Mona | Page 6

for you, and
relieve you of the disagreeable task."
"How kind you are; how you read my very thoughts; but I do not like to
trouble you," murmured the beautiful woman, with a quiver of her red
lips and a thrilling glance. "And yet," she continued, "I must have
money at once. I was going to my lawyer this morning to beg him to try
and raise something for me in some way, for I must settle my bill here
to-day. I have dismissed my maid and engaged a room at No. 10 ----
street, and am going there this afternoon. Oh! Mr. Cutler, it is very hard
to be obliged to confess my poverty," and she had to abruptly cease her
remarks, in order to preserve her self-control, for she seemed upon the
point of breaking down utterly.
"Mrs. Bently," said the young man, with sudden impulse, "let me
relieve you from all unpleasantness; let me advance you the sum which
Mr. Arnold named; then I can take the crescents to him and he will
make it right with me."
A peculiar smile lingered about his lips as he concluded.
"That is exceedingly kind of you," Mrs. Bently said, gratefully, "but,
truly, Mr. Cutler, I am almost afraid to take you at your word."
"Why?"
"Because I have always regarded the crescents as paste, and--and I
cannot quite divest myself of the idea even now, in spite of your
assurance," she answered, with a clouded brow.
Her companion laughed aloud.
"I will be responsible for their genuineness," he returned. "See!" he
added, drawing a card from his pocket and writing rapidly upon it. "I
will give you this to ease your conscience."
She took it and read:

"I, the undersigned, purchase of Mrs. Bently a pair of crescent
ornaments which she affirms are paste, but which I am content to
accept as genuine, for the sum agreed upon."
The price was carried out in figures, and his full name signed
underneath.
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
"You are determined to befriend me, in spite of my scruples," she
murmured, brokenly.
"I would gladly do a hundred-fold more for you," he replied, with
tender earnestness. "Will you let me have the crescents now?"
"Yes, and thank you more than I can express," she answered, with
drooping lids.
He drew forth a wallet filled with bills, and began to count out the sum
he had named.
"Wait a moment," said Mrs. Bently, the color mounting to her temples;
"I have a handsome case for the ornaments. I will go and get it for
you."
She turned suddenly and vanished from his presence, before he could
tell her he would rather take them in the little box.
"How sensitive the poor child is!" he murmured, with a tender smile;
"she could not even bear to see me count out the money."
Mrs. Bently soon returned with a handsome morocco case in her hands.
"They look better in this," she remarked, as she lifted the lid, and
revealed the crescents lying upon a rich black velvet bed; "and," with a
nervous little laugh, "now that I know they are genuine, I really am
very loath to part with them, in spite of my necessity."
She closed the case with a snap, and passed it to him, and he slipped a

roll of crisp bank-bills into her hand.
"This arrangement will smooth all difficulties, I trust," he said, "and
now," with a slight tremor in his voice, "I have a special favor to ask.
May I come to see you at No. 10 ---- street?"
"Certainly, you may, Mr. Cutler," she replied, lifting a bright, eager
face to him, "and I assure you I shall have a warmer welcome for no
one else. I cannot tell you how grateful I am--"
"Do not speak of that," he interposed. "I am amply repaid for anything I
have done by seeing the look of trouble gone from your face. I must bid
you good morning now, but I shall give myself the pleasure of calling
upon you very soon."
He held out his hand to her, and she laid hers within it. He was
surprised to find it icy cold and trembling, but he attributed it to
emotion caused by the parting with him.
"Then I shall only say au revoir," she responded, smiling.
She looked so lovely that he longed to draw her within his arms and
take a more tender leave of her, but again putting a curb upon himself,
he simply bowed, and left her, when with a quick, elastic step, she
swept up stairs to her own apartments.
Justin Cutler was very busy all the morning, and did not find time to go
to the jeweler's until the afternoon.