Ida May

“ His was a face that women always trusted, and no one had ever had cause to regret it.
"I am going to New York in search of work," faltered the girl, clasping her little hands closely together.
"That is certainly reason enough to weep," he replied earnestly. "May I ask if you have friends there to whom you are going until you can find employment?"
Ida May shook her head, her breast heaved, her white lips quivered, while great tears welled up to the great dark eyes, so like purple velvet pansies drowned in rain.
"I have no friends—no one. I am all alone in the world, sir," she sobbed. ”

“ You must speak the truth, or I will certainly force it from you."
"It would illy become me to speak anything but the truth," responded Ida May. "Royal Ainsley comes here to see some beautiful young girl who lives in this house. But this must not be. He is mine—mine—by every tie that binds man to woman!"
"Surely he is not your—your—husband?" ”

“ How dare you come here, Ida May, you wicked girl! I am amazed that you have the effrontery to face honest people after what you have done! We read all about it in the newspapers—how you ran away from Newport with a gay, dashing fellow who soon after deserted you. ”

“ Ida May drew a long, deep sob.
"How strange the word 'marriage' sounds to me now," she moaned. "When I hear of a young girl's marriage nowadays, I earnestly pray Heaven that her husband may not deceive her!"
"I am sure that there need be nothing to fear in this instance," said Miss Fernly. "My niece sent me her fiancé's picture this morning. He seems to be a noble young fellow. By the way, I will show it to you," she added, still believing that the one thing needful was to divert the girl's mind. ”

“ Little dreaming of what would come of those few idly spoken words, Philip Ravenswood answered, carelessly:
"Her name is Ida May. She's the only living relative of the Mays of Boston, I understand. I do not know the Mays personally, but know them well by reputation. They are fabulously rich, it is generally believed."
"Suppose you introduce me to the Three Graces," said Royal Ainsley, banteringly. ”

“ For long hours after the doctor had left Ida May, she wept so bitterly over the fate of her little child that Miss Fernly grew alarmed.
"Crying will not bring the baby back," she said. "The Almighty knew best whether He wanted it to live or die. You must not rail against the judgment of God!" ”

“ Trust me for that. They think I am the heir of my uncle, wealthy old Royal Ainsley, who died recently, and—curse him!—left all his wealth to my gentlemanly cousin, even making him change his name to that of Eugene Mallard, that the outside world might not confound it with mine. Yes, I will marry beautiful Florence St. John, and live a life of luxury!"
In that moment there rose before his mental vision the sweet sad face of beautiful Ida May, the fair young girl whom he had wronged so cruelly and then deserted so heartlessly. ”

“ If you make any fuss, you will be put on a diet of bread and water."
"But answer me this one question," said Ida May, in terror. "What reason has any one in keeping me here against my will?"
The woman shrugged her shoulders.
"There may be plenty of reasons," she retorted, sharply. "Perhaps you are a wife that some man wants to be rid of. Then, again, perhaps you are no wife—a better reason still for some young man wishing to get you safely out of his path just now. A father or a brother may have brought you here to save the family honor. ”

“ He has hypnotized her so that she is afraid to say that her soul is her own. I heard a great deal more that he said, but I can not tell you now. All I can do is to warn you. Go away from here as quickly as you can. They are enemies of yours, both of them."
The girl's words terrified Ida May. She recalled Frank Garrick's words as he walked along the street beside her.
"Take care! beware, girl! You had better not make an enemy of me! If you do, you will rue the hour! For I can make it very unpleasant for you. Ay, you will be sorry that you were ever born." ”

“ You would lose all this innocent joy.”
“O no! dear mamma, I should not wish to steal,
So I’ll bid these sweet roses adieu!
Now, Rover,” said Ella, “we’re ready to play,
And I will be happy with you.”
IDA MAY.
No little girl
More bright and gay,
Or happier
Than Ida May
As she ran off
To school one day,
And passed the store
Of Mr. Gray,{14}
Where, near the door,
Some ripe plums lay,
And Satan whispered,
Ida May—
Take but one plum,
Then run away;
You’ll not be seen
By Mr. Gray.
Oh, had she thought
One prayer to say,
She’d not have sinned,
Poor Ida May! ”

“ She saw the young girl alight from the car at the corner of a fashionable street, and Royal Ainsley accompanied her. He took her arm and bent lovingly over her. She was some rich man's daughter. Ida May, who followed in their footsteps, was sure of that. ”

“ In all probability he would never run across Ida May again. She believed her child dead.
While these thoughts were flitting through his brain, the little one commenced to cry. Its piteous wails attracted the attention of more than one person in the car.
"Mother," said a buxom young woman sitting opposite, "I am sure that young man is a widower, left with the little child, and he is taking it to his folks. You see he is in deep mourning.
"I'll bet that baby's hungry, mother, and I'll bet, too, that he hasn't a nursing-bottle to feed it from." ”

“ May's gratitude was great when she recovered consciousness.
"'How shall I ever reward you, my good girl?' she cried.
"'I need no reward,' I answered. 'I would have done that for any one!'
"'You must be rewarded,' she declared. 'My husband is coming from Boston to-night, and he will insist upon doing handsomely by you.'
"I was living at home with my poor old mother, and when I went home that evening and told her the story, she wept like a child.
"'You did a noble action, Ida,' she said; adding slowly: 'The Mays are very rich. I should not be surprised if they made you a handsome present. ”

“ A great, sudden thrill that made her soul grow faint and dizzy filled Ida's whole being as her gaze rested on the babe she carried. She thought of that other one, in a nameless grave, sleeping under the daisies. It would have been just about the age of this little one had it lived.
"How happy you must be!" sighed Ida.
"We are not always what we seem," replied the woman, with a sigh. ”

“ If it's a pretty and dashing one, I'll engage you.' An old or a homely girl doesn't stand any show whatever nowadays."
All unconscious of these remarks, Ida May passed on. The attendant threw open another door at the end of a large room, and she found herself in a luxuriously furnished office. A young and exceedingly handsome man sat at a desk writing. ”

“ Ida gazed anxiously, wistfully, into the pink-and-white face. Vivian's sea-blue eyes met her gaze unflinchingly; her red lips, which suggested more of art than nature, wore a mask of the sweetest smiles.
The young bride drew a deep breath of relief. She had been unnecessarily frightened, she told herself. Now that Vivian knew Eugene was married, she had in all probability resigned herself to the inevitable.
"Probably she has another lover by this time, and thinks no more of Eugene," thought Ida. ”

“ More than one girl called Nannie Rogers' attention to this at noon-hour.
"You will have to look to your laurels, Nan," more than one declared, banteringly. "You will find this Ida May a rival, I fear."
"Any girl had better be dead than attempt to be a rival of mine," she answered. ”

“ With trembling hands, this hapless girl, who had taken such a terrible resolve, opened the door of her room, and glided softly down the long corridor and out of the hotel.
Ida May had scarcely gained the street before a carriage drove up, and Eugene Mallard sprung from it. He was surprised at seeing Ida advancing to meet him. She drew back with a cry.
"Are you ready?" he asked; but before she could answer, he went on: "You do not wear your traveling-dress. ”

“ He had caught her by the arm. With a cry of terror the girl wrenched herself free from his grasp and fairly flew down the street, and she did not stop until she reached her boarding-house.
"Why, dear me, Miss May, one would think you were flying from a cyclone!" declared Mrs. Cole, who was just passing through the hall as she came in.
Gasping for breath, and scarcely able to keep from tears, Ida May told her all, believing that the woman would sympathize with her.
[62]
"Why, you are more of a prude than I thought you were," said Mrs. Cole. ”

“ At last Miss Fernly's curiosity got the better of her.
"Will you tell me what you mean by those words, my dear?" she asked, one day. "Perhaps I can help you in some way."
[104]
"No," returned Ida May, wearily. "It would be useless, useless."
Miss Fernly took the little white hand in her own and pressed it gently.
"Do not say that, my dear, and in that tone; it is not right. Heaven is always kind enough to send a friend to those who are in need of help."
"You are right," said the girl, quickly. "In my life I have been used to cruelty and unkindness. ”

“ The deafening click! click! click! of the telegraph instruments drowned every sound.
Some girls never raised their heads, as Ida May, following the attendant, passed down the long aisle. Others, however, glanced at her, at first casually, which deepened instantly into a gaze of curiosity and intense interest, for they had never beheld a creature with such superb beauty. Their hearts beat with envy.
"The manager will be sure to engage her," they whispered. "Her pretty face will be sure to be a passport to favor. ”

“ Although Ida did not realize what was in his heart, yet she felt intuitively that there was a great change in Arthur Hollis since he had been beneath that roof.
Although he lingered with his feet on the edge of a precipice, yet he stood face to face with the truth—he loved at last with all the passionate strength of his heart and nature.
He said to himself that if marriages were made in heaven, she was the one woman intended for him; she was the only woman in this world that he could ever love. ”

“ Royal Ainsley immediately joined Ida in the parlor. He found her ensconced in one of the large velvet easy-chairs, looking out of the window, with something very like fright in her great dark eyes.
"Oh, Royal, are you sure it is quite right?" she sobbed. "Did you want me to marry you so very much?"
"What a silly little girl you are!" he cried, impetuously. "Of course, I want you. I could not live without you. I know you must be very hungry, as well as tired from loss of sleep. Come over to this sofa and sit down, and we will talk over our plans." ”

“ They used to be dead in love with Mr. Mallard, until they found it was useless. They were more sensible, however, than Vivian [144] Deane. They turned their attention elsewhere, and they are still looking for eligible husbands."
Ida May's heart throbbed wildly. Now she knew why her husband's face had flushed as he mentioned the name of Vivian Deane. And this was the young girl whom she was so soon to meet!
Ida felt nervous at the very thought of the ordeal before her. She knew she must be in the drawing-room to welcome his guests. Her husband would expect that of her. ”

“ She was trying to forget her double sorrow, all that she had gone through, and the death of her poor mother that had followed.
CHAPTER XIV.
Ida May had found no difficulty whatever in securing board at the place where Frank Garrick had suggested.
Mrs. Cole, who owned the cottage, told Ida that she was a widow.
"I have a little income that keeps me comfortable," she added; "but to accommodate my friend, Mr. Garrick, I will take you in."
"He is a friend of yours?" exclaimed the girl.
"Yes; I used to be in the telegraph office before I married," she responded. "In fact, my husband and Mr. ”

“ In a falteringly voice Ida stated her errand, and what experience she had had in her little village home. To her great delight and surprise, he answered quickly:
"I think I will be able to make a place for you. It would be a pity to send away such a pretty girl as you are." ”

“ The woman smiled as she saw Eugene Mallard's young wife, and appeared annoyed upon observing that she was about to stop and speak to her. She answered her question readily enough, and pointed out the way, a short cut over the meadows, that would bring her near her home. Still Ida lingered, looking wistfully at the young mother.
"I have often seen you, from my window, rambling by the brook-side. You must be very fond of out-door life," said Ida.
"I do love the sunshine," replied the young woman; "but I do not come out for it only for myself, but for baby's sake also." ”

“ It is so exquisitely dainty! There is something in the pocket of the dress!" exclaimed the maid. "Does madame wish me to see what it is?"
"Yes," said Ida.
The next moment the girl had produced a tiny box. On a bed of violet velvet reposed a band of plain gold. Within were the engraved words: "My wife!"
The poor girl caught her breath with a sob as the maid handed it to her. The color came and went on her face; her eyes grew dim with tears. It was with the greatest difficulty that she succeeded in hiding her emotion from the maid, whose eyes were intently fixed on her. ”

“ Ida answered, despondently. "But that must not deter me. If one did only the work one was fitted for, three-quarters of the world would be idle."
"Would you take a situation as governess if one could be found for you?"
She shook her head dejectedly.
"I have not education enough," she replied. "I did not have much opportunity of going to school when I was a little girl, and I am suffering for it now."
After a moment's pause the matron said, thoughtfully:
"Would you like to try dress-making?"
"That's another thing that I know nothing about," [70] she said. "I was never taught to mend or sew. ”