Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-04-17

CHAPTER V.
When Mrs. Goddard returned to
Lyndhurst at noon, Blanche and he1
guardian and Mr.. Talley received her
in the drawing-room. The exchange
of greetings might have been mere
awkward platitudes but for her won
derful conversational skill.
81 am so sorry I was detained in
town last night" she laughed. "The
major was actually frightened when
he reached me. 1 did very foolish
thing in taking so much money. I'm
agine my surprise to find that I had
actually $4,000 in my purse when
took it out to pay the cabman. When
went off the major was not here
and being accustomed to taking
money from the safe, I thrust my
hand into the box and folded up some
bills. I intended to pay a few bills O!
knows I didn't intend to carry off a
small fortune"
Talley laughed unsuspiciously.
Some pickpocket would have been
in clover" he remarked.
''The fright I gave this dear man, y
and Mrs. Goddard laid her gloved hand
on the arm of her staruelike husband,
s'was a good thing in one way, for
when I told him that DR.. Sloan, who
was at the Palace yesterday, had ad-
vised me to take sea voyage he was
so relieved over finding that had not
been abducted that he really con-
scented to my running over to London
for a week or So"
eve are sorry you are going" said
Blanche, with start of surprise.
''But surely not alone?" remarked
TaIley.
''No; I have applied to bureau for
a companion. They know exactly the
kind Of woman I want, and [ shall
have no one else, I assure you"
I have been looking over my af-
fairs. and I think I can get away"
said Goddard. "You will at least al
low me to go over with you
''And be obliged to nurse you
through your seasickness," laughed
his wife. mo, this voyage is for my
own health, thank you. From the mo-
ment the gangplanks are up till they
are down he is too i'll to eat bite, "
she said to Blanche and Talley. 81
shall be provided with good compan-
ionable maid New York is full OF
gentlewomen who are dying for such
opportunities"
After all, it may do her a lot OF
good" Blanche said, consolingly, to
her guardian, when Mrs. Goddard had
left the room. "She seems to antici-
pate SO much pleasure from it. She
seems to treat me so much more gen
Tally than she has been doing"
The major frowned. There was a
trustful glance in the girls eyes
which recalled her school days to him.
She looked almost as childlike as she
had the day she had come into her
fathers sickroom, her long golden
hair plated and hanging down her
back. How wildly he recalled John
Briscoe's words:
MY darling child, this is the best
and truest friend I ever had; he has
shown me his friendship in thou
sand ways; if anything should happen
to take me from you he will care for
you as tenderly as your own father
could"
Goddard shuddered over this mem
DRY, and the thought that, although
she was marked as such an early prey
of death, he had been induced to plot
against such frailty, but he felt the
futility of struggle. Ever since he
had fallen under the spell of Jeanne's
eyes he had looked upon her as the
ruler of his destiny, be it for good or
evil.
''You ought not to suffer SO because
she is going, dear guardian" said
Blanche, with tender concern. "You
ought to look forward to her return,
and not give yourself up to morbid
brooding over it,
''She doesn't want me to go with
her, you see," answered the major,
coming back to closer view of his
own woes. His lip was quivering, aud
his tone was almost petulant.
Sometimes l am afraid I am in the
way" said Blanche. perhaps ought
to go away myself"
mo, you must stay said the ma
1or; ''but you must invite some one
to be with you
''Lottie Dean will come" said
Blanche: 81 shall write to her" and
suspecting that Goddard wanted to be
alone with his trouble, she left him.