The Masked Bridal

k city, despite their myriads of electric lights and gayly illum

fall, when, out of the darkness of a side street, there came the slight, graceful figure of a young girl, who, cros

and resting irresolutely upon its polished knob, while an expression of m

wing up her head with an air of resolution, she turned

at relentless master, Poverty, had been very busy about his work in the homes of the unfortu

elite, who was the only occupant of the place, and whose keen black eyes glittered with mi

glance to his, as she produced a ticket from th

ou loaned me three dollars last week," she remarked

a crafty smile, as he took up the ticket under pretense of examining it to

s,

'im mit?" he pursued, w

you advanced me, of course,

ere ish de money?" and the man e

it from her purse and deposited it also upon the counter; for sh

ng hungrily at the sight of the yellow gold, while he ex

ing out a drawer as he spoke, he dropped the coin into it. "Ah!" he cried, with a sudden start and an angry frown, as it dropped with a ringing sound upon the wood, "vat you mean? You would sheat me!-you vould rob me! De money ish

rth this torrent of wrathful abuse upon her, while her beautiful blue

mean, sir?" she at length demanded,

ed; then added, gruffly: "You vill not get

ave been working during the week, and I know he would not take advantage of me by paying me with cou

tiful tone as he drew forth the shining piece and pushed it toward her. "Somebody may haf sheeted him; b

h, replaced it in her purse, together with the ticket, and left the shop without a word; while the tricky pawnbroker looked after her, a smile o

n the street again. "I was so happy to think I had earned enough to redeem your precious watch, and also get s

r her cheeks; but she hurried on her way, and, after a brisk walk of ten or fifteen

room where a dim light revealed a pale and wasted

and cheerless, for there was not life enough in the smoldering embers within th

ou have come," said a faint

t," sighed the weary and almost discouraged girl,

hereupon her daughter gave an account of

week," she remarked, in conclusion, with a slight blush. "I am sure he would exchange it, even now; but he left the office at four, and I do not know where he l

It was the only form of compla

nge that I did not think of it myself!" exclaimed Edith, starting eagerly to her feet, the look of discouragement vanishing from her lovely face. "I will go around to the grocery at once, and perhaps they will tak

w on her gloves, preparatory to going forth

go out again," said her m

s he can give me work permanently. You should see him, mamma," she went on, flushing again and turning slightly away from the eyes regarding her so curiously; "he is so han

full of packages, and followed by a man bear

arkling, and she was a bewilderin

on to taking it at the grocery. I believe you were right, and that the pawnbroker did not want to give up the watch,

hing about the trouble you ha

he took it without a word," Edith replied, but flushing slightly, for

h you had," s

us warm between now and Monday, and so I allowed the grocer to take it upon his own respo

although there was a shade

d about, and soon had a cheerful f

tted cheerfully while about her work, telling a number of interesting inci

r and wheel you up to the table, for supper is ready, and I am sure you wil

ng their meal, when the door of their room was throw

deadly pale when she observed that one of the intruders was an offic

anded, trying in vain to keep her tones steady a

sed the counterfeit money at my store," the g

akly back into her chair, as the man went forward to h

my prison