The Iola register., 1901-02-08

moment. The muffled strains of the
orchestra below stole up to their ears.
The handsome woman had never
thrown so much power of enchant-
ment into her beautiful. longlashed
eyes as at this moment. She held his
gaze as reptile might that of its
wondering, bewildered victim.
Dear husband" she said. sweetly.
"John Briscoe loved you as few men
love their friends. Do you know that
he would rather have you enjoy that
money after his daughters death than
those people?"
at don't know: 1 never thought
about it. Jeanne"
"Well, i know he would want you
to have it, and have 1t you must"
81 declare you mystify me-"
"I have something else to say.
Blanche was in love with you when
first met you. / knew it from the ac-
counts you gave me of your visits to
her. l used to think you were fool
not to have seen it. She loved you so
much that"
30, how absurd"
"That when you brought me home
as your wife she swooned away. One
of the maids told me about it. She
pretended to be confined to her room
with n headache. but in reality she
spent the two days in tears. She
keeps a diary; it has lock and key,
but one day found it open and read
her heart. She not only loves you,
but she has worshiped you since she
was IS years old. You have thought
she was happy at Lyndhurst. The
truth is she has not had one content
ed moment there. She dislikes me
and imagines me unworthy of you,
and that has only irritated her pas
sion"
Jeanne" said the major. "I can
hardly believe all this, but even If il
were true, what has it to do with this
awful breach between you and me?"
you must have her money or !
shall never be content as long as /
live" The speaker paused as if to let
her statement settle into his dis
turbed consciousness, then she ended:
"You must have it, or l cannot live
with you any longer"
"You mean" he was Unable to pro-
coed.
without harming the girl in the slight
est, can, after her death, live the rest
of our lives on that money, over hall
of which you have fairly earned by
your business care and judgment"
81 don't see how we can do it,
Goddard said, after he had endeavored
to fathom her meaning.
"She has only two years to live at
the very longest, dear. 1t would mean
temporary separation between you
and me, but in the end we could make
up for it. My plan is this: She loves
you and would marry you within a
week after my death if you asked her
i shall go abroad at once. and while
i am away absolute proof of my death
shall be brought to you and the au-
thorities in America. Soon after this
you must marry Blanche and get pos
session of her fortune. Then when
she dies ! shall manage to show that
my death was mistake and shal
come back to you"
my God, Jeanne! don't-don't ask
this of mel"
Goddard covered his face with his
hands. His wife removed them gently
and put her left arm around his neck
Darling, it would be the easiest
thing in the world to accomplish, anC
. ,f all Ia,
Of happiness which we shall spend to
gether."
'~"l can't do it, jeanne simply an
not made that way"
Have you considered that you anC
i part, then, to-night?"
"Nou can't mean that?" he cried.
absolutely. | shall not 90 back tC
Lyndhurst unless you fully agree tC
my proposal Even then it will only
be for II week while am allayng sus
picion and preparing for my voyage
Jeanne, simply cannot do this,
groaned Goddard; 81 simply canno
do it,"
The woman rose and stood befor,
him at her fun height. She had nevei
looked so quecnly-her influence ovcl
him had never been so great Sh,
strode back and forth across the room
with all the grace and beauty whicl
had enthralled his senses year before
Suddenly she stepped up to him ant
laid a hand upon his shoulder whicl
commanded him like the touch of
hypnotist upon good subject.
You know. Rowland. that another
rich man wanted to make me his wifi,
when | consented to marry you?"
He remembered that she had tolC
him something of the kind just befor,
the wedding, and how that fact haC
FASTENED his marriage. He nodded.
81 remember"
"He has not married." said Mrs
Goddard, in tone of deep signifi
canoe; "and still he wants me, and
could easily secure a divorce from yol
on the ground that you failed TO com
ply with your agreement in regarc
TO certain money and property whicl