The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-03-28

of the truth during a spree to fill Mid dlemarch with gossip. It was gossip that was both delighted and boundless, for Bulstrode, like most philanthro- pists of his kind who are driven to philanthropy as a bribe to Heaven ra- ther than through good will to men, l became the more disliked the more he did for the town.
 Even while the gossip was spreading and before Bulstrode suspected that his secrets were out. the blackmailer died in his house, whither Bulstrode had taken him to nurse him through an attack of delirium tremens. The mans death was due clearly to his disease. Dr. Lydgate had attended him carefully and regularly. But simultaneously with the news of his death Middlemarch discovered that Lydgate who had been in severe finan cial straits, had paid off his creditors and that the funds had come through | a check for 1000 pounds that had been given to him by Bulstrode. pr. Lydgate had obtained it quite lnnocently, having asked the rich ban ker to lend him the money temporar- ily-a request that was sufficiently justified by the fact that he had been giving his service freely to hospi- tai endowed by Bulistrode.
 The loan had not been quite so in- nocent on the bankers part. He had granted 1t because he feared the black mailer might say something before Lydgate in his delirium.
 pr. Lydgate's explanation met few believers. The situation would have seemed suspicious in places much less intolerant than Middlemarch. No le- gal action was contemplated. The other physicians discouraged it. be- cause they knew that there had been nothing but natural causes for the mans death. But they did not feel ] impelled to defend Lydgate, and the l young doctors reputation was being blasted by the same disgrace that overwhelmed Bulstrode when the sec- ret of his wealth was discovered. Dorothea had learned to know and trust Lydgate. When his disgrace came, she was fired with zeal and de- termined to hasten to his house to vis- 1t Rosamond and give her support.
 Her heart was in her resolve the more of the fact that Will Ladislaw's s name was coupled with the gossip "The grandson of a thieving pawn broker" were the words used about him.
 She accepted her whole relation to win very simply as a part of her mar rage sorrows. and entertained no vis- Ions of any nearer approach to him. But in the months that had passed she had felt delicious though sad repose in thinking of him as one who was fnwardly whole and without blem- ish His disappearance from Middle march had given her proud belief in his delicate sense of honor. and her heart had long been at rest regarding the gossip about him and Mrs. Lyd- gate. She was sure that their rela- | tiOns had been blamelesS.
 So she went frankly and sympatheti- calIy into Middlemarch to see Rosa mond A blundering servant ushered ! her into a room without announcing | her. As she entered she saw VIII LadisIaw. And close by his side, with a flushed tearfulness that made her ! face brilliant stood Rosamond, while win held her hands and spoke with a fervent, low voice.
 They started away when she entered. Dorothea immediately bowed and swept from the room, pausing only to regret that she had missed pr. Lydgate. She sobbed herself to sleep that night on the floor. But in the morning i the old Dorothea arose-the Dorothea of sacrifice And now she had found her true sacrifice.
 What sort of crisis might this not be in the three lives whose contact with hers had laid an obligation on i her? What snail l uo-noW Should l act now" she prayed. If I could clutch my own pain and compel 1t to silence and think of those three?"
 A great and clear knowledge came to her. Before noon she was on her way to Middlemarch again.
 Rosamond, they told her. was very i'll. She had been hysterical and had fainted again and again. She found her heart swelling when she sat by the side of the poor, pretty, weak young thing, so woe-beEone and | wretched.
 Patting her hands, Dorothea told her that she had come in to speak to her about her husband, and to tell her that good friends would strive to vindi- cate him and that she would stand by him and never leave off believing in his high character.
 Then she bent low to Rosamond and whispered And ah! If one has q husband and does not help him, does not cleave to him, but makes curse of his life"
 | She dared not say more. Rosamond 4broke into wild sobs. Then suddenly