful-poor old mani" said
Talley, looking at Blanche, but she
seemed to have lost the power of
speech. She turned white to the
roots of her hair. Going into the lit
tie reception-room adjacent, she found
her guardian standing at window.
She laid her hand on his arm.
ooh, am so-sorry!" she said, ten
DERBY.
But he only laid an unsteady hand
over hers, pressed it little, and said:
'Thank you, dear little girl; leave
me alone now, please"
And as she moved away she saw
him sink into a big armchair and
cover his face with his hands.
That afternoon the papers came
bearing a long account of the tragedy.
The major was in his room and sent
one of the maids down for them, so
no one saw his face while he was
reading the details, which shocked
him as if every word of the account
had been true.
''Did you ever imagine that Mrs.
Goddard was not quite right mental
ly?" asked Talley when he was able
to catch Blanche alone that after
noon.
"Yes," she answered. 81 suspected
or rather she confessed to ten
dency in that direction the night be-
fore she sailed. She said she hoped
the voyage would cure her."
"Ah, that sort of thing never en-
tered my head" said the private sec
rotary. II thought she had the clear
est head of any woman alive, but
bright people do lose their balance"
They saw little of the major that
day. He remained in his room
Friends called to offer condolences
and letters and kilograms of SYM
pathy piled up on his desk in his
study, but he saw no ore nor opened
any communication. The next day
he went to the city, and there in a
small hotel where he was unknown to
any of the inmates he took up his
abode.
He was as nearly insane as a man
of sound mind can become. His exist
ence became routine of mental tor
ture. He spent each day in walking
through streets where he was not
known. At night he would lie awake
till his physical nature would refuse
longer to bear the burden his wife
had put upon him, and then his strong
frame sank under the blessing of
sleep.
He realized fully what she was ex-
pecting of him, and he hardly knew if
he would be equal to carrying out her
plans. At the expiration of the first
week after the reception of the news
q letter arrived in his private letter
box on Sixth avenue. He was almost
afraid to open it. It seemed like a !
from the dead-or
worse, a command from hell. And
when he had finally devoured it, and
found that Jeanne and Mrs. Nolan