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THE LOST GOLD PIECE. 19
know, for poor as I am I would not take a fortune for this ring,” and
she held up a solid gold band before his eyes; but it was not her wed-
ding ring.
CHAPTER VII.—Tue Lost Goup Piece.
oi EVERAL months have passed away since the daring attempt of
the escaped convict to rob Mrs. Raymond in her humble home,
and a2 change has come that has brought gloom upon the mother
end her two children. .
It may ‘have been the shock she bad, when threatened by the in-
trader, that caused her to break down and take to her bed ill; but
certain it ia that she was forced to give. up her work, she said for a
day or two, and keep her children home from school.
Little Pearl was a good cook, however, and Will made the fires and
did what little marketing there was, so that theiz mother did not suffer
for want of attention.
Still she fretted, and a fever followed, an3 Will went after a doctor
on his own responsibility, and placed his mother in bis care.
The man of medicine made three visits, and his pay took two-thirds
of the little money the poor woman had, and she determined to get up
and go to work to earn more. .
. But she could’ do but little, and, weak and wretched, she gained
strength very slowly.
Then Will went out to see what he could get to do, and each night
he came in with a few pence, earned by blacking boots, running
errands or selling papers, and this helped to eke out a subsistence for
all three.
Mrs. Raymond did not seem to suffer pain, she had no fever, but her
ailment appeared to be heart trouble, and night after night she lay
awake brooding over her sorrows.
Surprised, as the days passed, that Will seemed to be bringing iu
more money each day, she wondered at it, and questioned him, but he
merely said that he picked it up in odd jobs.
** But, Will, you are looking pale and haggard, and you are working
too hard,’’ seeing that he did look wan and white.
‘No, mother, [’m all right,’? he answered, and so the conversation
ended.
But that night Mrs. Raymond could not sleep, and growing strangely
nervous, she went to wake her son to talk to her for awhile.
To her surprise he was not in his little rear room adjoining the
kitchen, and.the bed had not been slept in.
She awakened Pearl and asked her about her brother. .
“Oh, mamma, don’t scold him, for he is at work,” said Pearl.
anxiously.
“Your brother at work, and at night.” :
“Yes, mamma, for he has a place as night messenger ina telo
graph office; he goes on at ten o’clock and gets offat six,’’ explained
earl.