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Transcriber’s Note.


In this text version of “Signing the Contract”:
  words in italics are marked with _underscores_
  words in small capitals are shown in UPPERCASE.

Variant spelling has been retained, as has inconsistent hyphenation.
Simple typographical errors have been corrected.

The Table of Contents was added by the Transcriber.




CONTENTS.


  CHAPTER                                     PAGE
    I.       A WANDERER                          7
    II.      RESCUED                            19
    III.     ONE FOR LIFE                       28
    IV.      A STRANGE REVELATION               35
    V.       BETROTHED                          45
    VI.      THE SEARCH                         52
    VII.     A WICKED SUGGESTION                58
    VIII.    MRS. ALDEN AN ABETTOR              66
    IX.      WHAT ESPY SAID ABOUT IT            74
    X.       FLOY’S RESOLVE                     77
    XI.      LOVE AND PRIDE                     82
    XII.     “LOST! LOST! LOST!”                87
    XIII.    FLOY’S QUEST                       92
    XIV.     A RIFT IN THE CLOUD                95
    XV.      ALONE                             103
    XVI.     INITIATED                         112
    XVII.    HETTY TO THE RESCUE               120
    XVIII.   A CRUEL BLOW                      128
    XIX.     A GREAT SURPRISE                  138
    XX.      A SUDDEN SUMMONS                  146
    XXI.     GHOSTS OF THE PAST                157
    XXII.    REMORSE                           169
    XXIII.   OLD FRIENDS AND NEW               181
    XXIV.    GILDED MISERY                     192
    XXV.     STITCH, STITCH, STITCH            197
    XXVI.    THE MADAME AT HER SOLICITOR’S     207
    XXVII.   THE LONG-LOST DEED                214
    XXVIII.  MESSRS. TREDICK & SERVER          222
    XXIX.    A THORNY ROSE                     230
    XXX.     <DW29>                             234
    XXXI.    A WONDROUS CHANGE                 241
    XXXII.   ETHEL AT HOME                     248
    XXXIII.  A LETTER, A STORY, AND A PROMISE  255
    XXXIV.   THE MADAME’S CONFESSION           259
    XXXV.    A FLITTING                        272
    XXXVI.   REUNITED                          283
    XXXVII.  LOVE’S POSY                       296
    XXXVIII. “FOUND! FOUND! FOUND!”            307
    XXXIX.   THE MADAME’S QUEST IS ENDED       319
    XL.      THE CUP OVERFLOWS                 326
    XLI.     AFTER THE RAIN, SUNLIGHT; AFTER
               THE STORM, A CALM.              331




  SIGNING THE CONTRACT.

  AND

  WHAT IT COST.

  BY

  MARTHA FINLEY,

  AUTHOR OF THE “ELSIE BOOKS,” “WANTED--A PEDIGREE,”
    “MILDRED KEITH,” ETC., ETC.

  “The web of our life is of a manifold yarn, good and ill together.”

    SHAKESPEARE.

  NEW YORK:

  DODD, MEAD & COMPANY,

  PUBLISHERS.




  COPYRIGHT, 1879,
  BY
  DODD, MEAD & COMPANY.




SIGNING THE CONTRACT.




CHAPTER I.

A WANDERER.

    “Lost! lost! lost!”


The sun had set amid angry clouds; deep shadows already filled the
recesses of the forest through which the iron horse went thundering on
its way, while an icy wind, bringing with it frequent dashes of rain
and sleet, swept through the leafless branches of the trees, tossing
them wildly against a dull leaden sky.

A lady, gazing out into the gathering gloom, started with a sudden
exclamation of surprise and dismay. Her husband leaned hastily past her
to see what had called it forth; then, with a smile at his own folly
in forgetting that at the rate of speed with which they were moving
the object, whatever it might be, was already out of sight, settled
himself back again, bending a look of mild inquiry upon her agitated
countenance.

She shivered, and drawing her shawl more closely about her, put her
lips to his ear, that she might be heard above the noise of the train.

“It was a face, John--a woman’s face upturned to the sky, wan,
distressed, wretched, with great sorrowful eyes. It just gleamed out
upon me for an instant as we swept by, and was gone. Poor thing! poor
