it was a strange experience for this hitherto delicately nurtured girl to go out into the world and work to support herself and her father, who had always so watchfully shielded her from every care; who had scarce allowed her to express a wish before it was gratified, and almost surfeited her with the luxuries of life.
but she met it bravely. she did not once say to herself that it was a hardship—she did not even feel it to be such. the heroic element was strong in her nature, and it showed itself grandly now in this emergency.
the one thing that did seem hard and cruel to her was the fact that her dear father was beyond realizing her good fortune and sympathizing with her in her joy that a future of comparative comfort was assured them, if she should prove herself competent to retain the position which monsieur lamonti had offered her. she did not feel much doubt upon this point, for she was sure that he would be very considerate until she became accustomed to her duties, and she was determined to master every difficulty and acquit herself with satisfaction.
she presented herself in his office a few minutes before nine o'clock the next morning and found him awaiting her. he received her with all the courtesy which characterized his manner toward her the previous day in her own home.
"mademoiselle is prompt; that is well," he smilingly observed, "and now, if you please, we will attend directly to business, for it is urgent."
he pointed to several piles of letters, lying unopened upon a desk, and mollie slipped into the chair before it and prepared to give her undivided attention to his instructions.
he selected several epistles which demanded immediate replies, and, after clearly explaining what her duty would be, left her to do the work. her task was not difficult. monsieur lamonti possessed the faculty of being clear and concise in his directions, and with her natural fluency of diction, her thorough knowledge of both french and german, she found everything moving along very smoothly.
the hours slipped swiftly by, and mollie was greatly surprised when the clock on the desk above her struck one, and monsieur lamonti, glancing up at the sound, observed:
"that will be all for to-day, mademoiselle heatherford, and everything has been most satisfactory. allow me to add that i regard myself as very fortunate in securing such a helper."
"thank you, monsieur," replied mollie gratefully. then she added as she glanced at the numerous missives still unopened upon both desks: "pray let me work another hour; i am not in the least weary."
"but your luncheon, mademoiselle," said the gentleman in a doubtful tone.
"i am not in the least hungry, either," said the fair girl, smiling. "i seldom lunch before half-past one, and i shall not mind waiting thirty minutes longer; while i am sure there is work here which is equally as important as what i have already done."
"mademoiselle is right," returned monsieur, his thoughtful glance following hers, "but this is your first day and you should not be overtaxed."
"do not fear; i have not thought of being tired, and it will give me pleasure to work another hour and continue to do so every day until the ordinary routine of business is attained."
she spoke with so much of sincerity, even eagerness, that monsieur lamonti accepted the offer in the same spirit that it was made. at the end of the hour mollie was politely dismissed, and went home with a light heart and with a feeling of importance that was as delightful as it was novel.
every morning, promptly at nine o'clock, found her at her desk, where for five hours she worked patiently and industriously for a week, when monsieur lamonti informed her that his business had been reduced to its normal condition, and there would be no more extra hours required.
it was a proud moment for the beautiful girl when, as she was about to leave the office, that gentleman handed her a check for the first money she had ever earned in her life. she thanked him with a smile and flush of pleasure; then, as she glanced at it and saw the amount, she started slightly and exclaimed:
"but monsieur! this is too much; you have made a mistake."
"pardon, mademoiselle; there is no mistake," quietly returned her companion. "the check is for twenty-six dollars, is it not?"
"yes, monsieur."
"very good. the agreement was that mademoiselle should work four hours a day for ninety dollars per month; but she has labored one extra hour every day during this week, which calls for extra remuneration, and—as near as can be estimated—the amount which the check represents," mr. lamonti explained.
"but, monsieur, i never thought—i did not intend——" mollie faltered in some confusion.
"very true—i understand," said the gentleman, smiling kindly into the lovely face; "but it is only just compensation, and you will oblige me by making no objection to it. i am also exceedingly obliged for the accommodation and well pleased with your services. we shall go on very nicely for the future."
this was a delightful surprise, and she felt highly elated as she ran about, before going home, to settle some small bills which she had been obliged to contract, and to purchase a few luxuries for the invalid.
as the weeks slipped by she became deeply interested in her work, and had her father been well she would have been perfectly happy, for she felt that she had now a more worthy object in life than that of living for her own amusement and the demands of fashionable society, as heretofore.
she entertained a profound respect for monsieur lamonti, who was invariably courteous and considerate, and never appeared to be ruffled in the slightest degree, no matter how perplexing his business might be.
she gradually learned considerable of his history, as from time to time he referred to his past, and ascertained that his life had been full of romance and sorrow.
he belonged to a noble family of france, but had incurred the lasting displeasure of his relatives by marrying contrary to their wishes and was disinherited in consequence. but he loved his beautiful girl-wife with all the strength of his manhood, and preferred exile and poverty a thousand times with her, to fame and fortune without her.
they had retired to a quiet little village immediately after their marriage, and where, with a little money, together with unlimited energy and perseverance, monsieur lamonti had perfected an invention which ere long brought him large returns in sales and royalties, and at the end of fifteen years he was the possessor of a large fortune.
then his wife was suddenly taken from him, leaving him with a lovely daughter, fourteen years of age, and who now became all-in-all to his almost broken heart.
wishing her to profit by the very best education which his country afforded and her future position would demand, he transferred his residence to paris,where he remained for the ten succeeding years, and where his daughter married a worthy young man, of whom he heartily approved.
her child, the little lucille, was born a year later, and she was only a few months old when her mother's health began to fail and she was ordered to italy for change of scene and climate. she was accompanied by her husband, but the child was left behind with monsieur lamonti and in the care of an efficient nurse.
two months later, both father and mother were drowned during a terrible gale while on a yachting excursion in the mediteranean, and this tragic event and terrible affliction nearly deprived him of his mind for a time and aged him many years in appearance. but from that time all his thought and affection was centered in his granddaughter, who was a bright and promising child, and who, eventually, if she lived, would become sole heiress to his immense fortune.
when she was a year old certain interests connected with his invention demanded monsieur lamonti's presence in america, while, during the last few years, having become somewhat prominent in matters of a political nature, he was elected a sort of charge d'affaires to conduct certain negotiations of a delicate nature in this country, and which would require the exercise of tact, judgment, and diplomacy.
he had accepted the commission, more for the sake of having plenty to occupy his mind and prevent him from dwelling upon his many sorrows, than because he desired public office and emolument, hence his presence in the nation's capital, where he had resided during the last two years.
"thus you will understand, mademoiselle," he had observed to mollie with a heavy sigh, when telling her something of his life, "how utterly desolate i should have been to-day, if you had not so bravely risked your life to save my little lucille. the world would hold nothing for me if i were to lose her—she is the one link that now holds me here—that makes me prize in the least a life that has been full of sorrow. see!" he interposed, touching the silvery locks above his temples. "i am not yet quite fifty years of age, and any one would declare that i am more than sixty."
it was all very sad, mollie thought—there were many sad and incomprehensible things in life that were forcing themselves more and more upon her observation of late, and she could not be reconciled to them. if she could have known how she cheered the sorrow-burdened man with her sweet and sunny presence—how like a ray of bright, warm sunshine she seemed, whenever she appeared in his office, and that her voice was, like lucille's, as inspiring and soothing to him as a strain of sweetest music, she would have been very happy.
he frequently brought the child to the office, to make a little call upon her, and the two soon began to grow very fond of each other. then, too, monsieur lamonti would often call for her in the afternoon to go for a drive with them, and, upon several occasions, he had invited her to be present when he made a small fete for his granddaughter, to assist in entertaining the children, since he had no mistress in his home to manage such festivities, and he had learned that she dearly loved little ones. at such times he exerted himself to make the occasion pleasant for her in other ways—by showing her works of art and numerous curios which he had gathered from various portions of the world by playing various instruments, for he was very talented in music and could play the organ, harp, piano, and violin with more skill than many a professional while he could talk of masters and artists, giving their history and merits, with a fluency which proved him thoroughly posted in such matters. he was also very thoughtful for mr. heatherford, often sending his carriage to take him out for an airing, the coachman and footman being instructed to show him every attention while wines, fruits, and other delicacies for him mysteriously found their way into eliza's domains.
he also had learned much of the girl's past, previous to her misfortunes; he studied her from day to day and learned to reverence the strength of character and purity of purpose which were apparent in her every act, and thus there grew up a strong and abiding friendship between the fair young girl and the courtly frenchman.
one morning mollie started forth, at the usual hour, to go to the office, and for some reason she seemed brighter and happier than common. she was in perfect health, there was an exquisite color in her cheeks, her lips were like holly berries, and her eyes glowed with the hope and vigor that belonged to her young life.
she was clad in a golden-brown broadcloth costume, trimmed with narrow bands of sable fur. it was one of the last dresses she had bought in paris, recently made over by a clever modiste—whom she had discovered near her—and it fitted her exquisitely, showing her finely proportioned figure to good advantage. her hat matched her suit in color and was brightened by the wing of a baltimore oriole. in her well-gloved hands she carried a rich, but modest pocketbook—another relic of the past, and no one would have dreamed, as this stylish and elegantly clad young woman stepped upon the street-car on her way to monsieur lamonti's office, that she was working for her daily bread.
she might have passed for the wife or daughter of some senator or other distinguished official—although it was rather an early hour for the elite to be abroad—and many an admiring eye lingered upon her bright beauty.
in the car her eye was attracted by a gentleman who was standing near her. he was clinging to a strap overhead, and as mollie's glance swept over him and upward, along his arm to the hand above, her heart gave a great startled bound, her cheeks flushed a vivid scarlet, and her eyes darkened until they seemed almost black.
