The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-15
Eoening Story
The Golden N1issaI.
BY KATE EDMONDS.


"A magnificent wedding gift flut-
tered Miss Rocket as her wrinkled
white hands grasped the quaint steel
casketsand bore it to her own chintz-
hung sitting room
The English solicitor for the Booth
bys, of Scarrowe, looked very scernfdl
as he went down the stone steps of
the stately mansion where Agatha
Rocket lived with her orphan niece.
Sylvia. = He knew the Rockets were
very rich-so many Americans were
rich-and that Andrew Boothby's
marriage to Sylvia was purely a love
to go to Canada and begin their mar
ried life on Andrews ranch there. He
knew a1r-these things, and he guessed
that Miss Agatha Rocket was q tuft
hunter, and he narveled how she had
ever wheedled Andrews sole remain
ing relative, Sir Angus Boothby. of
Scarrowe, into parting with the fam
lily heirloom, the Golden Missal. 1t
was a wedding gift to Andrew and his
bride, but il they had waited it would
have come to them anyway. But
Agatha had wanted it to flaunt in the
faces of her hundred dear friends. It
was so old, so mysterious, so precious.
Alone in her sitting room Agatha
thought of the triumph before her
all her weary years of climbing the
social ladder were worth the moment
when she could display the Golden
Missa1 among Sylvia's wedding gifts.
1t was such a wonderful thing-it was
concerned with English history.an
old abbot had written dark secrets ON
ivory tablets and inserted the sheets
in the pages of the ancient mass book.
1t had then been bound in thin leaves
of gold and sealed with a great seal,
and no one, knew the contents save the
old abbot. who had been dead for CEN
turtles.
Agatha Rocket fairly quaked as she
turned the rusted little key in the lock
and lifted out the package wrapped in
gold brocade that a king had worn;
the precious relic of a patrician race
was in her hands and she looked guilt
lily around as If she expected Sir Angus
to snatch it from her alien hands. 1t
was a small flat book, bound between
covers of thin, beaten gold The golden
clasp was sealed with a splotch of
red wax, and Agatha blushed as she
visualized Sir Angus's grim satisfac-
ton as he finally sealed it against her
inquisitive eyes. The secrets guarded,
there would still be secrets Rugged
close to the hearts of the Boothbys,
even the rich aunt of Andrews bride
darned not touch.
Dared not?
Her hands shook as she hurriedIy
wrapped the book and thrust it into
the casket, locking it securely. Tempt
alton was very near the proud wo-
man, who had always reached out
and grasped all that she needed-all
she wanted; she had eluded love, for
he came in humble dress in other days,
and now Love eluded her, save that
.of Sylvia-and there would be Sylvia S
children some day. The thought glad
.dened her-thrilled her.
Then the steel casket containing the
was a taste of the bitterness of failure
in the sight of it. How she had
planned about it; the newspa pers
would write articles about it; the pic
Itorial supplements would feature it;
her own picture would be there, and
Sylvia's, probably Andrews, if that
conservative young Briton would con-
sent, which was doubtful. Agatha
wished she could detest publicity as
Sylvia md Andrew did But she
loved it.
Here's auntie," fIuted sylvia's
voice, and she came, bringing Andrew.
He was tall, lean, brown young man,
kissed Miss Rockets cheek.
"Jove!" he exclaimed 'Tf you
haven't got the family skeletoni'
Your uncle sent it to you and Syl-
VIA" she explained lamely. Its the
Golden Missai-of course you know all
about it,
Andrew shook his head. Heard
about it often. saw it once, but never
could get interested-can't, you know.
in something that isn't to be opened
or read" he said practically.
Agatha gasped. Not to be opened
Didn't your uncle-your people,
He laughed carelessly. Never heard
of any one bothering with it. The old
abbot wrote it and then forbade any
one to read what he had written
matter of family honor to leave the
seal unbroken-rather decent of my
uncle to intrust it to usI''
81 wish We could send it back-the
proper place for it is in the vault at
the Towers,-not in our farmhouse"
said Sylvia.
Right" agreed Andy. "Come.
darling, perhaps those detectives win
let US look at the wedding gifts
L They went away, SO absorbed in
their own love. their joy in beng to-
gether, that they forgot Aunt Agatha
sitting there with the heirloom in her
satin lap. How little they cared for
the boarded history, for the money
awaiting then. The golden glory Of
their love was blindingi Agatha hid
the Golfer in her safe and hurried
downstairs after Sylvia and Andy.
They saw her coming, tiny LADY, with
snowy hair and wistful eyes, and open
ing their arms, went on, taking her
between them, shedding some of that
golden glory over her. warming her
until the clink of money. pride of
place vanished and the Golden Missal
was forgotten.
Among the wedding gifts It was con-
spicuous by its absence.
Copyright, 1921, by the Mcclure
NeWSpaDer SyQdicate.0