Despite all her brave efforts to accomplish the work expected of her, the constant and unusual confinement of the workroom quickly told upon Iris; and on the third day of her engagement with Madam Ward she was obliged to quit her work shortly after noontime, unable longer to combat the deathly feeling of sickness that had been gradually creeping upon her since the night of Mrs. Mason’s death.
Emma, who was just returning from the bank—where she had been sent to change a check for her employer—met Maggie at the hall door.
“I have a telegram for you, Maggie; I signed the receipt myself to save you the trouble of coming downstairs,” said Emma, in her gentle, sympathetic voice; and Maggie could only bow her head in acknowledgment of Emma’s kindness, as she took the ominous yellow envelope from the latter’s hand, and seated herself, weak and trembling, on the lower step of the stairs leading to the workroom, to make herself mistress of its contents.
The girl, Emma, with the true instincts of a gentlewoman, passed up the stairs without waiting to see how the contents of the yellow envelope would affect her fellow worker, although her young heart ached for the girl whose sufferings she could read so plainly in the sorrowful eyes and pallid features for a moment uplifted to her gaze.
Maggie was therefore all alone when she opened the telegram, and read the following words:
“To Iris—or Maggie Gordon: If you ever cared for Chester St. John come to him now. He is dying, and calls for you with every breath. He cannot live one hour from the time you receive this telegram; so if you slight this message you will render his last moments unhappy. Should you care to see him alive, call immediately at No. 685B Lexington Avenue.”
Iris read the message over and over again.
All the memory of the bitter words that had passed Chester St. John’s lips when he bade her farewell faded from her brain.
She scarcely looked at the name signed to the telegram—Gerald Dare.
She thought of nothing but that Chester St. John was dying, and that she loved him with all her heart and soul.