'A LIBERAL REWARD’

New Zealand Tablet, 27 April 1911, Page 789

'A LIBERAL REWARD ’

‘Here it is!’ lone’s voice was shrillwith excitement as she read, ‘LostOn Jefferson street, between Eighteenth and Thirty-second, a locket set with diamonds. Liberal reward if returned to 2020 Spring street.’ „ ‘ That’s nice,’ her mother said, as she poured the coffee. ‘I felt sure it would be in the “Lost and Found Column” this morning. People who lose diamond lockets aren't going to give up without making an effort to find them. ‘And a reward for anything like that ought to bo pretty liberal, too/ declared lone’s brother, Jack. ‘ W ? hat are you going to do with your wealth, lone? W'hew! weren t you lucky, though, to stumble on that on your way from school?’ ‘Wasn't I!’ lone’s face glowed. ‘I could hardly behove my eyes, when I saw it there right at my feet and not a soul in sight. I’d love to have a pretty locket like that, but, of course, I’d rather the owner got it back. And besides, there’s the reward.’

' And a liberal one, too,' Jack reminded her. ' Don't forget that! And don't forget your needy relatives, either.' As soon as breakfast was over, lone started out to find the number indicated in the advertisement. She did not think Spring street quite deserved its name. Instead of suggesting the freshness and charm of the favorite of all seasons, it was dingy and unattractive. And number 2020 was the shabbiest in all the shabby row. As lone read the number, she felt convinced that there must be some mistake. Certainly no one who owned a diamond locket would be likely to live in a house of this kind. , The little old lady who answered her ring seemed as difficult to associate with jewellery as was the shabby house she hyed in. Yet, in, spite of her cheap dress, she was unmistakably a lady, and her greeting showed refinement unobscured by age or poverty. lone came to the point at once. l

‘Did you lose a locket , Oh, the locket said the little old lady, and put her hand against her heart. ‘Come in, my dear; come in.’ lone followed her in silence into the plain little front room with the faded carpet and worn furniture. ‘lt is a heart-shaped _ locket,’ said the old lady, standing before the young girl, her voice vibrating with eagerness, ‘ and there is a monogram in the centre, made of diamonds.’ ‘Yes, that’s the one I found.’ lone produced it from her purse, and the old lady pounced upon it. After a moment she pressed a spring, and beckoned to the girl. * That,’ she said softly, ‘is the precious part.’ * lone advanced and looked down. The face of a little boy smiled up at her from the interior of the locket, wreathed about by a tiny golden-brown curl. .; ‘p. was my only child,’ said the old lady softly. ‘lt is forty years since I cut that curl from his head, dearie. A great many things have gone since then—money and my home, and some of those whom I called my friendsbut ail my troubles together were nothing to the 'loss of him. It’s the only picture I have of him, the one in the locket. You can guess what it meant to me when I came home and round it gone from the little chain where I always wear it* ; She went out of the room, her eyes still on the pictured face in the locket. When she returned her pocketbook was in her hand-such a lean, shabby, pathetic pocketbook ! Ihe very sight of it made lone uncomfortable. ‘ Oh, no !’ she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. ‘ I don’t want anything.’ , • ‘Bui, my dear,’ the old lady remonstrated, ‘I promised a liberal reward and lam glad to pay it I haven’t a great deal of money left, but , I-would spend it all gladly to get my locket back.’ ' J lone looked at the old face, transfigured by jov There was a color in the withered cheeks which had not been there when she entered, a new light in the faded eyes. ; ‘ J .’ ve had my reward , already,’ said the girl gently, * and it was a liberal one.’ ~ - b v