Part 27 (2/2)

Immediately a low cry of dismay burst from her, for the first thing that caught her eye were some conspicuous head-lines announcing:

”A STARTLING SURPRISE IN HIGH LIFE.”

These were followed by a vivid description of the festivities at the G.o.ddard mansion in Wyoming, on the previous evening, mentioning the ”unique and original drama,” which had wound up with ”the great surprise” in the form of a ”_bona fide_” marriage between the brother of the beautiful and accomplished hostess, Mrs. G.o.ddard, and a lovely girl to whom the gentleman had long been attached, and whom he had taken this opportune and very novel way of introducing to his friends and society in general.

Then there followed a _resume_ of the play, giving the names of the various actors, an account of the fine scenery and brilliant costumes, etc.

The appearance of the masked bride and groom was then enlarged upon, an accurate description of the bride's elegant dress given, and a most flattering mention made of her beauty and grace, together with the perfect dignity and repose of manner with which she bore her introduction to the many friends of her husband during the reception that followed immediately after the ceremony.

No mention was made of her having fainted afterward, and the article concluded with a flattering tribute to the host and hostess for the success of their ”Winter Frolic,” which ended so delightfully in the brilliant and long-to-be-remembered ball.

Edith's face was full of pain and indignation after reading this sensational account.

She was sure that the affair had been written up by either madam or her brother, for the express purpose of bringing her more conspicuously before the public, and with the intention of fastening more securely the chain that bound her to the villain who had so wronged her.

”Oh, it is a plot worthy to be placed on record with the intrigues of the Court of France during the reign of Louis the Thirteenth and Richelieu!” Edith exclaimed. ”But in this instance they have mistaken the character of their victim,” she continued, throwing back her proud little head with an air of defiance, ”for I will never yield to them; I will never acknowledge, by word or act, the tie which they claim binds me to him, and I will leave no effort untried to break it.

Heavens! what a daring, what an atrocious wrong it was!” she exclaimed, with a shudder of repugnance; ”and I am afraid that, aside from my own statements, I cannot bring one single fact to prove a charge of fraud against either of them.”

She fell into a painful reverie, mechanically folding the paper as she sat rocking slowly back and forth trying to think of some way of escape from her unhappy situation.

But, at last, knowing that it was about time for Mrs. Weld to have her dinner, she arose to go down to join her.

As she did so the paper slipped from her hands to the floor.

She stooped to pick it up when an item headed, in large letters ”Personal” caught her eye.

Without imagining that it could have any special interest for her, she glanced in an aimless way over it.

Suddenly every nerve was electrified.

”What is this?” she exclaimed, and read the paragraph again.

The following was the import of it:

”If Miss Allandale, who disappeared so suddenly from New York, on the 13th of last December, will call upon or send her address to Bryant & Co., Attorneys, No. ---- Broadway, she will learn of something greatly to her advantage in a financial way.”

”How very strange! What can it mean?” murmured the astonished girl, the rich color mounting to her brow as she realized that Royal Bryant must have inserted this ”personal” in the paper in the hope that it would meet her eye.

”Who in the world is there to feel interested in me or my financial condition?” she continued, with a look of perplexity.

At first it occurred to her that Mr. Bryant might have taken this way to ascertain where she was from personal motives; but she soon discarded this thought, telling herself that he would never be guilty of practicing deception in any way to gain his ends. If he had simply desired her address he would have asked for that alone without the promise of any pecuniary reward.

She stood thinking the matter over for several moments.

At last her face cleared and a look of resolution flashed into her eyes.

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