A FRIEND IN NEED.
Julia was very glad indeed to see the brooch again, and glad also to
receive a dismissal, as she longed to tell her sister the good news.
'And now, my dear,' said Mr. Ellis, when they were alone, 'I suppose you
want to learn the particulars respecting the lost and found.'
'Indeed I do, Arthur,' replied his wife; 'it seems a marvellous thing
to me how the brooch should have come into your possession, or indeed
how it was found at all.'
'Well, it all came about without any magic, as you shall hear,' said her
husband. 'You remember the young lady, Miss Vernon, who was staying a
short time in the winter with our friends the Maitlands, and whom we
were invited to meet?'
'Oh yes, I remember her quite well; I thought her so very pretty, and
she sang so delightfully. But what of her?' inquired Mrs. Ellis.
'Well,' replied the gentleman, 'that lady is now a Mrs. Norton; she is
married to a friend of mine--an old friend, I should say, for we went to
school together.'
'Then he must be considerably older than the lady,' said Mrs. Ellis,
'for I think she is not twenty yet.'
'You are right there, my dear,' said her husband; 'I dare say Norton is
twice her age: but he is a fine-looking man--and,' added Mr. Ellis, with
a significant smile, 'he has plenty of money, Ada: you know what a bait
that is for the ladies.'
'No, I don't know any such thing, Arthur,' replied the lady, warmly;
'and I don't like to hear such things said. Men much oftener marry for
money than women do.'
'Well, we will discuss that point some other time, my dear,' said Mr.
Ellis; 'but now for my story:
'As I was walking through the Strand this morning, who should I meet but
the couple we were speaking of. I did not know them at first, but as
they stopped short, and prevented my passing, I soon recognised both
lady and gentleman, though it is many years since I saw the latter.
'After the usual congratulations and shaking of hands had been gone
through, my friend said:
'"Well, I certainly did not expect to meet you here, Ellis, though,
strange to say, you are the very person we came out to call upon; for,
strangely enough, I have in my possession a brooch, which, I feel sure,
must belong to your good wife, as it has her name, Ada Ellis, engraven
on the back. Am I right?" added Norton, taking the brooch from his
pocket, and handing it to me.
'"Yes," I said, "this is certainly my wife's brooch, but how it could
come into your possession is a mystery to me."
'"It need not be so long, if you will just walk into the Temple Gardens
with us. I am going to call on a friend there, and we shall be out of
all this noise and bustle," said Norton.
'As I was not just then under any engagement, I turned back with them,
and heard the story of the lost and found. It is a very simple one, and
I give it in his own words,' said Mr. Ellis.
'"You know Mr. and Mrs. Maitland," began Mr. Norton; "my wife says that
she met you at their house last winter, and as they are very old and
kind friends of hers, and our stay in town will be short, we set off
yesterday morning to call upon them. Unfortunately, the two nice little
girls were out, so we did not see them, though I hope we shall do so
before we leave London. After leaving Mr. Maitland's, we strolled
towards the Regent's Park; and when we had pretty well tired ourselves,
we made towards a pleasant seat under the shade of a magnificent tree. A
party of young ladies were just leaving the spot which we had selected,
but as they were intently looking on the ground, with their backs
towards us, they, I suppose, did not notice our approach; nor could we,
at the distance we were, recognise them.
'"In this pleasant spot we remained for some time, and on rising to go,
my wife saw just at her foot, though it was partially hidden by a tuft
of grass, the valuable brooch which I have just had the pleasure to
restore to you, and which it was our intention to place in your hands at
your own home, had we not thus accidentally met you. Very glad indeed I
am that we should have come upon the track of the young ladies, who
could be none other but the little Maitlands and your fair daughters.
To-morrow, I hope to bring my wife to Camden Terrace, and to introduce
her to your good lady as Mrs. Norton, instead of Laura Vernon."
'Now, my dear,' said Mr. Ellis, 'you have got your brooch, and its
recent history. I strongly advise you to take more care of the one, and
on no account to forget the other.'
'I will try to take your advice, my dear,' said the lady. 'I am so glad,
so very glad, that my brooch is found.'
'And I am so sorry, so very sorry, Ada,' said Mr. Ellis, 'that we have a
daughter so prone to the detestable vices of pride, vanity, and deceit!'
'Oh, don't be too hard upon poor Mabel, dear,' said her mamma; 'she is
very young. You must forgive this childish trick.'
'Trick!' said Mr. Ellis, bitterly--'yes, you have given it a right name,
Ada; but I hate tricks.'