The Masked Bridal Page 7

  CHAPTER V.

  A MOTHER'S LAST REQUEST.

  Two hours later, Royal Bryant was at the pawnbroker's shop, and hadredeemed Edith's watch, much against the wish of the money-lender, whodesired to retain it. And as the lawyer placed the watch in hispocket, he made a sign to an officer on the street, who hadaccompanied him to the spot.

  Solon Retz was astounded when he found himself a prisoner, on thecharge of passing counterfeit money. He was hurried to court, and thejudge investigated the case at once. Mr. Bryant and Mr. Knowles gavetheir testimony, and it was conclusively demonstrated that thespurious coin must have come from the pawnbroker's drawer.

  At Royal Bryant's suggestion the pawnbroker was ordered to besearched, when no less than three more bogus pieces were foundconcealed upon his person.

  This was deemed sufficient proof of his guilt, without furthertestimony, and he was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, withoutEdith having been called to the witness stand to testify against him.

  As the crestfallen pawnbroker was led away, Royal Bryant went eagerlyto Edith's side.

  "You are free, Miss Allandale," he exclaimed, with a radiant face,"and I think we are to be congratulated upon having made such quickwork of the case."

  "It is all owing to your cleverness," Edith returned, lifting a pairof grateful eyes to his face. "How can I thank you?"

  "You do not need to do that, for I feel that I alone have been toblame for all your trouble," he said, in a self-reproachful tone; thenhe added, with a roguish gleam in his fine eyes: "I shall never beguilty of paying my copyist in gold again. Now come, I have a carriagewaiting for you and will send you directly home to your mother," theyoung man concluded, as he lifted her shawl from the chair where shehad been sitting and wrapped it about her shoulders.

  Edith followed him to the street, where a hack stood ready to take herhome.

  Mr. Bryant assisted her to enter it, when he laid a small package inher lap.

  "It is your watch," he said, in a low tone. Then, extending his handto her, he added: "I shall not ask you to return to the office for twoor three days--you need rest after your recent anxiety and excitement,while I am to be away until Wednesday noon. Come to me on Thursdaymorning, if you feel able, when I shall have plenty of work for you."

  He pressed the hand he was holding with an unconscious fondness whichbrought a rich color into the young girl's face, then, closing thecarriage door, he gave the order to the coachman, smiled anotheradieu, as he lifted his hat to her, and the next moment Edith wasdriven away.

  There was a glad light in her eyes, a tender smile on her red lips,and, in spite of her poverty and many cares, she was, for the moment,supremely happy, for Royal Bryant's manner had been far moresuggestive to her than he had been aware of, and she was thrilled toher very soul by the consciousness that he loved her.

  She sat thus, in happy reverie, until the carriage turned into thestreet where she lived; then, suddenly coming to herself, herattention was again attracted to the package in her lap.

  "There is something besides mamma's watch here!" she murmured, as shenoticed the thickness of it.

  Untying the string and removing the wrapper, she found a pretty pursewith a silver clasp lying upon the case containing the watch.

  With burning cheeks she opened it, and found within a crisp ten-dollarnote and Royal Bryant's card bearing these words upon the back:

  "I shall deem it a favor if you will accept the inclosed amount, as a loan, until you find yourself in more comfortable circumstances financially. Yours, R.B."

  Edith caught the purse to her lips with a thrill of joy.

  "How kind! how delicate!" she murmured. "He knew that I was nearlypenniless--that I had almost nothing with which to tide over the nextfew days, during his absence. He is a prince--he is a king among men,and I--"

  A vivid flush dyed her cheeks as she suddenly checked the confessionthat had almost escaped her lips, her head drooped, her chest heavedwith the rapid beating of her heart, as she realized that her deepestand strongest affections had been irrevocably given to thenoble-hearted young man who had been so kind to her in her recenttrouble.

  The carriage stopped at last before the door of her home--if themiserable tenenment-house could be designated by such a name--and shesprang eagerly to the ground as the coachman opened the door for herto alight.

  "The fare is all paid, miss," he said, respectfully, as she hesitateda moment; then she went bounding up the stairs to be met on thethreshold of her room by Kate O'Brien--who had seen the carriagestop--with her finger on her lips and a look in her kind, honest eyesthat made the girl's heart sink with a sudden shock.

  "My mother!" she breathed, with paling lips.

  "Whisht, mavourneen!" said the woman, pitifully; then added, in alower tone: "She has been mortal ill, miss."

  "And now?" panted Edith, leaning against the door-frame for support.

  "'Sh! She is asleep."

  Edith waited to hear no more. Something in the woman's face and mannerfilled her with a terrible dread.

  She pushed by her, entered the room, and glided swiftly butnoiselessly to the bed, looked down upon the scarcely breathing figurelying there.

  It was with difficulty that she repressed a shriek of agony at whatshe saw, for the shadow of death was unmistakably settling over thebeloved face.

  The invalid stirred slightly upon her pillow as Edith came to her sideand bent over her.

  "My darling," she murmured weakly, as her white lids fluttered open,and she bent a look full of love upon the fair face above her, "I--amgoing--"

  "No, no, mamma!" whispered the almost heart-broken girl, butstruggling mightily with her agony and to preserve calmness lest sheexcite the invalid.

  "Bring me the--Japanese box--quick!" the dying woman commanded, in ascarcely audible tone.

  Without a word Edith darted to a closet, opened a trunk, and from itsdepths drew forth a beautiful casket inlaid with mother-of-pearl andotherwise exquisitely decorated.

  "The--key," gasped the sick one, fumbling feebly among the folds ofher night-robe.

  Edith bent over her and unfastened a key from a golden chain whichencircled her mother's neck.

  "Open!" she whispered, glancing toward the casket.

  The girl, wondering, but awed and silent, unlocked the box and threwback the cover, thus revealing several packages of letters and otherpapers neatly arranged within it.

  Mrs. Allandale reached forth a weak and bloodless hand, as if to takesomething out of the box, when she suddenly choked, and in anotherinstant the red life-current was flowing from her lips.

  "Letters--burn--" she gasped, with a last expiring effort, and thenbecame suddenly insensible.

  In an agony of terror, Edith dashed the box upon the nearest chair andbegan to chafe the cold hand that hung over the side of the bed, whileMrs. O'Brien came forward, a look of awe on her face.

  The frail chest of the invalid heaved two or three times, there was aspasmodic twitching of the slender fingers lying on the young girl'shand, then all was still, and Edith Allandale was motherless.