Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-01-10

VI tHe mgr III Wuen Ill une Guy seemed
asleep. Mrs. Goddard ate heartily;
he bolted his food. She said the coffee
and rolls-those dainty crisp things
no larger than a giants thumb-were
alone worth the inconvenience of
spending a night in the city. When
they had finished she told him she de-
sired that he should go at once to
Lyndhurst and inform Blanche that
she would remain that morning in
town to attend to some shopping, and
that she would be home in time for
luncheon.
II hope" she added. shat you have
no business to attend to at the Office"
He had none, and it gave his heart
wrench to think that her shopping
had to do with her preparations for
her voyage.
There is something else" she went
on. did anyone at Lyndhurst know
that l took SO much money when 1
left?"
The major looked confused as he
confessed: blanche happened to be
with me when-when I went to the
safe, and. naturally, 1 suppose
showed establishment when I missed
the"
"Oh, it makes no difference broke
in Mrs. Goddard. 81 can easily en-
plain it, and my going abroad. l shall
say it is only for short run over and
back. From the other side I can
easily make excuses for prolonged
stay"
He left her in one of the drawing
rooms and fastened to get cab to
convey him to the station in time for
train to Lyndhurst. Good intentions
and clear moral outlook must natu-
rally tend towards lightness of spirits,
for Maj. Goddard, possessing just the
reverse, felt as if his bones had turned
to lead as he journeyed ho1neward.
1t is a wonder that his fercely con-
tending emotions did not tear his rea-
son from its seat.
As to his wife, she was as she had
always been, diametrically his oppo-
site. She took one or two turns in
the corridors, where a considerable
number of people were seated or
promenading, and drew in deep
breaths Of something like thorough
satisfaction. She seemed unconscious
and yet keenly aware of the glances
of lettering men of fashion who
nudged one another and made admir-
ing comments as she passed. She
went through the revolving glass
doors into the court. and as she
smoothed on her dainty gloves she
looked for a cab. When she had
chosen the best looking four-wheeler
a porter in uniform called it for her.
mo. 80 West Twentieth street." she
said carelessly to the porter, who re-
peated it to the cabman as he closed
the door.
The house before which the convey
ance presently halted was rather
old-time, four-storied brown stone
front, the steps of which were crum-
bling and broken. and before which
stood those badges of an uncleanly
neighborhood, an ash can and a
garbage barrel.
Mrs. Goddard alighted. dismissed
the cab and went up to the unswept
stoop and stood on the worn india
rubber mat. She rang. An Irish maid
answered the summons.
SIS Mrs. Nolan in?" asked the caller.
Eyes. madam: will you walk into
the parlor?"
Mrs. Goddard gave the girl card
and followed her into stuffy draw
ing-room on the left. Between The
windows of this room there was tall
pierglass belonging to the style of
half a century ago and concomitant
high and crudely decorated ceiling.
There was a folding bed in the room
and washstand hidden behind Jap
anese screen, which indicated that the
apartment, in emergencies. was used
as bedroom. The place had the air
and the odor of second-class boarding
house, but the sign in the window told
the street that it was only an apart
ment house furnishing drawing room
privileges.
There was a step heavy enough to
have been masculine on the diamond
shaped marble tiles in the hall, and
tall, angular woman about so years
of age advanced into the room with
quick, angry strides. She had crushed
the visitors card in the hand with
which she was endeavoring to adjust
meager coil of iron gray hair. She
did not speak till she had peered into
the hall and carefully closed the door,
then she said, frowning into the COM
placent face of the half-amused caller:
1T certainly is good thing for
you, Jeanne, that you came to-day"
"Ah, you think 500" Mrs. Goddard's
smile was tantalizing in the extreme.
Eyes, a had written my last note
to you. / say it now plainly, so that
youewill not keep me waiting SO long
again.
assure you, Lucy Nolan, that I
came only by the merest accident"
N"Oh, / don't care why you came,