Ethel Verney

PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS

Charles Rayborne: Imbued with noble ideas; sympathetic, sincere, and greatly beloved by those among whom he lived. In love with Ethel.

George Rayborne: His cousin. In feeble health. Secretly in loye with Lady Maud.

Sir Henry Rayborne: His uncle, proud and imperious.

Ethel Verney, whose physical beauty is equalled only by the beauty of her character. In love with. Charles Rayborne.

Maggie Moore, who turns out to be Ethel’s sister.

Willie Moore: Brother of the two girls living under the blight of having been in prison, though innocent.

Lady Maud Darlington: Clever, and a Society beauty. In love with Rayborne.

Mrs. Dalton: A true- hearted woman who shows Lady Maud her duty.

Mike Denning: The arch-villain of the story.

CHAPTER I

ON a gloomy December day, towards evening, Charles Rayborne was sitting alone in his lodgings in a little street off the Gray’s Inn-road–a part of London that is both dirty and uninviting. He had just come in from a round of visits, during which he had walked many miles, called at many strange places, and, above all, seen many sights amongst the poor people he sought out; sights that made his heart ache and caused him more than one bitter sigh. Outside it was getting foggy, but in his modest, almost humble abode, he had a small fire and a bright lamp that helped somewhat to make the dingy apartment more comfortable, if they could not make it cheerful.

Charles Rayborne was one of those who give up their lives to missionary work amongst the poor of London; and his present surroundings were a strange contrast to those he had been used to before he came to town to take up his duties. Well educated as he had been, brought up in the county by parents who at one time had been in a good position–though at their death he found himself practically penniless–the life he now led was a hard one, and had told upon his health. He missed the country air, the long walks that made one feel invigorated instead of fagged; and, if the truth were known, it is probable that he ate scarcely sufficient to keep up the healthy vitality he owed to his previous life. For he gave many a shilling here and there to help those he visited; and his income was but a slender one at the best.

This afternoon he sat waiting for his simple meal of tea and toast, pondering over a letter spread out before him on the table. His clear-cut face, though careworn, was always pleasant in expression; a trifle more thoughtful than is usually seen in men of his age–he was but twenty-seven–his dark hair falling over his forehead, as he leaned his head on his hand and studied the missive that evidently, both interested and puzzled him.

This is a strange communication, he said to himself, and stranger still that it should happen just now, when–. However, I suppose this is the lady. Lucky I came in when I did.

A knock at the door announced a visitor, and a young lady was ushered in, accompanied by a much older woman–evidently a servant. The younger women was well-dressed in furs, but her attire was quiet and in good taste. She appeared to be about nineteen or twenty, was fair, and her face had a peculiarly refined, sweet look that won the confidence of those who saw her, as inevitably as her undoubted beauty commanded admiration. Her voice was soft and pleasing, her large grey eyes were honest and fearless, yet very kindly, and on occasion tender, in expression. She was one of whom one might safely say at a glance, She is a good, true, and sincere woman.

Rayborne gazed at her for a moment or two in unaffected admiration; she seemed such a contrast to most of those with whom he was thrown into daily contact. Then, suddenly remembering himself, he said:

I suppose I have the pleasure of speaking to Miss Verney?

Yes, she replied. Can you do what I ask?

She had seated herself, and motioned to her companion to do the same; Raymond sat down also, and took up again the letter he had been studying.

Let me understand, he began, The letter of introduction you enclosed is from my old college friend, Henry Dalton, now, as I know, a curate in your town–or village, as I suppose it really is. He says you are seeking some means of joining directly in our rescue work. Well, that is easy enough, of course; unfortunately, there is too much opportunity. But you wish to select some particular subject or person, and she must be a young girl, and a girl without parents or anyone to care for her, you say. I–

It’s this way, Mr. Rayborne, his visitor interrupted. My name is not really Verney. I am only the adopted daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Verney, though they have been truly as kind and fond of me as any parents could possibly be of their own child. They had no children, and adopted me when I was a baby. I do not know who my parents were, or what is my real name, she continued, with a transient flush; but I am not ashamed that anyone should know the truth. And what I think to myself is this. Suppose, Mr. Verney–my dear father, as I call him–had not taken me and brought me up as he has, what might not my position be to- day? I might be struggling in a state of poverty and distress to lead an honest life under fearful difficulties, might even be in a state of privation or suffering–oh, perhaps worse–for the want of a little–perhaps a very little–money from a friendly hand. I have not much at my disposal; but every year at this time Mr. Verney gives me a certain sum to do what I like with. I have never been in London before, but, coming up now to stay with some friends, I thought to myself–can I not, might I not try to do one little bit of good to some poor girl who may now be struggling, as I might have been struggling, but for the kindness of my adopted parents? I have only a few pounds to spend now, but shall have more in a few months’ time. Now, can you advise me how I can make them go as far as possible in doing what I have set my mind upon?

Charles Rayborne gazed at her in no little surprise. Such ideas and talk were altogether new to him, coming from the lips of a young, well-dressed girl; for he knew that, as a rule, young ladies find it only too easy to dispose of spare cash in a dozen frivolous ways without concerning themselves with the possible necessities of their poorer sisters struggling in the great sea of London poverty. But his visitor was so earnest, her face lighted up with such vivacity and intensity, that he could not but perceive that this was a settled resolve with her, and no mere passing whim. To the admiration he had felt at first sight was added now a feeling of deep respect, and he sighed when the thought came to him–Would that there were more in the world like this one amongst those who have the means, then would our task in life be easier!

And, while listening to her, and watching the play of feeling on her face, as she gradually became more and more animated, the idea came to him that he had met her somewhere before, or, at least, had seen a very similar expression upon some face that he could not recall.

When she paused at her last question, he smiled, and said:

It is curious that I happen to know of such a case, and only one. The name of the girl is Maggie and she has no relative but a brother younger than herself. She is, I believe, nearly twenty, and the brother–William–is, I fancy, some two years younger. The mother and father were at one time respectable tradespeople; but the father took to drink, lost his home, then got into prison, and shortly after he came out he died. The mother and the daughter struggled along with the boy somehow till lately, when William got into trouble, and it seemed to break the poor woman’s heart, for she sank and died two or three weeks ago; and Maggie, in a fit of filial devotion, sold her sewing machine to pay for the funeral. It was all she had to sell; but it was a foolish thing to do, because she is now actually starving, being unable to undertake work other than sewing, and that she cannot do now for want of the machine. The mother had been fairly well educated, and she brought these two children up wonderfully well, considering her means. I believe Maggie is very deserving of help; as to her brother–well, I scarcely know what to say. I came across them about two years ago in the course of my work on the Prison Gate Mission, and since then have seen them frequently; and during the last four days I have been thinking and grieving much about the poor girl, and wondering what I could do to help her.

Miss Verney started to her feet.

Let us go to her–at once! she exclaimed.

What!–to-night? Rayborne asked, amazed.

Yes, sir. Why not?

But on such a night, and in this fog! Besides, would you trust yourself with me?

Why not, sir? the young lady asked. I know Mr. Dalton well, and he told me you were a gentleman, and that I might depend on you. Oh, do not waste time, sir! Think, she may be cold, hungry! How do we know what even one hour may mean to her. Mrs. White here, my dear old nurse, will go with me. Let us do what we can as quickly as we can.

You are right, Miss Verney, Rayborne said; I will come with you at once. It is not far away.

And with that he put on his overcoat, forgetting all about his tea, and they started out into the fog.

CHAPTER II

IN a miserable garret, in a street leading out of the Pentonville-road, a young girl sat weeping bitterly, alternately expostulating and pleading between fits of sobbing, with a tall, well-made young fellow, who was pacing up and down the room in angry and rebellious mood.

Of furniture the place had practically none. She was sitting sideways upon a rickety chair, the only one there was, with her face buried in her hands, which were resting upon its back.

Though the night was bitterly cold, and the fog outside so thick that–it seemed to invade the room, there was no fire in the grate, nor scuttle for coal, if even there had been any. For coal-scuttle, fender, fire-irons, table, chairs, and almost everything else had keen seized and carried away that day for rent.

All that had been left were the one broken chair, a low bedstead, a palliasse in the adjoining room, and an old-fashioned wood box or trunk, with iron-bound corners and sides, that stood near the door.

This box had been left by the broker’s man as worthless in itself, and containing only a few papers and odds and ends of no value from a broker’s point of view.

A candle stuck in a bottle on the mantelpiece gave a dim light, which scarcely seemed able to pierce the fog that poured more and more into the room.

Few who looked upon the pinched, haggard face of Maggie Moore, as every now and then she raised it to glance at her brother, would have believed that she was in reality less than twenty years of age. And fewer still, perhaps, would have thought her beautiful; for there seemed little of beauty in the drawn features, the cheekbones that showed so plainly, and the dull, yellow-white complexion. Her hair, too, was unkempt and loosely tied up in dark, frizzled mass; not that she was naturally untidy or uncleanly–but even the tiny looking-glass had been taken away.

Her brother William was also dark and sallow of complexion; but one could see that he had in him the making of a strong, handsome man, were circumstances more favourable. As it was, his lean face and stooping gait gave him a sort of hangdog air that was far from favourably impressing those who saw him for the first time.

For William Moore had been in prison, and the fact had left its inevitable mark upon him. A friend, a former boon companion of his father’s, known as Mike Denning, had procured for him a situation with an acquaintance who kept a small rag-and-bone shop, and the boy had been accused of stealing some money belonging to his employer, and sentenced to three months’ hard labour.

He had strongly protested his innocence, but no one believed him, not even his mother. The shock had been too much for her, and she had died overcome by her sense of the disgrace and disappointment of the hopes she had fostered in her son. His father had been in prison more than once; but that had been only for drunkenness and brawling, and the thought that her son had now turned thief had been more than the sorely tried mother could bear.

I tell you it’s useless talking, useless hoping, Maggie, said the young fellow, gloomily. I have made up my mind. I shall go and see Mike Denning. I have stood out as long as I could–you know that. But I’ve had nothing to eat to-day, nor you either, and scarcely anything yesterday; and we can’t stay here in the cold and die like rats in a hole, when there’s a chance offered to make a bit. Even if it is a bit risky–

Willie, be quiet, I say! said the young girl, starting up. Do not mention me in the matter. Do you think I could touch a mouthful of food gained in such a way? Never! If I am to starve–if it be God’s will–let it be so. If you brought me anything that came in such a way, you might force it into my mouth, but eat it I would not!

‘God’s will’! said the other, mockingly, with bitter emphasis, what’s the use of talking about that? Was it by ‘God’s will’ that I was sent to prison wrongfully–that I am branded a gaolbird, watched by the police, distrusted by everybody? I–I, who never took the money? I’ve told you again and again–and everybody. But where’s the use? No one believes me. I–

O, Willie–Willie! Yes, I believe you. I feel sure–always felt sure–there was some mistake, or–

Mistake–mistake! or–or what?

Ah, rejoined Maggie, wearily, I don’t know, but I sometimes feel what I hardly know how to say in words. I was going to say a ‘mistake’ or ‘a trap’–a trap you fell into. And if so, I believe of Mike Denning’s setting.

Mike Denning’s? exclaimed William, angrily. Why, what are you talking about? Has he not been a friend to me? Was he not our father’s friend? Was he not?

Father’s friend? Oh, never! never! I feel sure of it, Maggie answered. I can’t explain. I have nothing to prove what I think; but I always suspected and distrusted him. O, Willie!–Willie! For our poor mother’s sake, say–promise me–you will not go to that man and take his money. Have patience yet a little while. Mr. Rayborne–

William made a movement of impatience.

Well, you know Mr. Rayborne is kind, she went on, entreatingly. "I know he is trying to