The Monitor-register., 1896-03-20
A FORFEITED PLEDGE.
E. NJ. HEWITT.

NAooAAAJ OOhlAo buoil DluTIbU
panes, the stout posts shivering as the
gusts dashed furiously against them.
The gasjets lared above the barrows,
where the hawkers were shouting them.
selves hoarse in the futile advertisement
of their stock in trade.
But in a certain dipgy shop hard by, in
a narrow street turning of the thorough
fare, business was as brisk as usual, in
spite of the weather. Wet or fine, all the
year round, Saturday was a night of
much activity with Mr.. Loom. This will
be at once apparent in the light of the
three brass balls suspended above the
dark entry.
1t was half-past ten by st. Mary's Sun
day fnery, which had reposed in Mr..
Looms keeping all the week, had been
"taken out" to be re-pawned on Mon
day, after the fashion of the thriftless
Clients had come and gone, entering from
the wet and windy streets, plunging into
the deep recesses of the boxes,
and presently emerging with their
bundles into the dark once more,
The outer door of the shop was
suddenly but softly pushed ajar. A
woman's figure stood hesitatingly in the
entry.
"We.l, ma'am, what can l do for your"
inquired Mr.. Loom.
Thus encouraged, though the voice was
not a melodious one, the woman advanced
to the counter. Even by the dull light
of a solitary burner, the pawnbroker had
no difficulty whatever in "placing" his
new customer. Genteel poverty, with it's
shrinking pride and sensitive shyness,
was stamped on every line of the slender
figure. Her gloves were shabby, and the
imitation astraohan on her old. fashioned
jacket was worn in places, but no one
would have taken Agatha Verley for any-
thing but a perfect lady.
"How much will you lend me on this,
please?"
At the sharp sound of her voice Mr..
Loom glanced up sharply from under his
bristly white eyebrows. What right, he
should like to know, had this unbidden
guest to steal in upon him out of the
London night to stab him with the
memory of days when he had other
dreams than those which may be asso-
ciated within pawnbroking? And there
was yet another blow from the past in
store for him.
A ring ratified noisily from Agatha's
finger on to the counter. 1t was a
magnificent opal set with brilliants. Mr..
Loom picked it up and held it to the light.
His hand shook SO that the undertones of
flame in the milky jewel leapt under it's
blush surface.
dSWneifssd did you get this-I beg your
pardon, how much didSS Ssnt for it ?"
asked Mr.. Loom, who had put on ETss
magnifying glasses and was pretending
to be examining the ring.
In reality he was looking very
narrowly at his client. She did not seem
to be dishonest, but he would very much
like to know how this had come into her
possession.
81 don't know" faltered Agatha. 81
thought-it's a very valuable ring"
If only this shaggy browed old pawn
broker knew its value!
"Yes, they're good stones" assented
Mr.. Loom, with his most professional air;
"but opaIs don't fetch much nowadays.
People will have it they re u~nlucky."
Agatha's private experience certainly
lent weight to the superstition.
"1'll lend you thirty shilings on il"
said Mr.. Loom.
This was considerably less than Agatha
had hoped for, but she felt that she could
not afford to refuse the temporary relief
which ever this would bring.
"Very WE'LL" she said, "I'n take that
"What name, please" inquired the
p~awnbroker, with pen uplifted as he pro-
ceeded to write out the ticket.
"Jane Smith"
MIR. Loom accepted this fiction at it's
proper worth. No "Jane" and most
assuredly no s'Smith," aver had such @
face and such a voice. But that was no
business of his. "Jane Smith" went
down IN the duplicate.
address ?"
"Nine, Victoria Place, West"
OF course. there was no such street or
the map.
"What will the interest be ?' asked
Agatha, putting the scrap of yellow
%pasteboard into her glove.
"It's all on the ticket"
"Thank you. Good night"
Goodnight" echoed Mr.. Loom, a,
the girl went out into the wind and raj,
once more.
AS she fought her way along in tn,
teeth of the storm, Agatha would hay,
been considerably mystified by the dis
turbance she had left behind her in Mr.
Looms mind. He vas very angry will
her, but still more angry with himself.
The fact was that John Loom, though
now decidedly elderly, with unpicturesouI
eyebrows and a tendency to rheumatism
had neve rtheless not escaped romance j,
his youth. Its controlling figure had beef
a girl with "Jane Smiths, blue eyes ant
brown hair and sweet, shy voice. The,
had shared a youth set, as every you'll
should be, in the heart of an Englisl
village. Those were days when he DO,
had dreamed of bringing his ship of for
tuna into port flying another ensign thar
that of Three Golden Spheres. But thos,
dreams came to nought. London, ia thu
person of Will Verley, bore down D
the Arcadian village one summer, ane
Lily Evans, to her cost, chose the NOR.
brilliant town lover. After her marriage
John Loom had lost all trace of hi,
faithless sweetheart, but he had neyeI
forgotten her, and the sight of hel
daughter-for he had made up his mine
that, with such eyes and hair, Jane
Smith could be no other-had set hii
foolish old heart beating as it had no
done for years. He had always believed
that Mrs. Verley was well.to-do, but JAM
Smith, poorly clad, and in the shadow Of
the Three Brass Balls, told a different tale
Agatha, meanwhile, had reached Vic.
toria Place; for she had Quilted her CON
science by giving at least a partially cor
rect address. Her mother. the deal
mother for whose sake alone she could
have brought herself to part with hel
beloved ring. was a~nxiously awaiting hel
in their w~retchedly furnished room.
HWhat a nirht for nm To ho ont