The Masked Bridal

the wealthy and aristocratic Gerald Goddard,

ort, all of which were fitted up with an elegance which bespoke an abundance of means. And so Edith was restored to a life of luxur

in the mood for such entertainment; singing and playing to her when she was musically incli

ble, and his wife displayed symptoms of intense jealousy. About five weeks after Edith's installation in the home, Mrs. Goddard's brother, Monsieur Correlli, a

and parties with him as her escort, and was delighted to show him off

library. Listening attentively, she discovered that it emanated from her husband and Ed

there the enraged woman gave way to her passion of jealousy. In blunt words she taunted the girl with attempting to steal the affections of her husband,

ions were unfounded, and in a little time Mrs. Goddard was h

ed to be deeply absorbed in the contemplation of her features, eyeing her with glances of undisguised admiration and r

one with her, showering compliments upon her, and extolling her charms. On one of these occasions he was bold enough to prop

er decision to her mistress; but that lady, in great humiliation, begged her to overlook her brother's impetuosity, saying that his conduct

d her earnest appeals, had the effect

result of it was that the sister agreed to do her utmost to place Edith beyond the rea

ing her steps along Commonwealth avenue, an elegant carriage came slowly around the corner. The driver was in dark green livery

lifted the reins. The animals stopped immediately, and in a moment a l

the matter?-wha

woman, of perhaps forty-three years, with large, dark brown eyes and rich brown hair. Her skin was fair and flawless, as tha

drive the vehicle to its stable. To secure attention to this request, she gave the policeman a bank note, and name

at nine o'clock to-morrow mo

for the service she had performed, and gave her a card bearing a name

r name, and stated that she was the companion

ale, and otherwise manifest a strange agitatio

ddard. Now it is time for me to go, and I shall have to take an electric car to get back to my hotel. Again let me thank you for your timely

l Correlli, who begged permission to attend her, as they were both bound for the same destination. I

. Monsieur Correlli seemed unconscious of this fact, as he was apparently engrossed in the effort to entertain his companion with animated conversation

onless and rigid did he become. For a full minute his gaze

t last, in a scarcely au

, although it was of a rather coarse type. She was evidently a foreigner, with brilliant black eyes, an olive complexion

isitely proportioned figure, as was revealed by

ly forth, and began to address him in rapidly uttered sentenc

tongue, and she knew it was not German. She theref

s, with angry, jealous glances, while she gesticulated wildly wi

lorless as a piece of his own statuary, and a lurid, desperate light burned in his eyes-a gleam, which, if she had been less intent upon ventin

d to her, in her own tongue, and with equal fluency; but in tones that were both stern and authoritati

phasize some command, and, with a look which made her cringe like a whipped cur before him; when, shooting a gl

the first moment of surprise upon being so unceremoniously confronted by the b

s, but feeling very awkward to have to stand there and listen to the altercation that w

livered his authoritative command, the bu

was gone, and Emil Correlli sprang

pon her face, which wore a

; knew that she could not fail to believe that there must be something suspicious and myste

oming his wife, and now this-the worst of all things-had happened, to compromise him in her eyes,

emps to the wondering Edith. He stated that the girl was the daughter of an Italian florist, wh

enewed his protestations of love to Edith, solicited her h

Goddard by that lady's brother, a

inning Edith Allen," and then she proceeded to unfold her plan, which, for boldness, craft

she concluded. "If you can carry that out as you have planned it, i

ou must take yourself off. I will not have you here to run the ris

k express on the B. and A. I have such faith in your genius that I am will

e plan develops," she replied, "and send

lanche for your expenses," said Monsieu

eep in a Pullman berth, and flyin

king her aid in forwarding invitations for a reception, and in planning for what she called "a mid-winter frolic." She also incidentally announced, t

as assisting in a plan which was intende