CHAPTER III.
THE YOUNG LAWYER EXPERIENCES TWO EXTRAORDINARY SURPRISES.
The next morning, in the matron's room of the Thirtieth street station-house, a visitor came to see Edith Allandale. The visitor was Kate O'Brien, who, after announcing the condition of the prisoner's mother, declared her willingness to aid Edith in any way in her power.
Edith intrusted a letter to her for Mr. Royal Bryant, and early Monday morning Kate was at the lawyer's office, and placed the missive in his hands.
The young man instantly recognized the handwriting of his fair copyist, and flushed to his brow at sight of it.
"Ah! she is ill and has sent me word that she cannot come to the office to-day!" he said to himself.
"Sit down, madam," he said to his visitor, and he eagerly tore open the letter and read the following:
"Mr. Bryant:—Dear Sir:—I am sorry to have to tell you that the five-dollar gold-piece which you gave me on Saturday evening was a counterfeit coin. I passed it at a grocery, near which I reside, in payment for necessaries which I purchased, and, half an hour later, was arrested for the crime of passing spurious money. I could not appeal to you at the time, for I did not know your address; but now I beg that you will come to my aid to-morrow morning, when I shall have to appear in court to answer the charge, for I do not know of any one else upon whom to call in my present extremity. Oh, pray come at once, for my mother is very ill and needs me.
"Respectfully yours,
"Edith M. Allandale."