came to take his card, hefelt as if walking in a dream. The servant led him into a beautifulboudoir, where he sat waiting for Miss King, ho soon came in.
"I am so happy you came," she said as she entered.
Edward murmured something about being very happy himself, as he heldher hand in his. Everything in the room was exceedingly rich andartistic. In one corner a Venus de Milo seemed to be smiling at him,while from another corner a Cupid was apparently ready to shoot athim. It was more luxury than Edward had ever thought of, and thewhole thing was like a dream.
"Where are her father and mother?" he asked himself, and she seemedto guess his thoughts, and said: "I am Chez-moi, not Chez-nous; myfamily lives in Montreal, and I must tell you I am an actress."
"An actress!" he repeated, stupefied.
"Yes, an actress, and my name is not Nellie King; but I will tell youall about this later."
"How can you be an actress and live like this?" asked Edward, in hissimplicity, looking around.
"Oh--I make lots of money--I have been successful," and then she toldhim her life.
Stage-struck, she had left her home three years before, and herparents knew not where she went. Her voice bad won great success forher from the beginning, but when the excitement of the first successhad passed, she found herself lonesome, unhappy, craving for some oneto love, some one who would care for her, and not for her success.She spoke of the men who sent her baskets of flowers and begged to beher slave; these men she despised, she said, "because they care forme only on account of my success--let my voice fail and they willstop sending flowers. It flatters them to be seen with me, because Iam a success; but when I have grown old, and my voice will be gone,what will they care for me then?" and tears came to her eyes when shesaid these last words.
"Why don't you go back to your home in Canada?" asked Edward,feelingly.
"My mother has died since I left, and how I have cried! I have feltthat I was the cause of her death, and I know that my father wouldnever forgive me."
"Poor Nellie," Edward said, holding her hand, tempted to kiss it.
"Oh! Edward, motherless, and without any real true friends, don't youpity me? The only time I am happy is when I look back to the days ofmy childhood; then I smile as one must when dreaming a happy dream inthe quiet of the night."
During all this time Edward had listened with tears in his eyes. Hissympathetic nature had thrown open the doors of his heart and soul;he was enraptured, and it was all he could do not to fall at her feetand tell her of his love. He wanted to live his life with hers; hefelt drawn toward that strange nature, and loved her intensely, as hesat there holding and pressing her hand. There seemed to be anestablished current of a mysterious magnetic fluid that drew hiswhole life to her.
"Have you ever loved any one, Edward?" she asked him, looking him inthe eyes.
For an instant the name of Marie Louise fluttered in his mind, andthen he said: "I don't believe I have until now."
She did not appear to take any notice of his last words, but asatisfied look came over her face. She changed the subject and askedhim if he was going to St. Paul on the morrow.
"I will have to--my friend will not want to wait any longer."
"Let him go alone," she suggested.
"But what will I do here?"
"What will you do in St. Paul?"
"Well, I do not know--but we will likely go into some kind ofbusiness, my friend and I, and then I can come back and see you."
She looked at Edward for an instant, and a queer light came in hereyes, as she said: "You will not go; you can do just as well here asin St. Paul. As to your friend, let him go; or, if he will remainhere, I will help him to find something to do."
Not go! It was a new turn of things, and Edward did not know what tosay.
"Tell me that you are willing to remain in Chicago, Edward, and Iwill arrange the rest with your friend," pleaded Nellie.
"All right," said Edward, "if only you can induce him to stay, I willbe glad."
It was decided that they should both walk to the hotel where Ben waswaiting, and talk the matter over. Nellie went into the next room,and coming back in her street costume, they started at once to meetthe Russian.
Edward was dubious. He feared that his friend would think him crazy,and he felt keenly the injustice of compelling him to remain inChicago on his account, but love was in his heart, and he would havedone anything rather than displease Nellie; in fact, he was no longerhis own master--she held full sway over his mind.
When they arrived at the hotel, the Russian was much surprised to seeEdward with a lady, and he was really embarrassed when Edwardpresented him to Miss King. Nellie sat in front of the Russian, andafter a few moments of conventional talk the main subject was touched.At first the Russian could hardly grasp the idea. Why shouldthey stop in Chicago, when they had taken their tickets for St. Paul?
"You can sell your tickets at a broker's office, at a small loss,"said Nellie, "and the chances of finding employment are just as goodhere as in St. Paul, in fact, better, because I can help you here."
"You can help us? How?" asked the Russian.
"If you tell me what you expected to do in St. Paul, I will answeryour question," said Nellie, while Edward followed the debate betweenthe two without saying a word.
"Well, so far as I am concerned I am willing to do anything honorableand earn good wages," said Benjamin.
"All right; remain here, and I will see that you get an offer of aposition before to-morrow night. Will you stay?" and she looked himstraight in the eyes, until the Russian said "Yes."
Edward walked back to Nellie's home leaving his friend wondering whatin the world was to happen next. In the evening when Edward came backhe hardly dared to look his friend in the face. He felt guilty incompelling Ben to stay in Chicago, and felt that if misfortune was toresult, he would be responsible; but to his surprise his friendseemed perfectly pleased and said that if things did not go well inChicago it would always be time to go further West.
The next day when the two friends were coming out of the dining room,a letter was handed to them addressed:
"Benjamin Oresky, Esq.,1620 Twenty-third Street,City."
Benjamin tore the envelope open and read:
"I am in need of a secretary, and I would like a young man who coulddo my work and study medicine. If you are willing to accept such aposition, and feel inclined to the study of medicine; call at myoffice at eleven o'clock A. M to-day. Yours,Dr. P. J. McNaughton,Professor Chemistry.No. -- -- Street."
"What is it?" asked Edward when he saw Benjamin turn pale.
"My God, Edward, just what I have always been wishing for! A chanceto study medicine is offered me. That Miss King must be an angel."
At the proper time the Russian called on the author of the letter,and was told what would be expected of him. The doctor was aprofessor in a medical college, and he wanted some one to attend tohis correspondence, help prepare his lectures, etc., and would payfor the course of lectures to be attended by his secretary as well aspay him a sum of money every month.
Everything was satisfactory, and all the arrangements were made.During their talk the doctor stated that his friend, Miss King, hadstrongly recommended him, and for that reason he was given thepreference over many other applicants.
That day, when the two friends met the Russian was happier thanEdward had ever seen him. To study medicine had always been hisgreatest ambition, and all at once his wish was to be gratified.
"We will go to the theater to-night," suggested Edward, who producedtwo complimentary admission cards.
"All right, old boy, I'll go anywhere you say," said Ben, in betterspirits than Edward had ever seen him before.
At the theater they were led by the usher to a sumptuous box, wherethey could enjoy a full view of the whole audience, as well as of thestage. As they sat watching gorgeously dressed women pass by,accompanied by men in full dress, they felt somewhat out of place,and it would not have been necessary to be a close observer to
seethat it was their first taste of high life.
The play was a modern one, in which the tragic and the comic sides oflife are brought out, and from the first, the two friends wereentirely taken up with the action on the stage, forgetful ofeverything else. Now they laughed so loud that the people around themwere surprised at them; then during some sad scene, they both wipedtears from their eyes, to the extreme amusement of many.
All at once the music from the orchestra became soft and sweet, as ifbrought from far away, then, a woman whom Edward recognized at once,appeared on the stage, and the whole audience seemed to go wild.Nellie King, the star of the play, and the wonderful singer, was usedto such ovation, and after smiling and gracefully bowing to theaudience, she sang a love-ballad. Her voice, sweet as melody itself,carried to the
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