Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-07-18

the doorway.
"a lady came in here Just now" he
said to the first smutty visage that
turned towards him.
went upstairs" said the owner Of
the face.
do you know which foor?" asked
Goddard.
The boy did not and shook his head.
"She asked for the simpsons" said
another urchin. They are top Aoor
back"
"who are the Simpsons" asked the
ma jor.
"I don't know, sir" said shc first
boy who had spoken. you can't
miss II; it's as high as you can GO"
1t then occurred to Goddard that he
was unarmed and as he did not doubt
that Blanche had bee beguiled into
some sort of trap he felt his inability
70 defend her in an emergency. md
yet he almost ran up the five flights
of narrow, unswept stairs. Reaching
the top, and seeing a door At the side
been taken apart ~ mattress end
ragged bed covering. he bent his ear
TO listen. For moment he heard
nothing. and then suddenly from the
room came the sound Of weeping and
the wailing Of a woman's voice. This
startled him, and be tried the door
latch. n turned. Inc door opened
into cherries room. Around the
walls sat dozen old men and women
as still and silent as Ouakers ut a
meeting. door IN this room opened
into another cha and there he
saw throng of women and children,
and thence issued the sounds of sobs
and cries of grief. Bewildered, he
went TO the door and looked for
Blanche. His eyes fell on the corpse
of a woman covered TO her wri9kled
face with a white sheet. Looking over
the heads of this group Goddard saw
Blanche seated on low couch be-
tween two sotbing Young girls. She
had an arm round the waist Of each,
and the major heard her trembling
voice try to speak words OF consola-
ton.
"Oh, Mrs. Goddard" the elder girl
eaid, II cannot bear it simply can
not give her up. She was all We had
--all-all!'
So much was Blanche concerned in
The duty before her that she did not
look up A light broke upon the
ior, but he did not have the pres-
ence of mind to retreat unnoticed. as
he might easily have done. His relief
L..
so great that he felt weak all over.
Suddenly the younger Of the two girls
with Blanche looked up. She pointed
at him. and touched her sister across
Blanche's lap.
"It must be the new Doctor" she
said
Blanche stared at him in bewilder-
mantled her brow
"No, il is my husba nd" she said:
"excuse me a moment"
She came to him at once.
"Whv did you Gomez" she asked a
look Of embarrassment on her face.
II am so surprised. l really do not
understand how"
away from several persons who were
listening curiously.
II have no excuse for spying on
YOU" he said. lamelv; none except
that I was afraid you We're in danger,
and came toto protect YOU"
81 don't understand" she said 81
really do not"
I, A.
saying:
Pardon my foolishness, dear; do
pardon me-"
"Oh. don't think am finding fault"
she said, quickly. II am glad you are
/ here now. but"
II may as well tell Won that have
enemies. darling little girl, enemies
who would entrap AXE your life,
anything 70 take revenge on me.
| When first ! saw that letter I did not
| like its appearance, and when you
would not tell me about it my fears
! got the best of me,
at was from Mary. there--the old
er Of the two girls" replied Blanche.
| II knew her and her mother when"
| Blanche flushed a little--"wheu l used
TO visit this quarter when | was in
school. Ever since then she and have
been friends, and have tried to help
her family. They are so poor. l
ought 10 have told You that was en-
| gagged in this sort Of work at least
after we were married: but, knowing
that your other wife was opposed to
such things, | thought you might
think | was parading my deeds, so
could not tell you about IT,"
ooh, darling, you are an angel, and
I am not worthy TO touch the hem Of
your garments God have mercy on
me-you don't really know the man
you have married, n you did you
would turn from me as you would
from leper."
Her face shrank sensitively before
the force of his strong sentences.
You are the noblest, most abused
man in the world, and love you too
dearly 10 believe anything against
YOU" she exclaimed, with startled ten
derness. "But you'd better leave me
now, cam perfectly safe. have
been here often before. / know al
mos. every family in the building. I
shall be very busy all day. This death
is awfuliy hard on these poor girls,
You and 7. who have so much to he
thankful for. ought not to stand talk
ing Of imaginary troubles in the pres
ence of such reality as this"