TRUE LOVE'S REWARD

A Sequel to _Mona_

by

MRS. GEORGIE SHELDON

Author of _Virgie's Inheritance_, _A True Aristocrat_, _Trixy_, _Lost APearle_, _Helen's Victory_, etc. 

1891

CHAPTER I. 

A NEW DISCOVERY DEEPENS A MYSTERY. 

When Mrs. Montague entered her room, an hour after Mona went up stairs, there was a deep frown upon her brow. 

She found Mona arrayed in a pretty white wrapper, and sitting before theglowing grate reading a new book, while she waited for her. 

"What are you sitting up for, and arrayed in that style?" sheungraciously demanded. 

"I thought you would need help in undressing, and I put on this loosewrapper because it was more comfortable than any other dress, " Monaanswered, as she regarded the lady with some surprise, for she had neverbefore quite so curtly addressed her. 

Mrs. Montague did not pursue the subject, and Mona patiently assisted herin taking off her finery, hanging the rich dress carefully over a form, folding her dainty laces, and arranging her jewels in their cases. 

"Can I do anything more for you?" she asked, when this was done. 

"No. "

"At what time shall I come to you in the morning?" the fair girlinquired, without appearing to heed the uncivil monosyllable. 

"Not before nine o'clock; but you can mend that rip in my traveling suitbefore that, as we shall go back to New York on the eleven o'clockexpress. "

"Very well; good-night, " Mona said, with gentle politeness, as she turnedto leave the room. 

"Stop a moment, Ruth, " Mrs. Montague commanded. 

Mona turned back, flushing slightly at the woman's imperiousness. 

"I have not been at all pleased with your deportment this evening, " thewoman continued, "You have been exceedingly forward for a person in yourposition. "

Mona's color deepened to a vivid scarlet at this unexpected charge. 

"I do not quite understand you--" she began, when her companion turnedangrily upon her, thus arresting her in the midst of her speech. 

"I do not see how you can fail to do so, " was her icy retort. "I referto your acceptance of Mr. Palmer's attentions. One would have supposedthat you regarded yourself as his equal by the way you paraded thedrawing-room with him to-night. "

Mona could hardly repress a smile at this attack, and she wondered whatRay would have thought if he could have heard it. Yet a thrill ofindignation shot through her at this unreasonable abuse. 

"You witnessed my introduction to Mr. Palmer this evening, " she quietlyreplied; "you heard him offer to conduct me to Mr. Wellington, and soknow how I happened to accept his attentions. "

"You should have rejected his offer, " was the quick retort. 

"I could not do so without appearing rude--you yourself know that noyoung lady would have done so under the circumstances. "

"No young _lady_--no, of course not, " interposed Mrs. Montague, withsignificant emphasis; "but you must not forget that your position willnot admit of your doing what might consistently be done by young ladiesin society. You received Mr. Palmer's attentions as a matter ofcourse--as if you considered yourself his equal. "

"I do so consider myself, " Mona returned, with quiet dignity, but with adangerous sparkle in her usually mild eyes. The woman's arrogance wasbecoming unbearable, even to her sweet spirit. 

"Really!" was the sarcastic rejoinder. "Your vanity, Ruth, would beodious if it were not so ridiculous. But you should not allow yourcomplacency, over a merely pretty face, to lead you into such presumptionas you have been guilty of to-night. I blame myself somewhat for what hasoccurred; if I had not accorded you permission to witness the dancing, you would not have been thrown into such temptation; but I did not dreamthat you would force yourself upon the notice of any of Mr. Wellington'sguests. "

"You are accusing me very unjustly, Mrs. Montague, " Mona began, withblazing eyes, but the woman cut her short. 

"I consider myself a competent judge in such matters, " she insolentlyasserted. "At all events, however, you are to receive no more attentionsfrom Mr. Palmer. He--is the son of the gentleman whom I expect to marry, and I have no intention of allowing my seamstress to angle for my futurestep-son. "

"Madame--" began Mona, indignantly. 

"We will not discuss the matter further, " Mrs. Montague interposed, imperiously; "you can go now, but be sure to have my traveling dressready by nine o'clock in the morning. "

Mona went out, and forced herself to shut the door after her withoutmaking the slightest sound, although every nerve in her body was tinglingwith indignation and resentment, to which she longed to give some outwardexpression. 

But for one thing, she would have faced the coarse, rude woman, andproclaimed that she was already the promised wife of Raymond Palmer, andhad a perfect right to receive his attentions whenever and wherever shechose. 

That secret of the desertion of her mother haunted her, however, and shewas bound to curb herself and bear everything for three months longer, while she would diligently apply herself to the task before her. 

She retired immediately, but she could not go to sleep until she hadrelieved her overcharged heart of its bitterness and passion in a burstof weeping. 

The next morning early Ray and his father were on their way to New York, and ten o'clock found them seated in the private court-room, where Mrs. Vanderheck was to answer the charges against her. 

Money will accomplish a great deal, and in this case it had secured theprivilege of a private examination, before a police justice, who woulddecide whether the suspected culprit should be held for the grand jury. 

Immediately upon the arrival of the Palmers, Detective Rider came tothem, accompanied by a gentleman whom he introduced as Justin Cutler, Esq. , of Chicago. 

They all took seats together, and presently a door opened to admit Mrs. Vanderheck, who was attended by her husband and counsel, and who wasrichly attired in a close-fitting black velvet robe, and wore magnificentsolitaires in her ears, besides a cluster of blazing stones at herthroat. 

If she was the adventuress whom the officials were searching for, she wascertainly bringing a bold front to the contest in thus parading her bootybefore their very eyes. 

Her husband was an elderly gentleman, who appeared to be in feeblehealth, but who conducted himself with dignity and self-possession. 

The case was opened by Mr. Cutler's counsel, who told the story of thepurchase of the spurious crescents in Chicago, and affirmed that they hadbeen found upon the person of the party under arrest. 

Mrs. Vanderheck listened with intense interest throughout the recital, while a look of astonishment overspread her face as the narrativeproceeded. 

The crescents were produced and Mr. Cutler brought forth the bogus ones, which he still had in his possession, and the two pairs appeared to beexact counterparts of each other. 

The magistrate examined them with interest and care, after which heplaced them on the desk before him. 

Mrs. Vanderheck's counsel then said that his client would like to relatehow the contested jewels came in her possession. 

Permission being given for her to do so, the lady took the stand andbegan:

"Three years ago the coming month, which, according to the dates justgiven by the prosecuting counsel, was about three months after thegentleman in Chicago was defrauded, I was boarding at the Revere House, in Boston. While there I became acquainted with a lady--a widow whocalled herself Mrs. Bent, and her appearance corresponds with thedescription given of Mrs. Bently. I was very much pleased with her, forshe seemed to be a lady of very amiable character, and we became quiteintimate. She appeared to have abundant means, spent her money veryfreely, and wore several diamonds of great beauty and value--amongthem the crescents which were taken from me last Friday evening. Abouttwo months after becoming acquainted with her, she came to me one dayin great distress and said that the bank, in which she was a largestockholder, had suspended payment, and all her available funds werelocked up in it. She said she had considerable money invested in Westernland, which she might be able to turn into cash later, but until shecould do so she would be absolutely penniless--she had not even enoughready money to defray her hotel bill, which had been presented that day. Then with apparent reluctance and confusion she remarked that she hadoften heard me admire her diamond crescents, and so she had ventured tocome and ask me if I would purchase them and thus relieve her in herpresent extremity, while she offered them at a price which I considereda great bargain. I said I would consult my husband. 

"I have a weakness for diamonds--I confess that I am extravagantly fondof them, " Mrs. Vanderheck here interposed, a slight smile curling herlips, "and my husband has generously gratified my whims in this respect. He approved of the purchase of the crescents, provided some reliablejeweler would warrant that they were all right. I reported this decisionto Mrs. Bent, and we went together to an expert to submit the stones tohis verdict. 

"He pronounced them exceedingly fine, and valued them far above the pricewhich my friend had put upon them, and I told her I would take them. Wereturned to our hotel and went directly to my rooms, where my husbanddrew up a check for a hundred dollars more than the stipulated price, Mrs. Bent giving a receipt for the amount, while she was profuse inher expressions of gratitude for our kindness in relieving her frompecuniary embarrassment. 'I shall go immediately to pay my bill, ' shesaid, looking greatly pleased that she was able to do so, as she handedme the case containing the diamonds, and then she immediately left theroom. Half an hour later she came to me again, her eyes red and swollenfrom weeping, an open telegram in her hand. Her mother was dying, and hadsent for her, and she was going immediately to her. She took anaffectionate leave of me and soon after left the hotel. This, your honor, is how I came to have the crescents and"--taking a folded paper from herelegant purse--"here is the receipt for the money paid for them. "

The lady took her seat after giving this testimony, while the receipt wasexamined by the police justice and Mr. Cutler's counsel. 

"I hope the lady has not been a victim to the same cunning scheme thatserved to defraud the gentleman from Chicago, " he gravely observed. 

"You do not mean to imply that my stones are not genuine!" exclaimed Mrs. Vanderheck, with sudden dismay. 

"I am not able to say, madame, " his honor courteously replied, "but Ishould like to have them examined by an expert and proved. "

Mr. Palmer here stated that he could settle the question if he wereallowed to examine them. 

Both cases were passed to him, and after closely inspecting the crescentsfor a moment or two, he returned them, with the remark:

"The stones are _all_ paste, but a remarkably good imitation. I shouldjudge that they had been submitted to a certain solution or varnish, which has recently been discovered, and is used to simulate thebrilliancy of diamonds, but which, if the stones are dropped in alcohol, will dissolve and vanish. "

"Impossible!" Mrs. Vanderheck protested, with some warmth. "It _cannot_be that I have worn paste ornaments for more than three years, and neverdiscovered the fact. "

"It is not strange that you were deceived, " the gentleman replied, glancing at the glittering gems, "for I think that only an expert coulddetect the fact, they are such a clever imitation of genuine gems. "

"I cannot believe it, " the lady persisted, "for Mrs. Bent was not outof my sight a moment, from the time the expert in Boston pronounced hisverdict, until they were delivered to roe in my room at the hotel. "

"Nevertheless, " Mr. Palmer positively affirmed, "the woman must haveadroitly managed to change the crescents on the way back, substitutingthe bogus for the real ones, for these are certainly paste. "

Mr. Cutler's counsel here stated that his client had an importantstatement to make, whereupon that gentleman related that Mr. Arnold, theChicago expert to whom the real crescents had been submitted, had made aprivate mark upon the setting, with a steel-pointed instrument, and ifsuch a mark could be discovered upon Mrs. Vanderheck's ornaments theywere doubtless real. 

He produced the card which Mr. Arnold had given him, and the crescentswere carefully examined, but no mark of any kind could be found uponthem, and the general conclusion was that they were but a skillfulimitation of genuine diamonds, and that Mrs. Vanderheck had only beenanother victim of the clever adventuress, whose identity was still asmuch of a mystery as ever. 

Mr. Palmer and Ray now began to feel quite uncomfortable regarding thecross which Mr. Rider had also taken in charge. They consulted a fewmoments with Mrs. Vanderheck's counsel, and then the cross was quietlysubmitted to Mr. Palmer's examination. 

He at once said it did not belong to him, although it was very like theone that had been stolen, for he also was in the habit of putting aprivate mark upon his most expensive jewelry; and he further remarkedthat he very much regretted that Mrs. Vanderheck should have beensubjected to so much unpleasantness in connection with the unfoundedsuspicion. 

The case was then dismissed without further discussion, and the ladybehaved in the most generous and amiable manner toward both Mr. Cutlerand Mr. Palmer. 

She said it was not at all strange that she should have been suspected, under the circumstances, and she bore them no ill-will on account of thearrest. She was only annoyed that any publicity had been given to thematter. She even laughingly accused Ray of having suspected her on theevening of Mr. Merrill's reception, and then she explained the cause ofher own strange behavior on that occasion. She had read of the Palmerrobbery and the circumstances of his being kidnapped, and she realized atonce, upon being introduced to him when he had mispronounced her name, that his suspicions had fastened upon her. 

She shook hands cordially with Mr. Cutler, and remarked that, while sheexperienced some vexation and mortification over the discovery that thecrescents were spurious, the imposition had taught her a lesson, andshe should henceforth purchase her diamonds of a reliable dealer in sucharticles. 

"But, " she added, gayly, "I shall never see a diamond crescent after thiswithout asking the owner to allow me to examine it. I believe I shallturn detective myself and try to ferret out the original ones if they arestill in existence. "

She bowed smilingly to the three gentlemen, and passed out of the room, leaning upon the arm of her husband. 

"Well, Ray, " Mr. Palmer remarked, as they wended their way to the store, "we may as well give up our diamonds once for all; I have not theslightest hope that we shall ever see them again. If we ever do findthem, " he added, with an arch glance, "I'll present them to your wifeon her wedding day--that is, if they come to light before that eventoccurs. "

"Then my wife is to have no diamonds unless the stolen ones are found?"Ray responded, in a tone of laughing inquiry. 

"I did not mean to imply that, my boy, " Mr. Palmer responded. "I willpresent your wife with diamonds, and fine ones, too, when I am introducedto her. "

"Then I will give you three months in which to make your selection, " Rayretorted, with animation. 

"Whew! you are hopeful, my son, or else you have had good news of yourlady-love, " the elder gentleman exclaimed, with surprise. "You are a slydog, and I thought you seemed happier than usual, when you came toHazeldean. You must tell me more about it when you have time. But threedays will be time enough for my selections for your wife, and she shallhave the stolen ones also, if they are ever recovered. "

Mr. Rider was the most disappointed one of the whole party, for he hadbeen so sure of his game; while he had been doggedly persistent for overthree years in trying to hunt down the tricky woman, who had imposed uponJustin Cutler, and it was a bitter pill for him to swallow, to discover, just as he believed himself to be on the verge of success, that he wasonly getting deeper into the mire. 

"She is the keenest-witted thief I ever heard of, " he muttered, moodily, when the case was dismissed, "but if I could only get track of some ofthe Palmer diamonds there might be some hope for me even now, for Ifirmly believe that the same woman is at the bottom of all three thefts. "

He would not take anything from Mr. Cutler for what he had done or triedto do, although the gentleman offered to remunerate him handsomely forhis labor. 

"I've earned nothing, for I've accomplished nothing, " he said, dejectedly. "I feel, rather, as if I ought to pay your expenses onfrom the West, for it's been only a wild-goose chase. "

"I had other business, aside from this, which called me to New York, sodon't feel down at the mouth about the trip, " Mr. Cutler kindly replied. "I am going to remain in the city for a few weeks, then I go to Havana tomeet my sister, who has been spending the winter in Cuba for her health. "

The same week Mrs. Vanderheck appeared at a select ball, wearing morediamonds than any one had ever before seen upon her at once; but afterthat one brilliant appearance it was remarked that she was becoming moresubdued in her tastes, for she was never again seen in New York with suchan expensive display of gems. 

CHAPTER II. 

A STORMY INTERVIEW. 

After their return from Hazeldean, Mrs. Montague seemed to forget herspite against Mona. Indeed, she was even kinder than she had ever been. Mona quietly resumed her usual duties, and was so faithful and obligingthat the woman apparently regretted her harshness on the night of theball, and was very considerate in her requirements, and verified whatMary, the waitress, had once said, that she was a kind mistress if shewasn't crossed. 

On the morning after their arrival in New York, Mona wrote a note to Ray, related something of what had occurred, and suggested that it might be aswell not to antagonize Mrs. Montague further by being seen together whileshe remained in her employ. She told him where she would attend churchthe following Sabbath, and asked him to meet her so that they could talkover some plan by which they might see each other from time to timewithout exciting suspicion regarding their relations. 

Mr. Amos Palmer called by appointment upon Mrs. Montague on Wednesdayevening, following the return from Hazeldean, when he formally proposed, and was accepted. 

When, on Thursday morning, the triumphant widow announced the fact to hernephew, he flew into a towering passion, and a bitter quarrel ensued. 

"You have promised me that you would never marry, " he cried, angrily;"you have pledged your word that I should be your sole heir, and I swearthat you shall not give me the go-by in any such shabby fashion. "

"Hush, Louis; you are very unreasonable, " said his aunt. "I believe thatit will be for your interest as well as mine that I marry Mr. Palmer, andbecause I simply change my name, it does not follow that you will not bemy heir. You know that I have no other relative, and I mean that youshall inherit my fortune. If _you_ will marry Kitty McKenzie immediately. I will settle a hundred thousand upon you outright. "

"But I don't like the idea of your marrying at all--I vow I won't standit!" the young man reiterated, and ignoring the subject of his ownmarriage. "I suppose you have reasons for wishing to change your name, "he added, with a sneer, "but you must not forget that I know something ofyour early history and subsequent experiences, and I have you somewhat inmy power. "

"And you are no less in mine, young man, " his companion sternly retorted. "It will not be well for you to make an enemy of me, Louis--it will befar better for you to yield to my plans gracefully, for my mind is fullyset on this marriage. Can't you understand that as the wife of a man inMr. Palmer's position, nothing that has ever been connected with myprevious history will be liable to touch me. Mrs. Richmond Montague, "with a sneering laugh, "will have vanished, or become a myth, and Mrs. Palmer will be unassailable by any enemies of the past. "

"Yes; I can fully understand that, " her nephew thoughtfully replied, "andperhaps--Well, if I withdraw my objections, will you let me off from anysupposed obligations to Kitty McKenzie? Truly, Aunt Marg, " with unusualearnestness, "I don't want to marry the girl, and I do want to marry someone else; give me the hundred thousand and let me choose my own wife, andwe will cry quits. "

"Louis Hamblin, I believe you will drive me crazy!" cried Mrs. Montague, growing crimson with sudden anger, "What new freak has got into your headnow? Who is this some one else whom you wish to marry?"

"That girl up stairs--Ruth Richards, she calls herself, " the young mananswered, flushing, but speaking with something of defiance in his tone. 

"Good gracious, Louis! you cannot mean it!" she exclaimed, aghast. "Itold you I would have no nonsense in that direction. Does she, Ruth, suspect your folly?"

"Only to toss her head and turn the cold shoulder on me. She is in no wayresponsible for my folly, as you call it, except by being so decidedlypretty. You'd better give in, Aunt Marg--it'll be for your interest notto make an enemy of me, " he quoted, in a peculiar tone, "and it will makea man of me, too, for I vow I love the girl to distraction. "

Mrs. Montague uttered a sigh of despair. 

"I was afraid you'd make a fool of yourself over her, and now I shallhave to send the girl away. It is too bad, for she is the only expertseamstress I have had for a year, " she said, tears of vexation actuallyrushing to her eyes. 

"No, you don't, " the young man retorted, flaming up angrily; "don't youdare to send her away, or I swear I will do something desperate. Besides, the girl doesn't care a rap for me, but she is dead gone on young Palmer;and if you drive her away, the next you'll know she will forestall you inthe Palmer mansion. "

Mrs. Montague grew pale at this shaft, and sat for several momentsabsorbed in thought. 

"I thought that he was in love with Walter Dinsmore's _protégée_, MonaMontague, " she at last remarked, with a bitter inflection. 

A peculiar smile flitted over Louis Hamblin's lips at this remark. But hequickly repressed it, and replied:

"So I heard and thought at one time; but he was deeply smitten with Ruththe night of the Hazeldean ball, and never left her side afterrefreshments; they sat in the balcony, half concealed by the draperies, until after one o'clock. "

"You don't mean it!" Mrs. Montague exclaimed, with a start and frown. "Then the girl is more artful than I thought; but, on the whole, I'm notsure but that I should prefer to have Ray Palmer marry Ruth Richardsrather than Mona Montague--it might be better for me in the end. I wonderwhere she is. I am almost sorry--"

She broke off suddenly, but added, after a moment:

"I don't know, Louis--I am somewhat perplexed. If, as you say, Ray Palmeris so deeply smitten with Ruth he must have gotten over his penchant forthe other girl. I will think over your proposition, and tell you myconclusion later. "

An expression of triumph swept over Louis Hamblin's face, but quicklyassuming a grateful look, he remarked:

"Thank you, Aunt Margie--if you'll bring that about I'll be your loyalslave for life. "

Mrs. Montague's lips curled slightly at his extravagant language, but shemade no reply to it. 

Presently, however, she asked:

"When are you going to attend to that matter of business for me? I do notthink it ought to be delayed any longer. "

"Blast it! I am tired of business, " responded her dutiful nephewimpatiently, adding: "I suppose the sooner I go, though, the quicker itwill be over. "

"Yes, I want everything fixed secure before my marriage, for I intendto manage my own private affairs afterward, the same as before, " hiscompanion returned. 

Louis laughed with some amusement. 

"You ought to have been a man, Aunt Marg; your spirit is altogether tooself-reliant and independent for a woman, " he said. 

"I know it; but being a woman, I must try to make the best of thesituation in the future, as I have done all my life, " she returned, with a self-conscious smile. 

"Well, I will look after that matter right away--get your instructionsready and I will be off within an hour or two, " said the young man, ashe rose and went out, while Mrs. Montague proceeded directly to her ownroom. 

CHAPTER III. 

MONA FORESTER. 

While Louis Hamblin and Mrs. Montague were engaged in the discussionmentioned in the preceding chapter, below stairs Mona sat in thesewing-room reading the paper of the previous evening. She was waitingfor Mrs. Montague to come up to give her some directions about a dresswhich she was repairing before she could go on with it. 

She had read the general news and was leisurely scanning theadvertisement columns, as people often do without any special objectin view, when her eye fell upon these lines:

WANTED--INFORMATION REGARDING A PERSON named Mona Forester, or her heirs, if any there be. Knowledge to her or their advantage is in the possessionof CORBIN & RUSSEL, No. --Broadway, N. Y. 

Mona lost all her color as she read this. 

"Can it be possible that there is any connection between this MonaForester and my history?" she murmured thoughtfully; "Mona is a veryuncommon name--it cannot be that my mother's surname was Forester, sinceshe was Uncle Walter's sister. Perhaps this Mona Forester may have beensome relative for whom she was named--possibly an aunt, or even hermother, and thus I may be one of the heirs. But, " she interrupted herselfand smiled, "what a romantic creature I am, to be weaving such a storyout of a mere advertisement! Still, " she added, more thoughtfully, "this woman's heirs cannot be very numerous or it would not be necessaryto advertise for them. "

She carefully cut out the lines from the paper, slipped the clipping intoher pocket-book, then took up her work just as Mrs. Montague entered theroom. 

She gave instructions regarding the alterations she wished made, and thenleft Mona by herself again. All day long Mona's mind kept recurring tothe advertisement she had cut from the paper, while she had aninstinctive feeling that she might be in some way connected with MonaForester, although how she could not comprehend. 

"It would be useless for me to go to Corbin & Russel to make inquiries, for I could give them no reliable information about myself, " she said, while considering the matter. "Oh, why could not Uncle Walter have toldme more? I could not even prove that I am Mona Montague, for I have norecord of my parents' marriage or of my birth. Perhaps, if I could findthat woman--Uncle Walter's wife--she might be able to tell me something;but I do not know where to find her. Possibly Mrs. Montague would knowwhether this Mona Forester is a relative, if I dare ask her; but Ido not--I could not--without betraying myself and perhaps spoil all myother plans. Oh, dear, it is so dreadful to be alone in the world andnot really know who you are!" she concluded, with a sigh. 

About the middle of the next forenoon Mrs. Montague asked her if shewould come with her to look over a trunk of clothing preparatory tobeginning upon spring sewing. 

Mona readily complied with her request, and together they went up to aroom in the third story. There were a number of trunks in the room, andunlocking one of these, Mrs. Montague threw back the lid and began to layout the contents upon the floor. Mona was astonished at the number andrichness of the costumes thus displayed, and thought her income must bealmost unlimited to admit of such extravagance. 

She selected what she thought might do to be remodeled, and then shebegan to refold what was to be replaced in the trunk. 

Among other things taken from it, there was a large, square pasteboardbox, and Mrs. Montague had just lifted it upon her lap to examine itscontents to see if there was anything in it which she would need, whenMary appeared at the door, saying that Mr. Palmer was below and wished tosee her. 

Mrs. Montague arose quickly, and in doing so, the box slipped from herhands to the floor and its contents, composed of laces, ribbons, andgloves, went sliding in all directions. 

"Oh dear! what a mess!" she exclaimed, with a frown of annoyance, "Youwill have to gather them up and rearrange them, Ruth, for I must go down. Just lay the dresses nicely in the trunk, and I will lock it when Ireturn. "

She went out, leaving Mona alone, and the latter began to fold theribbons and laces, laying them in the box in an orderly manner. 

When this was done she turned her attention again to the trunk into whichMrs. Montague had hastily tumbled a few garments. 

"She has disarranged everything, " the girl murmured. "I believe I willrepack everything from the bottom, as the dresses will be full ofwrinkles if left like this. "

She removed every article, and noticing that the cloth in the bottom wasdusty, took it out and shook it. 

As she was about to replace it, she was startled to find herself gazingdown upon a large crayon picture of a beautiful girl. 

A low, startled cry broke from her lips, for the face looking up intohers was so like her own that it almost seemed as if she were gazing ather own reflection in a mirror, only the hair was arranged differentlyfrom the way she wore hers, and the neck was dressed in the style oftwenty years previous. 

"Oh, I am sure that this is a picture of my mother, " she murmured, withbated breath, as, with reverent touch, she lifted it and gazed long andearnestly upon it. 

"If you could but _speak_ and tell me all that sad story--what causedthat man to desert you in the hour of your greatest need!" she continued, with starting tears, for the eyes, so life-like, looking into hers, seemed to be seeking for sympathy and comfort. "Oh, how cruel it all was, and why should those last few weeks of your life have been so shrouded inmystery?"

She fell to musing sadly, with the picture still in her hands, and becameso absorbed in her thoughts that she was almost unconscious of everythingabout her, or that she was neglecting her duties, until she suddenly felta heavy hand upon her shoulders, and Mrs. Montague suddenly inquired:

"Ha! where did you get that picture? Why don't you attend to your work, and not go prying about among my things?" and she searched the girl'sface with a keen glance. 

Mona was quick to think and act, for she felt that now was heropportunity, if ever. 

"I was not prying, " she quietly responded. "I thought I would packeverything nicely from the bottom of the trunk, and as I took out thecloth to shake and smooth it, I found this picture lying beneath it. I was very much startled to find how much it resembles me. Who can shebe, Mrs. Montague?" and Mona lifted a pair of innocently wondering eyesto the frowning face above her. 

For a moment the woman seemed to be trying to read her very soul; thenshe remarked, through her set teeth:

"It is more like you, or you are more like it than I thought. Did younever see a picture like it before?"

"No, never, " Mona replied, so positively that Mrs. Montague could notdoubt the truth of her statement. "Is it the likeness of some relative ofyours?" she asked, determined if possible to sift the matter to thebottom. 

"A _relative? No_, I _hope_ not. The girl's name was Mona Forester, and--I _hated_ her!"

"Mona Forester!" repeated Mona to herself, with a great inward start, though she made no outward sign, while a feeling of bitter disappointmentswept over her heart. 

It could not then have been a picture of her mother, she thought, for hername must have been Mona Dinsmore, unless--strange that she had notthought of it when she read that advertisement in the paper--unless shehad been the half-sister of her Uncle Walter. 

"You hated _her_?" Mona murmured aloud, with her tender, devouring glancefastened upon the beautiful face. 

The tone and emphasis seemed to arouse all the passion of the woman'snature. 

"Yes, with my whole soul!" she fiercely cried, and before Mona was awareof her intention, she had snatched the picture from her hands, and tornit into four pieces. 

"There!" she continued, tossing the fragments upon the floor, "that isthe last of that; I am sure! I don't know why I have kept the miserablething all these years. "

Mona could have cried aloud at this wanton destruction of what she wouldhave regarded as priceless, but she dared make no sign, although she wastrembling in every nerve. 

"Is the lady living?" she ventured to inquire, as she turned away, apparently to fold a dress, but really to conceal the painful quiveringof her lips. 

"No. You can finish packing this trunk, then you may take these dressesto the sewing-room. You may begin ripping this brown one. And you maytake the pieces of that picture down and tell Mary to burn them. I cameup for a wrap; I am going for a drive. "

Mrs. Montague secured her wrap, then swept from the room, walkingfiercely over the torn portrait, looking as if she would have been gladto trample thus upon the living girl whom she had so hated. 

Mona reverently gathered up the fragments, her lips quivering with painand indignation. 

She laid them carefully together, but a bitter sob burst from her at thesight of the great ragged tears across the beautiful face. 

"Oh, mother, mother!" she murmured, "what an insult to you, and I waspowerless to help it. "

She finished her packing, then taking the dresses that were to be madeover, and the torn picture, she went below. 

She could not bear the thought of having that lovely face, marred thoughit was, consigned to the flames, yet she dare not disobey Mrs. Montague'scommand to give it to Mary to be burned. 

She waited until the girl came up stairs, then she called her attentionto the pieces, and told her what was to be done with them. 

She at once exclaimed at the resemblance to Mona. 

"Where could Mrs. Montague have got it?" she cried; "it's enough likeyou, miss, to be your own mother, and a beautiful lady she must havebeen, too. It's a pity to burn the picture, Miss Ruth; wouldn't you liketo keep it?"

"Perhaps Mrs. Montague would prefer that no one should have it; she saidit was to be destroyed, you know, " Mona replied, but with a wistful lookat the mutilated crayon. 

"You shall have it if you want it, and I'll fix it all right with her, "said the girl, in a confidential tone, as she put the pieces back intoMona's hands. She had become very fond of the gentle seamstress, andwould have considered no favor too great to be conferred upon her. 

That same afternoon, when Mona went out for her walk, she took themutilated picture with her. 

She made her way directly to the rooms of a first-class photographer, andasked if the portrait could be copied. 

Yes, she was assured; there would be no difficulty about getting as gooda picture as the original, only it would have to be all hand work. 

Mona said she would give the order if it could be done immediately, and, upon being told she could have the copy in three days, she said she wouldcall for it at the end of that time. 

She did so, and found a perfect reproduction of her mother's face, andupon her return to Mrs. Montague's she gave the pieces of the other toMary, telling her she believed she did not care to keep them--they hadbetter be burned as her mistress had desired. 

This relieved her mind, for she did not wish the girl to practice anydeception for her sake, and she feared that Mrs. Montague might inquireif her orders had been obeyed. 

The following day she took the fresh portrait with her when she went out, and proceeded directly to the office of Corbin & Russel, who hadadvertised for information regarding Mona Forester or her heirs. 

A gentlemanly clerk came forward as she entered, and politely inquiredher business. 

She asked to see a member of the firm, and at the same time produced theslip which she had cut from the paper. 

The clerk's face lighted as he saw it, and his manner at once betrayeddeep interest in the matter. 

"Ah, yes, " he said, affably; "please walk this way. Mr. Corbin is in andwill be glad to see you. "

He led the way to a private office, and, throwing open the door, respectfully remarked to some one within:

"A lady to see you, sir, about the Forester business. " Then turning toMona, he added: "This is Mr. Corbin, miss. "

A gentleman, who was sitting before a desk, at once arose and cameeagerly forward, scanning Mona's face with great earnestness. 

"Have a chair, if you please, Miss ----. Be kind enough to tell me what Ishall call you. "

"My name is Mona Montague, " the young girl replied, a slight flushsuffusing her cheek beneath his keen glance. 

The gentleman started as she spoke it, and regarded her more closely thanbefore. 

"Miss Mona Montague!" he repeated, with a slight emphasis on the lastname; "and you have called to answer the advertisement which recentlyappeared in the papers. What can you tell me about Miss Mona Forester?"

"She was my mother, sir, " Mona replied, as she seated herself in thechair offered her. "At least, " she added, "my mother's name was MonaForester before her marriage. "

"Well, then, young lady, if you can prove that the Mona Forester, forwhom we have advertised, was your mother, there is a snug little sum ofmoney awaiting your disposal, " the gentleman smilingly remarked. 

Mona looked astonished. She had scarcely given a thought to reaping anypersonal advantage, as had been hinted in the advertisement, from thefact of being Mona Forester's child. Her chief desire and hope had beento prove her mother's identity, and to learn something more, if possible, of her personal history. 

She was somewhat excited by the information, but removing the wrapperfrom her picture, she arose and laid it before Mr. Corbin, remarking:

"This is a portrait of Mona Forester, and she was my mother. "

Mr. Corbin took the crayon and studied the beautiful face intently for afew moments; then turning his glance again upon his visitor, he said, ina tone of conviction:

"There can be no doubt that you and the original of this picture areclosely united by ties of consanguinity, for your resemblance to her isvery striking. You spoke in the past tense, however, so I suppose thelady is not living. "

"No, sir; she died at the time of my birth, " Mona answered, sadly. 

"Ah! that was very unfortunate for you, " Mr. Corbin remarked, in a toneof sympathy. "You gave your name as Mona Montague, so, of course, MissForester must have married a gentleman by that name. May I ask--ah--ishe living?"

"No, sir, he is not. "

"Will you kindly give me his whole name?" Mr. Corbin now asked, while hiseyes had a gleam of intense interest within their dark depths. 

"Richmond Montague. "

Again the lawyer started, and a look of astonishment passed over hisfeatures. 

"Where have you lived, Miss Montague, since the death of your parents?"he inquired. 

"Here in New York, with my uncle. "

"Ah! and who was your uncle, if you please?" and the man seemed to awaither reply with almost breathless interest. 

"Mr. Dinsmore--Walter Dinsmore. "

The lawyer sat suddenly erect, and drew in a long breath, while his keeneyes seemed to be trying to read the girl's very soul. 

He did not speak for nearly a minute; then he said, with his usualcomposure:

"So, then, you are the niece of Walter Dinsmore, Esq. , who died recently, and whose property was claimed by a--a wife who had lived separate fromhim for a good many years. "

Mona flushed hotly at this remark. It seemed almost like a stain upon heruncle's fair name to have his domestic affairs spoken of in this way, andshe had been very sore over the revelation that he had had a discardedwife living. 

"Yes, sir, " she briefly responded, but with an air of dignity that causeda gleam of amusement to leap to the lawyer's eyes. 

"Well--it is very queer, " he remarked, musingly, while his eyes traveledback and forth between the picture he held in his hands and the face ofthe beautiful girl before him. 

Mona looked a trifle surprised--she could not understand what was "queer"in the fact that she was Walter Dinsmore's niece. 

"I suppose, " resumed Mr. Corbin, after another season of reflection, during which he looked both grave and perplexed, "that you have the_proofs_ of all that you claim? You can prove that you are the daughterof Mona Forester and--Richmond Montague?"

Again Mona blushed, and hot tears of grief and shame rushed to her eyes, as, all at once, it flashed into her mind that her errand there would bea fruitless one, for she was utterly powerless to prove anything, whilethe peculiar emphasis which Mr. Corbin had almost unconsciously used inspeaking of her father made her very uncomfortable. She had hoped tolearn more than she had to reveal, and that her strong resemblance to hermother's picture would be sufficient to prove the relationship betweenthem; but now she began to fear that it would not. 

"What proofs do I need?" she asked, in a voice that was not quite steady. 

"The marriage certificate of the contracting parties, or some witness ofthe ceremony, besides some reliable person who can identify you as theirchild, " was the business-like response. 

"Then I can prove nothing, " Mona said, in a weary tone, "for I have nocertificate, no letters, not even a scrap of writing penned by either myfather or my mother. "

A peculiar expression swept over Mr. Corbin's face at this statement, andMona caught sight of it. 

"What could it mean?" she asked herself, with a flash of anger that wasquite foreign to her amiable disposition. "Did the man imagine her to bean impostor, or did he suspect that there might have been no legal bondbetween her parents?"

This latter thought made her tingle to her fingertips, and aroused allher proud spirit. 

"I can at least prove that I am Walter Dinsmore's niece, " she added, lifting her head with a haughty air, while her thoughts turned to Mr. Graves, her uncle's lawyer. He at least knew and could testify to thefact. "He took me, " she continued, "three days after mother's death, andI lived with him from that time until he died. "

"Ah! and your mother was Mr. Dinsmore's sister?" questioned Mr. Corbin. 

"Yes. I always supposed, until within a few days, that she was his ownsister, " Mona said, thinking it best to be perfectly open in her dealingswith the lawyer; "that her name was Mona Dinsmore; but only this week Ilearned that it was Mona Forester, so, of course, she must have been ahalf-sister. "

"Well, if you can prove what you have stated it may lead to furtherdevelopments, " said Mr. Corbin, kindly. "Let me examine your proofs, andthen I shall know what to do next. "

A sudden fear smote Mona--a great shock made her heart almost cease itsbeating at the lawyer's request. 

What proofs had she for him to examine? How could she establish theabsolute fact?

It was true that her uncle had authorized a will to be made leaving allhis property to his "beloved niece, " but he had not been able to sign it, and it of course amounted to nothing. Must even this relationship bedenied her in law? Oh, why had he not been more careful in regard to herinterests? It was very hard--it was very humiliating to have her identitythus doubted. 

"Mr. Horace Graves was my uncle's lawyer; he will tell you that I am hisniece, " she faltered, with white lips. 

"My dear young lady, I know Mr. Graves, and that he is a reliable man, "Mr. Corbin observed; "but a hundred people might assert that you were Mr. Dinsmore's niece, and it would not prove anything. Don't you know that tosatisfy the law upon any point there must be indisputable proofforthcoming; there must be some written record--something tangible todemonstrate it, or it amounts to nothing? You may be the niece of Mr. Dinsmore; you may be the daughter of Mr. And Mrs. Richmond Montague; thismay be the portrait of Miss Mona Forester; but the facts would have to beestablished before your claim could be recognized and the propertybequeathed to Miss Forester made over to you. "

"Oh, " cried Mona, in deep distress, "what, then, shall I do? I do notcare so much about the property as I do about learning more about mymother. I will tell you frankly, " she went on, with burning cheeks andquivering lips, "that I know there is some mystery connected with hermarried life; my uncle told me something, but I have reason to believethat he kept back much that I ought to know, " and Mona proceeded torelate all that Mr. Dinsmore had revealed to her on her eighteenthbirthday, while the lawyer listened with evident interest, his faceexpressing great sympathy for his fair young visitor. 

"I am very glad to have you confide in me so freely, " he remarked, whenshe concluded, "and I will deal with equal frankness with you so far as Imay. Our reason for advertising for information regarding Miss MonaForester was this: I received recently a communication from a lawyer inLondon, desiring me to look up a person so named, and stating that acertain Homer Forester--a wool merchant of Australia--had just died inLondon while on his way home to America, and had left in his lawyer'shands a will bequeathing all that he possessed to a niece, Miss MonaForester, or her heirs, if she was not living. The date and place of herbirth were given, but further than that Homer Forester could give noinformation regarding her. "

"Where was she born?" Mona here interposed, eagerly, "Oh, sir, it isstrange and dreadful that I should be so ignorant of my own mother'shistory, is it not?"

"Miss Forester, according to the information given in her uncle's will, was born in Trenton, New Jersey, March 10th, 1843, but that is all that Ican tell you about her, " bestowing a glance of sympathy upon theagitated girl. "You say that she died at the time of your birth. I wishyou could bring me proof of this and that you are her daughter; but ofcourse your mere assertion proves nothing, nor your possession of thispicture, which may or may not be her. Believe me, I should be very gladto surrender this property to you if it rightly belongs to you. "

"Of course I should like to have it, if I am the legal heir, " Mona said, thoughtfully; "but, " with a proud uplifting of her pretty head, "I can dowithout it, for I am able to earn my own living. "

"Is there no one to whom you can appeal? How about Mr. Dinsmore's wife, who succeeded in getting all his property away from you--could she proveanything?" and Mr. Corbin regarded his companion with curious interest ashe asked the question. 

"I do not know--I have never even seen her, " said Mona, thoughtfully;"or, at least, if I have, it must have been when I was too young toremember anything about her; besides, I should not know where to findher. There is only one person in the world, I believe, who really knowsanything about me. "

"And who is that?" interposed Mr. Corbin, eagerly. 

"Mrs. Richmond Montague, my father's second wife. "

Mr. Corbin suddenly arose from his chair, and began to pace the floor, while, if she had been watching him closely, Mona might have seen thathis face was deeply-flushed. 

"Hum! Mrs. Richmond Montague--is--Where is Mrs. Richmond Montague?" hequestioned, somewhat incoherently. 

"Here, in this city. "

"Then why do you not appeal to her?" demanded the lawyer, studying thegirl's face with some perplexity. 

"Because--there are reasons why I do not wish to meet her just atpresent, " Mona said, with some embarrassment, "and I do not know that shewould be able to prove anything. To be frank, " she continued, withincreasing confusion, "the present Mrs. Montague entertained a strongdislike, even hatred, against my mother. Doubtless her animosity extendsto me also, and she would not be likely to prove anything that wouldpersonally benefit me. "

"You have not a very high opinion of Mrs. Richmond Montague, I perceive, "Mr. Corbin remarked, with a curious smile. 

"I have nothing special against her personally, any further than that Iknow she hated my mother, and I do not wish to meet her at present. Why, "with sudden thought, "could not you try to ascertain from her some factsregarding my mother's marriage?"

"I might possibly, " said Mr. Corbin, gravely, "but that would not benefityou; you would be obliged to meet her in order to be identified as MonaForester's child. "

"I had not thought of that, " replied Mona, with a troubled look, "and, "she added, "she could not even identify me to your satisfaction, for shenever saw me to know me as Mona Montague. "

"_As Mona Montague!_" repeated the quick-witted lawyer; "does she knowyou by any other name? Are you not keeping something back which it wouldbe well for me to know?"

"Yes; I will tell you all about it, " Mona said, flushing again, andresolving to disclose everything. She proceeded to relate the singularcircumstances which led to her becoming an inmate of Mrs. Montague'shome, together with the incident of finding her mother's picture in oneof her trunks. 

"Ah! I think this throws a little light upon the matter, " Mr. Corbinsaid, when she concluded. "If you had told me these facts at first weshould have saved time. And you never saw this woman until you met her inher own house?" he asked, in conclusion, and regarding Mona searchingly. 

"No, never; and had it not been for the hope of learning somethingabout my mother's history, I believe I should have gone away againimmediately, " she replied. 

"I should suppose she would have recognized you at once, by yourresemblance to this picture, " remarked her companion. 

"She did notice it, and questioned me quite closely; but I evaded her, and she finally thought that the resemblance was only a coincidence. "

"Well, I must confess that the affair is very much mixed--_very_ muchmixed, " said the lawyer, with peculiar emphasis, "but I believe, now thatI know the whole story, that the truth can be ascertained if rightmeasures are used; _and_, " he continued, impressively, "if we can provethat you are what you assert, the only child of Richmond Montague andMona Forester, you will not only inherit the money left by HomerForester, but, being the child of the first union--provided we can proveit legal--you could also claim the bulk of the property which your fatherleft. Mrs. Montague, if she should suspect our design, would, of course, use all her arts to conceal the truth; but I imagine, by using a littlestrategy, we may get at it. Yes, Miss Montague, if we can only work it upit will be a beautiful case--a _beautiful_ case, " he concluded, withsingular enthusiasm. 

Mona gave utterance to a sigh of relief. She was more hopeful than everthat the mystery, which had so troubled her, would be solved, and shewas very grateful to the kind-hearted lawyer for the deep interest hemanifested in the matter. 

"You are very good, " she said, as she arose to take her leave; "butreally, as I have said before, I am not so anxious to secure property asI am to know more about my parents. Do you suppose, " she questioned, withsome anxiety, "that the enmity between my uncle and my father was sobitter that--that Uncle Walter was in any way responsible for his--myfather's--death?"

"Poor child! have you had that terrible fear to contend against with allyour other troubles?" asked Mr. Corbin, in a tone of compassion. "No, Miss Montague, " he added, with grave positiveness, "I do not believethat Walter Dinsmore--and I knew him well--ever willfully committed awrong against any human being. Now, " he resumed, smiling, to see the lookof trouble fade out of her eyes at his assurance, "I am going to try toferret out the 'mystery' for you. Come to me again in a week, and Ibelieve I shall have something definite to tell you. "

Mona thanked him, after which he shook hands cordially with her, and shereturned to West Forty-ninth street. 

"Well, well!" muttered the lawyer, after his fair client had departed, "so that is Dinsmore's niece, who was to have had his fortune, if hecould have had his way about it! I wonder what Madame Dinsmore would sayif she knew that I had taken her husband's _protégée_ as a client! It isa burning shame that she could not have had his money, if it was hiswish--or at least a share of it. Poor little girl! after living in suchluxury all her life, to have to come down to such a humdrum existence assewing for a living! I will do my best for her--I will at least try tosecure Homer Forester's money to her. It's strange, too, that I shouldhappen to have dealings with the brilliant Mrs. Montague, also. It's avery queer case and there is a deep scheme behind it all! I believe--"

What he might have believed remained unsaid, for the office-boy enteredat that moment and announced another client, and the astute lawyer wasobliged to turn his attention, for the time, in another direction. 

CHAPTER IV. 

MR. CORBIN MAKES A CALL. 

On the evening of the same day that Mona visited the office of Corbin &Russel, attorneys at law, and shortly after Mrs. Montague had finishedher lonely dinner--for her nephew was away on business--there came asharp ring at the door of No. --West Forty-ninth street. 

Mary answered it, and, after ushering the gentleman into thereception-room, went to her mistress to inform her that a callerwas waiting below. 

"Erastus Corbin, " Mrs. Montague read, as she took the neat card from thesalver, and her face lighted with sudden interest. 

"Perhaps he has sold that property for me, " she murmured. "I hope so, forI wish to turn all my real estate into money, if possible, before mymarriage. "

She made some slight change in her costume, for she never allowed herselfto go into the presence of gentlemen without looking her best, and thenhastened below. 

She greeted the lawyer with great cordiality, and remarked, smilingly:

"I hope you have good news for me. Is that property sold yet?"

"I cannot say that it is sold, madame, " Mr. Corbin returned; "but I havehad an offer for it, which, if you see fit to accept, will settle thematter very shortly. "

"Tell me about it, " said the lady, eagerly. 

Mr. Corbin made a statement from a memorandum which he drew from hispocket, upon the conclusion of which Mrs. Montague authorized him to sellimmediately, saying that she wished to dispose of all her real estate, even if she had to sacrifice something in doing so, remarking that a bankaccount was far less trouble than such property; and, having discussedand decided some other points, the lawyer arose as if to take his leave. 

"Pray do not hasten, " Mrs. Montague smilingly remarked. 

She happened to have no engagement for the evening, and, being alone, wasglad of even the companionship of a prosy attorney. 

"Thank you, " Mr. Corbin politely returned; "but I have other matters onhand which ought to be attended to. "

"Surely you do not work evenings as well as during the day?" Mrs. Montague observed, with some surprise. 

"Not always; but just now I seem to have some very knotty cases onhand--one, in particular, seems to baffle all my skill with its mystery. Indeed, it bids fair to develop quite a romance. "

"Indeed! you pique my curiosity, and we women are dear lovers of romancein real life, you know, " said the charming widow, with an arch smile. "Would it be betraying confidence to tell me a little about it?" sheadded, persuasively. 

"Oh no; the matter is no secret, that I know of, and really you are socozy here, " with an appreciative glance about the attractive room as heresumed his seat, "I am tempted to stay and chat a while. I recentlyreceived a communication from an English lawyer who desired to turn acase over to me, as it related to American parties, and he had no time tocome here to look them up. A man who was on his way home from Australia, was taken ill in London and died there; but before his death he made hiswill, leaving all his property to a niece, although he did not knowwhether she was living or not. All the information he could giveregarding her was her name, with the date and place of her birth. In caseshe should not be living, her heirs are to inherit the money. I have madeevery effort to find her--have been to the place where she was born--butcan get no trace of her--no one remembered such a person, and I couldnot even learn whether she had ever married. I am afraid that the casewill prove to be a very complicated and vexatious one. "

"I should think so, " responded Mrs. Montague, who appeared to be deeplyinterested in the story. "What was the girl's name?"

"Mona Forester. "

"Mona Forester!" repeated the woman, in a startled tone, and growing aswhite as her handkerchief. "I didn't know she had a relative in theworld, except--"

She abruptly paused, for she had been thrown entirely off her guard, andhad committed herself, just as the wily lawyer intended and suspected. 

A flash of triumph gleamed in his eyes for an instant at the success ofhis ruse. 

"Ah! did you ever know of such a person?" he demanded, eagerly, and withwell-feigned surprise. 

"I--I knew of--a girl by that name before I was married, " Mrs. Montaguereluctantly admitted, and beginning to recover her composure. 

"Where did she reside?"

"She was born in Trenton, New Jersey, I believe, " was the evasive reply. 

"Yes, my papers so state--and she must be the same person, " said Mr. Corbin, in a tone of conviction. "But that is very meager information. Was Trenton your home also?"

"No, I lived in New York until my marriage. "

"Was Miss Forester ever married?"

"Yes. "

"Ah! how fortunate that I happened to mention this circumstance to youthis evening!" exclaimed the lawyer, with great apparent satisfaction, but ignoring the evident reluctance of his companion to give himinformation. "Perhaps you can give more particulars. Whom did the ladymarry?"

"Don't ask me anything about her, Mr. Corbin, " Mrs. Montague cried, excitedly, and with an angry gesture. "The girl ruined my life--she lovedthe man I loved and--I hated her accordingly. "

"But surely you can have no objection to telling me what you know of herhistory, " returned Mr. Corbin, with assumed surprise. "I have this caseto settle, and I simply wish to find the woman or her heirs, in order todo my duty and carry out the instructions of the will. It would assist megreatly if you could tell me where I might find her, " he concluded, in anappealing tone. 

"She is dead--she died more than eighteen years ago. "

"Ah! where did she die?"

"Abroad--in London. "

"Did she leave any heirs?"

"She died in giving birth to her only child. "

"Did the child live?"

"I--believe so. "

"Was it a son or a daughter?"

"The latter. "

"What became of her--where is she now?"

"I do not know--I do not care!" were the vicious words which burst fromthe woman's white lips, and Mr. Corbin saw that she was greatly excited, while everything that she had said thus far went to corroborate thestatements Mona had made to him regarding her mother. 

"But, my dear madame, " Mr. Corbin said, soothingly, "while I do not liketo trouble you, or recall painful memories, cannot you see that it is myduty to sift this matter and avail myself of whatever information I canget? If Miss Forester was married and had a child, that child, if living, is Homer Forester's heir, and I must find her. Now, if you know anythingabout these people that will assist me in my search, it becomes your dutyto reveal it to me. "

"I cannot; I do not know of anything that will assist you, " sullenlyreturned Mrs. Montague, who was mentally reproaching herself in the mostbitter manner for having allowed herself to be taken so unawares and tobetray so much. 

"Whom did the lady marry?" persisted Mr. Corbin. 

"I will not tell you!" passionately exclaimed his companion. "Oh, whyhave I told you anything? Why did I acknowledge that I even knew MonaForester? I should not have done so, but you surprised the truth from me, and I will tell you nothing more. I hated the girl, and though I havenever seen her, I hate the child on her account, and I would not lifteven a finger to help her in any way. "

"Are you not unreasonably vindictive, Mrs. Montague?" mildly asked Mr. Corbin. 

"Unreasonable or not, I mean what I say, and Homer Forester's money maybe scattered to the four winds of heaven for any effort that I will makefor Mona Forester's child, " was the dogged response. 

"Do you not see that I must learn the truth?" the lawyer asked, with somesternness, "and though I am averse to using threats to a lady, if youwill not tell me voluntarily I shall be obliged to use means to compelyou to reveal what you know. "

"Compel me!" repeated Mrs. Montague, confronting him with haughty mien. "You cannot do that. "

"But I can, Mrs. Montague, " Mr. Corbin positively asserted. "Since youhave acknowledged so much, and it is evident that you could reveal more, you can be compelled, by law, to do so under oath. "

"You would not dare to adopt such stringent measures with me, after allthe business that I have thrown into your hands, " the woman said, sharply, but growing white about the mouth. 

"My duty is just as obligatory to one client as to another. I am under asmuch obligation to carry out the conditions of Homer Forester's will as Iam to be faithful to your interests, " the lawyer replied, with inflexibleintegrity. 

"Then you will no longer be faithful to me--you will transact nomore business for _me_, " Mrs. Montague asserted, with angry brow andcompressed lips. 

"Very well, if that is your decision I must submit to it, " was theimperturbable response. "And now, madame, I ask you, once for all, totell me the name of the man whom Mona Forester married?"

"I will not. "

"Then let _me_ tell _you_ what conclusion I have drawn from what I havelearned during this interview, " said Mr. Corbin, as he leaned forward andlooked straight into the woman's flashing eyes. "You have said you hatedher because she ruined your life--because she loved the man you loved. You have refused to tell me the name of that man. You can have but onereason in thus withholding this information--that motive is fear;therefore, I infer that Mona Forester was the _first wife of yourhusband--her child was your husband's daughter_. "

"Prove it, then!" cried his companion, with a scornful, though nervous, laugh. "Find the marriage certificate--find the witnesses who saw themmarried, the clergyman who performed the ceremony, the church registerwhere their names are recorded, if you can. "

"I believe they will be found in good time, " confidently asserted Mr. Corbin, as he arose the second time to leave; "and, madame, if suchproofs are found do you comprehend what the result will be? Not onlywill Mona Forester's child inherit the fortune left by Homer Forester, but also the bulk of your deceased husband's property. "

"Never! for no one in this world can prove that Mona Forester was everlegally married, and--I defy you to do your worst, " hoarsely cried Mrs. Montague, with lips that were almost livid, while she trembled visiblywith mingled excitement, fear, and anger. 

But the gentleman had no desire to discuss the matter further. He simplybade her a courteous good-evening, and then quietly left the house. 

"It is the strangest affair that I ever had anything to do with, " hemuttered, as he walked briskly down the street. "The girl's story must betrue, for it tallies exactly with the woman's admissions this evening. There must be proof somewhere, too. Can it be possible, " he went on, witha start, "that they are in Mrs. Montague's hands? If so, she is liable todestroy them, and thus plunge my pretty little client into endlesstrouble. It is strange that her uncle, Dinsmore, could not have been moresensible and left some definite information regarding the child. But I amgoing to do my best for her, and though I never had quite so mysterious acase before, I believe the very obscurity which invests it only addsinterest to it. "

Mrs. Montague was in a terrible passion after her lawyer had left. Shesprang to her feet and paced the floor from end to end, with angry steps, her face almost convulsed with malice and hatred. 

"Can it be possible that I am going to have that battle to fight overagain, after all these years?" she muttered; "that the child is going torise up to avenge the wrongs of her mother? What if she does? Why need Ifear her? I have held my own so far, and I will make a tough fight to doso in the future. Possession is said to be nine points in law and I shallhold on to my money like grim death. I never could--I never will give upthese luxuries, " she cried, sweeping a covetous glance around theexquisitely furnished room. "I plotted for them--I sold my soul for themand him, now they are mine--mine, and no one shall take them from me!Mona Forester, how I hated you!--how I hate your daughter, even thoughI have never seen her!--how I almost hate that girl up stairs for herstrange resemblance to you. I would have sent her out of the house longago for it, if she had not been so good and faithful a seamstress, andneedful to me in many ways. She, herself, saw the resemblance to thatpicture--By the way, " she interposed, with a start, "I wonder if sheobeyed me about that crayon the other day! If she didn't--if she kept itI shall be tempted to believe--I'll find out, anyhow. "

With a somewhat anxious look on her face, the woman hurried up stairs toher room. 

Upon reaching it she rang an imperative peal upon her bell. 

Mary presently made her appearance, and one quick glance told her thatsomething had gone wrong with her mistress. 

"Bring me a pitcher of ice-water, " curtly commanded Mrs. Montague. "And, Mary--"

"Yes, marm. "

"Did Miss Richards give you a torn picture the other day?"

"Yes, marm, " answered the girl, flushing, "she said you wanted itburned. "

"Did you burn it?"

"N-o, marm, somehow I couldn't make up my mind to put it in the fire; itwas such a pretty face, and so like Miss Richards, and I've been wantinga picture of her ever since she came here, only I thought maybe she'dresent it if I asked her for one; and so I pasted it together as well asI could, and tacked it up in my room, " the girl explained, volubly, andconcluded by meekly adding: "I hope there was no harm in it, marm. "

"You may bring it to me, " was all the reply that Mrs. Montague vouchsafedher attendant; and Mary, looking rather crestfallen, withdrew to obey thecommand. 

"It is a shame to burn it, " she muttered, as she took down the defacedpicture, and slowly returned down stairs; "but I'm glad Miss Ruth gave itto me before she asked for it. "

Mrs. Montague sprang up the moment the girl entered the room, andsnatching the portrait from her hands, dashed it upon the bed of glowingcoals in the grate. 

"When I give an order I want it obeyed, " she said, imperiously. "Now goand bring me the water. "

Mary withdrew again, wondering what could have happened to make hermistress so out of sorts, and finally came to the conclusion that thelawyer must have brought her bad news. 

"There! that is the last of that!" Mrs. Montague said, as she watched theflames curl about the beautiful face in the grate. "I'm glad the girldidn't keep the picture herself; I believe that all my previoussuspicions would have been aroused if she had. It _can't_ be that _she_is Mona's child, for she has always been so indifferent when I havequestioned her. Possibly she may be a descendant of some other branch ofthe family, and does not know it. My only regret is that I did not try tosee that other girl before Walter Dinsmore died; then I should have beensure. I wonder where she can be? And to think that Mona Forester shouldhave had an uncle to turn up just at this time! I didn't suppose she hada relative in the world besides the child. "

Her musings were cut short at this point by the return of Mary with thewater. She poured out a glassful for her mistress, and then was told thatshe might go. 

The lady set down the glass without even tasting its contents; thenrising, went to the door and locked it, after which she walked to a smalltable which stood in a bay-window, and removed the marble top, carefullylaying it upon the floor. 

This act revealed instead of the usual skeleton stand where a marble topis used a polished table of solid cherry, with what appeared to be a lidin the top, and in which there was a small brass-bound key-hole. 

Drawing a bunch of keys from her pocket, Mrs. Montague selected a tinyone from among the others, inserted it in the lock, and the next momentthe lid in the table was lifted, thus revealing a secret compartmentunderneath. 

This was filled with various things--paper boxes, packages of variousforms and sizes, together with some documents and letters. 

Drawing a chair before the table, the woman sat down and began to examinethe letters. 

There was an intensely bitter expression on her face--a frown on herbrow, a sneer on her lips--which so disfigured it that scarcely any onewould have recognized her as the brilliant and beautiful woman of theworld who so charmed every one in society. 

There were perhaps a dozen letters in the package which she took out ofthe table, and these, as she untied the ribbon that bound them together, and slipped them through her fingers, were all addressed in a delicateand beautiful style of penmanship. 

She snatched one from the others, and passionately tore it across, envelope and all. Then she suddenly dropped them on her lap, a shiverrunning over her, her cheek paling with some inward emotion. 

"Ugh! they give me a ghostly feeling! My flesh creeps! I feel almost asif Mona Forester herself were standing beside me, and had laid her deadhand upon me. I cannot look them over--I will tie them up again and burnthem all at once, " she muttered, in a hoarse tone. 

She gathered them up, and hastily wound the ribbon about them, layingthem upon the table beside her, then proceeded with her examination ofthe other contents of the secret compartment. 

CHAPTER V. 

MONA DECLINES A PROPOSAL. 

Mrs. Montague next took a square pasteboard box from the secretcompartment in the table, and opened it. 

On a bed of pure white cotton there lay some exquisite jewelry. A pearland diamond cross, a pair of unusually large whole pearls for the ears, and two narrow but costly bands for the wrists, set with the sameprecious gems. 

"Pearls!" sneered the woman, giving the box, with its contents, an angryshake. "He used to call her his 'pearl, ' and so, forsooth, he had torepresent his estimate of her in some tangible form. There is nothingof the pearl-like nature about me, " she continued, with a short, bitterlaugh. "I am more like the cold, glittering diamond, and give me purecrystallized carbon every time in preference to any other gem. He wasn'tniggardly with her on that score, either, " she concluded, lifting theupper layer of cotton, and revealing several diamond ornaments beneath. 

"She was a proud little thing, though, " she mused, after gazing upon themin silence for a moment, "to go off and leave all these trinkets behindher. I'd have taken them with me and made the most of them. They haven'tdone me much good, however, since they came into my possession. I nevercould wear them without feeling as I did just now about the letters. Imight have sold them, I suppose, and I don't know why I haven't done so, unless it is because they are all marked. "

She covered them and threw the box from her with a passionate gesture, and then searched for a moment in silence among the remaining contents ofthe table. 

She finally found what she wanted, apparently, for a look of triumphswept over her face. 

It was a folded document, evidently of parchment. 

"Ha, ha! prove your shrewd inferences, my keen-witted lawyer, if youcan, " she muttered, exultantly, as she unfolded it, and ran her eyes overit. "Mona Forester's child the heir to the bulk of my husband's property, indeed! Perhaps, but she will have to prove it before she can get it. Howfortunate that I helped myself to these precious keepsakes when he wasoff his guard; even he did not dream that I had this, " and she shook theparchment until it rattled noisily through the room; then refolding it, she put it carelessly aside, and turned once more to what remained to beexamined. 

"Here is that exquisite point-lace fan, " she said, lifting a long, narrowbox, and removing the lid. "I never had a point-lace fan until I boughtit for myself; and here is that picture; I never had his likeness paintedon ivory and set in a frame of rubies! Ha! Miss Mona, you were a favoredwench, but your triumph was of short duration. "

It is impossible to convey any idea of the bitterness of the woman'stone, or the vindictiveness of her look, as she took from a velvet casethe picture of a handsome young man, of perhaps twenty-five years, painted on ivory, and encircled with a costly frame of gold set withrubies. 

"You loved her, " she cried, fiercely, as she gazed with all her soul inher eyes upon that attractive face, while her whole frame shook withemotion. "Nothing was too costly or elegant for your petted darling; herslightest wish was your law, while for me you had scarcely a word or alook of affection; you were like ice upon which not even the lava-tide ofmy idolatry could make the slightest impression. Is it any wonder that Ihated her for having absorbed all that I craved? Is it strange that Iexulted when they drove her from her apartments in Paris, believing herto be a thing too vile to be tolerated by respectable people. Well, shehad his love, but I had him--I vowed that I would win, and--I did. "

But, evidently, the memory of her triumph was not a very comforting one, for she suddenly dropped her face upon the hands that still clasped thepicture, and burst into a torrent of tears, while deep sobs shook herframe, and she seemed utterly overwhelmed by the tempest of her grief. 

Surely in this woman's nature there were depths which no one, whohad seen her the center of attraction in the thronged and brilliantdrawing-rooms in high-life, would have believed possible to her. 

Suddenly, in the midst of this unusual outburst, there came a knock uponthe door. 

The sound seemed to give her a terrible start in her nervous state. 

She half sprang from her chair, a look of guilt and fear sweeping overher flushed and tear-stained face, the table before her gave a suddenlurch, and before she could put out her hand to save it, it went overand fell to the floor with a crash, spilling its contents, and snappingthe lid to the secret compartment short off at its hinges. 

"What is it?--who is there?" Mrs. Montague demanded, as she went towardthe door, while she tried to control her trembling voice to speaknaturally. 

"What has happened?--I thought I heard a fall, " came the response in theanxious tones of Mona's voice. 

"Nothing very serious has happened, " returned Mrs. Montague, frowning, for the girl, who so closely resembled the rival she hated, coming to herjust at that moment, irritated her exceedingly. "I simply upset somethingjust as you knocked. What do you want?"

"I only came to ask if I should finish your tea-gown in the morning, ordo the mending, as usual;" Mona replied. 

"Finish the tea-gown. I shall need it for the afternoon. "

"Very well; I am sorry if I disturbed you, Mrs. Montague. Good-night, "and Mona turned away from the door wondering what could have causedsuch a clatter within the woman's room. 

Mrs. Montague went back to the bay-window, righted the table, rearrangedits contents, and fitted the broken lid over them with hands that stilltrembled with her recent excitement. 

"What a pity that the lid is broken, " she muttered, impatiently, "for nowit will do no good to lock it. I cannot help it, however, and perhaps noone will suspect that there is a secret compartment beneath the slab. "

She carefully replaced the heavy marble, moved the table to its usualposition, and then, worn out with the conflict she had experienced, retired for the night. 

But she did not sleep well; she was nervous, and tossed uneasily uponher bed until far into the small hours of the morning, when she finallydropped into a fitful slumber. 

She was aroused from this about eight o'clock the following day by Mary, who came as usual to bring her a cup of coffee, which she always drankbefore rising. There also lay upon the tray a yellow official-lookingenvelope. 

"What is this?" Mrs. Montague demanded, as she seized it and regarded itwith some anxiety. 

"A telegram, marm. A messenger brought it just as I was coming upstairs, " the girl replied. 

Her mistress tore it open and devoured its contents with one sweepingglance. 

Instantly her face flushed a deep crimson, and she crushed the messagehastily within her hand, while she began to drink her coffee, but seemedto become deeply absorbed in her own thoughts while doing so. 

A few moments later she arose and dressed herself rapidly, but all thetime appeared preoccupied and troubled about something. 

"I believe I shall let Louis marry her if he wants to. I could settle thehundred thousand on him, and stipulate that they go West, or somewhereout of the State, to live. I believe I'll do it, " she murmured once, while thus engaged, "that is, if--"

She did not finish the sentence, but, with a resolute step and air, wentdown to her breakfast. 

She had no appetite, however, and after dallying at the table for half anhour or so, she went up stairs again and entered the sewing-room. 

She found Mona busy at work upon the tea-gown--a beautiful robe ofold-rose cashmere, made up with a lighter shade of heavy armure silk. 

"Can you finish it in season?" she inquired. 

"Oh, yes, easily. I have about an hour's more work to do upon it, " theyoung girl answered. 

"That is well, for I want you to go down town to do some shopping for me. I cannot attend to it, as I wish to keep fresh for my high-tea thisafternoon, " Mrs. Montague returned, flushing slightly. Then she added:"I will make out a list of what I need, and you may go as soon as thedress is done. "

Mona was pleased with the commission, for the morning was lovely, andshe had felt unusually weak and weary ever since rising. The closeapplication to which she had been subjected since her return fromHazeldean--for she had been hurried with spring sewing--had worn uponher. 

A feeling of discouragement had also taken possession of her, for sheseemed no nearer learning the truth about her mother than when she hadfirst come there. 

She was confident that Mrs. Montague had been her father's second wife, and she fully believed that she must have in her possession papers, letters, or some other documents that would reveal all that she wishedto know regarding Richmond Montague's first marriage, and give her someinformation regarding the great sorrow that had so blighted the life ofhis beautiful young wife. 

She had promised that she would give herself to Ray at the end of threemonths; he still held her to that promise, and six weeks of the time hadalready elapsed, and she seemed to be no nearer the attainment of herdesires than when she had made it. 

True, she had found the picture of her mother, and learned that her namewas Mona Forester. She had also discovered that a relative had beenseeking for her with the desire of leaving her all that he possessed. 

But all this was very unsatisfactory, for she had not gained theslightest clew by which to prove herself to be the child of MonaForester, or any one else. 

It was all a wearisome and harrowing tangle, and it wore both upon herspirits and her strength. 

It was true, too, that she had found Ray, and learned that he loved her. This was a great comfort, and she knew she had but to tell him that shewas ready to go to him, and he would at once make her his wife; but--aflush of shame flooded her face every time she thought of it--she wascontinually haunted by the fear that her mother might never have beenRichmond Montague's wife--that possibly she might have no legal right tothe name she bore, in spite of her uncle's assurance to the contrary, andshe shrank from marrying Ray if any such stigma rested upon her. 

She had never breathed these fears to him--she kept hoping that someaccident, or some remark from Mrs. Montague, would throw light on theperplexing mystery. 

But Mrs. Montague never referred in any way to her past life in herpresence. She had never once mentioned her husband, and, of course, Mona had not dared to ask her any questions upon these subjects. 

"I can never marry Ray until I know, " she had told herself over and overin great distress, "for I love him too well ever to bring any blight uponhis life. "

She had had a dim hope that Mr. Corbin might in some way manage tounravel the mystery, and yet she could not see that he had anything moretangible to work upon than she herself had. 

Mona finished the dress and carried it to Mrs. Montague, who seemed verymuch pleased with it. 

"You are a lovely seamstress, Ruth, and a good, faithful girl, " she said, as she carefully examined the neatly made garment. "But for one thing, "she added, as she covertly searched the girl's fair face, "I believe Ishould grow really fond of you. "

This remark put Mona on her guard in a moment, though it also set herheart to beating with a vague hope. 

"Thank you for your praise of my work, Mrs. Montague, " she quietly said, "but, " lifting a wondering glance to her face, "what is the one thingthat I lack to win your esteem? If I am at fault in any way I should beglad to know and correct it. "

"You lack nothing. It is because you so much resemble a person whom Iused to detest--I am unaccountably antagonized by it, " said the woman, frowning, for the clear eyes, looking so frankly into hers, werewondrously like Mona Forester's. 

"Oh, I suppose you refer to the person whose picture I found up stairsa while ago, " said Mona. 

"Yes, " and Mrs. Montague looked slightly ashamed of her confession; "Iimagine you think I am somewhat unjust to allow my prejudice to extend toyou on that account, and I know I am; but the power of association isvery strong, and I did hate that girl with all my heart. "

Mona was trying to acquire courage to ask what reason she could havefor hating any one who looked so gentle and inoffensive, when the womanresumed, with some embarrassment:

"Louis scolded me for the feeling when I mentioned it to him--he is nottainted in any such way, I assure you. Do you know, Ruth, " with a littlelaugh of assumed amusement, "that he is very fond of you?"

Mona's face was all ablaze in an instant--her eyes likewise, although shewas greatly surprised to learn that the young man had betrayed his likingfor her to his aunt. 

"I trust that Mr. Hamblin has not led you to believe that I have everencouraged any such feeling on his part, " she coldly remarked. 

"I know that you have been very modest and judicious, Ruth; but whatif I should tell you that the knowledge of his preference does notdisplease me; that, on the whole, I rather approve of his regard foryou?" questioned Mrs. Montague, observing her closely. 

"From what you told me a moment ago, I should suppose you would feelanything but approval, " Mona replied, without being able to conceal herscorn of this sanction to Louis Hamblin's presumption. 

"What do you mean?" demanded her companion, with some sharpness. 

"I refer to the prejudice which you confessed to entertaining againstme. "

"But did I not acknowledge that it was unjust? And when one confesseswrong and is willing to correct it, credit should not be withheld, " Mrs. Montague retorted, with some warmth. "But seriously, Ruth, " shecontinued, with considerable eagerness, "Louis is very much in earnestabout this matter. He has dutifully asked my permission to address you, and I believe it would be for his happiness and interest to have a goodwife, such as I am confident you would make. I know that he has betrayedsomething of this feeling to you, or I should not presume to speak to youabout it; but my reason for so doing is that I thought perhaps you mightfeel more free to accept his suit if you knew that I approved of theunion. "

Mona was trembling now with mingled excitement and indignation. Excitement over the discovery that Louis Hamblin had really been inearnest when he had made love to her at Hazeldean, and indignation thathe should still presume to think that she would marry him after thedecided rebuff she had given him at that time. She was also astonishedthat Mrs. Montague should propose such a thing after what she had said, on the night of the ball, about her "angling for Ray Palmer, andimagining herself to be his equal in any respect. "

Then she grew very pale with a sudden suspicion. Perhaps Mrs. Montaguehad discovered who she was, possibly Mr. Corbin had been to her toquestion her, and had aroused her suspicions that she was Mona Montague, and she was plotting to marry her to her nephew in order to keep herfortune in the family, and thus tie Mona's hands to render her incapableof mischief. 

These thoughts inspired her with fresh hope and courage, for she toldherself that if this was the woman's object, there must be some proofsin existence that her mother's marriage with Richmond Montague had beenlegal. 

But Mrs. Montague was waiting for some answer, and she could not stop toconsider these points very fully now. 

"I thank you, " she said, trying hard to curb the scorn that was surgingfiercely within her, "but I shall be obliged to decline a union with Mr. Hamblin--I could never become his wife. "

"Why not, pray?" sharply demanded her companion. 

"Because I believe that marriage should never be contracted withoutmutual love, and I do not love Mr. Hamblin, " Mona returned, with coldpositiveness. 

"Really?" Mrs. Montague sneered, with a frowning brow, "one would supposethat a person in your position--a poor seamstress--would be only too gladto marry a handsome young man with Louis' prospects--for he willeventually inherit my fortune if he out-lives me. "

"Then, perhaps, it will be a surprise to you to learn that there is onepoor seamstress in the world who does not regard marriage with a richyoung man as the most desirable end to be achieved in life, " Monaresponded, with quiet sarcasm. 

Mrs. Montague grew crimson with anger. 

"Then you would not marry my nephew if he should offer himself to you?"she indignantly inquired. 

"No, madame; I could not. With all due appreciation of the honor intendedme, I should be obliged to decline it. "

The girl spoke with the utmost respect and courtesy, yet there was aslight inflection upon certain words which irritated Mrs. Montague almostbeyond endurance. 

"Perhaps you are already in love with some one else--perhaps you imaginethat you may win young Palmer, upon whom you so indelicately forced yoursociety at Hazeldean, " she snapped. 

Mona could not quite conceal all emotion at this unexpected attack, and alovely color stole into her cheeks, at which the watchful woman oppositeher was quick to draw her own conclusions, even though the fair girl madeno reply to her rude speech. 

"Let me disabuse your mind at once of any such hopes and aspirations, "Mrs. Montague continued, with increased asperity, "for they will never berealized, since Ray Palmer is already engaged. "

This statement was made upon the strength of what she had learned fromMr. Palmer regarding Ray's affection for Mr. Dinsmore's niece, and hisown approval of the union if the young lady could be found. 

Poor Mona's powers of endurance were tried to the utmost by this thrust, and she longed to proclaim, there and then, that she knew it--that shewas the young man's promised wife. 

But the time for such an avowal was not yet ripe; a few weeks longer, ifshe could have patience, and then she hoped there would be no occasionfor further secrecy. 

She put a strong curb upon herself, and simply bowed to show that she hadheard and understood Mrs. Montague's statement. 

The effort, however, drove every atom of color from her face, and seeingthis, Mrs. Montague believed that she had planted a sharp thorn in herbosom. 

She did not wish to antagonize her, however, and she was almost sorrythat she had said so much; but she was a creature of impulse when herwill was thwarted, and did not always stop to choose her words. 

She had, for certain reasons, yielded her objections to Louis marryingher, and now this unexpected opposition on Mona's part only served tomake her determined to carry the point, for the sake of conquering her, if for no other. 

"Well, we will not quarrel over the matter, Ruth, " she said, in aconciliatory tone. "Of course I have no right to coerce you in such amatter, and you are too useful to me to be driven away by contestingthe point. So we will drop the subject; and now if you will take thismemorandum and go about the shopping I shall be obliged to you. I shallneed all my strength for this evening, because I am to have a largecompany to entertain, and--"

She abruptly paused, and seemed a trifle confused for a moment. Then sheasked, with unusual consideration:

"Shall I send you in the carriage?"

"No, I should prefer to take a car down town and then walk about to thedifferent stores. I sit so much I shall be glad of the exercise, " Monareplied, as she turned to leave the room, but wondering what Mrs. Montague had been going to add when she stopped so suddenly. 

CHAPTER VI. 

RAY MAKES AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY. 

Mona hastened to her own chamber, after leaving Mrs. Montague, where shehastily exchanged her house dress for a street costume, and then startedout upon her errands. 

She had a great deal to think of in connection with her recentconversation with Mrs. Montague, but, although much had been said thathad annoyed her greatly, on the whole she had been inspired with freshhope that the mystery enshrouding her mother's life would eventually besolved. 

She therefore quickly recovered her spirits, and her face was bright andanimated as she tripped away to catch the car at the corner of thestreet. 

She had several errands to do, and she very much enjoyed the freedom ofrunning about to the different stores, to buy the pretty things regardingwhich Mrs. Montague had discovered she possessed excellent taste andjudgment. 

She had nearly completed her purchases--all but some lace, which thatlady wished to add to the ravishing tea-gown which was to be worn thatevening, and to get this she would have to pass Mr. Palmer's jewelrystore. 

Her heart beat fast as she drew near it, for she had been hoping all theway down town that she might see Ray and have a few minutes' chat withhim. 

She glanced in at the large show-window, as she went slowly by, and, fortunately, Ray was standing quite near, behind the counter, talkingwith a customer. 

He caught sight of her instantly, but indicated it only by a quick flashof the eyes, and a grave bow, and quietly continued his conversation. 

Mona knew, however, that having seen her, he would seek her at theearliest possible moment, and so slowly sauntered on, looking in atthe different windows which she passed. 

It was not long until she caught the sound of a quick step behind her, and the next moment a firm, strong hand clasped hers, while a pair offond, true eyes looked the delight which her lover experienced at theunexpected meeting. 

"My darling!--I was thinking of you the very moment you passed, andwishing that I could see you. I have something very important to tellyou, " he said, eagerly, but his fine face clouded as he uttered theselast words. 

"It is something that troubles you, I am sure, Ray, " said Mona, who wasquick to interpret his every expression. 

"Yes, it is--I am free to confess, " he admitted, then added: "Come inhere with me--there will not be many people about at this hour--where wecan talk more freely, and I will tell you all about it. "

They were passing the Hoffman House at that moment, and the young man ledthe way inside the _café_. 

They proceeded to a table in a quiet corner, where, behind some palms andtall ferns, they would not be likely to be observed, and then gave anorder for a tempting lunch, the preparation of which would require sometime. 

While waiting for it, Ray confided his trouble to Mona. 

"My father is really going to marry Mrs. Montague, " was the somewhatabrupt communication which he made with pale lips and troubled brow. 

"I have known it for some time, but did not like to speak of it to you, "Mona quietly replied. 

"You have known it for some time?" Ray exclaimed. "For how long, pray?"

"Ever since we were at Hazeldean. "

"Impossible! for my father did not make his proposal until after ourreturn to New York. "

"But she certainly told me the night of the ball, when she came up stairsto retire, that she expected to marry Mr. Palmer, " Mona returned, andflushing at the memory of that conversation, which, however, she had beentoo proud to repeat to her lover. 

"Well, she may have expected to marry him, and I imagine that his ownmind was pretty well made up at that time, " said Ray, gloomily, "but thematter was not settled until after our return, as I said before, and theengagement is to be formally announced this afternoon at the high-teagiven by Mrs. Montague. "

Ah! this explained to Mona what had puzzled her just before leavinghome--why Mrs. Montague had once or twice appeared embarrassed duringtheir conversation, why she had abruptly paused in the midst of that lastsentence, and why, too, she had been so unusually particular about herpersonal appearance for a home-reception. 

She mentioned these circumstances to Ray, and asked, in conclusion, if hewere also invited to the high-tea. 

"Yes; but, really, I am so heart-sick over the affair I feel asif I cannot go. I am utterly at a loss to understand this strangeinfatuation, " he continued, with a heavy sigh. "My father, until thismeeting with Mrs. Montague, has been one of the most quiet and domesticof men. He went occasionally into society, but never remained late at anyreception, and never bestowed especial attention upon any lady. He hasbeen a dear lover of his home and his books. We have seldom entertainedsince my mother's death, except in an informal way, and he has alwaysappeared to have a strong antipathy to gay society women. "

"How strange! for Mrs. Montague is an exaggerated type of such a woman;her life is one continual round of excitement, pleasure, and fashion, "Mona remarked, "and I am sure, " she added, with a glance of sympathy ather lover's downcast face, "that Mr. Palmer would soon grow very wearyof such an existence. "

"I am certain of it, also, " Ray answered, "and more than that, fromwhat I have learned of the woman through you--of her character anddisposition--I fear that my father is doomed to a wretched future, if he marries her. "

"I have similar forebodings, " Mona said, thoughtfully, as her mindrecurred to the conversation of the morning. "How would it do for you totell your father what you know? It might influence him, and I shall notmind having my secret revealed if he can be saved from futureunhappiness. "

"I fear it is too late for that now. He is so thoroughly infatuated andhas committed himself so far, I doubt the wisdom of seeking to undeceivehim, " Ray responded, with a sigh. "What powers of fascination that womanhas!" he exclaimed, with some excitement. "She charms every one, youngand old. I myself experienced something of it until you opened my eyesto her real character. "

"Such women are capable of doing a great deal of harm. Oh, Ray, I believethat society ruins a great many people. Perhaps it was well that mycareer in it was so suddenly terminated, " Mona remarked, gravely. 

Ray smiled fondly down upon her. 

"I do not believe it could ever have harmed you very much, " he said, tenderly; "but I believe very many young people are unfitted for thehigher duties of life where they give themselves up to society tosuch an extent as they do here in New York; it is such a shallow, unrealkind of life. We will be social--you and I, Mona, when we make a home forourselves; we will be truly hospitable and entertain our friends for thegood that we can get and give, but not merely for the sake of show and ofbeing 'in the swim. '"

The smile and look which concluded these observations brought the quickblood to the cheeks of the fair girl, and made another pair of eyes, which were peering at them through the palms and ferns, flash withmalicious anger and jealousy. 

"I have so few friends now, Ray, I fear we shall not have many toentertain, " Mona replied, a little sadly. 

"I do not believe you know how many you really have, dear. Youdisappeared from social life so suddenly, leaving everybody in the darkregarding your whereabouts, that very few had an opportunity to provetheir friendship, " Ray said, soothingly. "However, " he added, his finelips curling a trifle, "we shall know how to treat those who have met andignored you. But have you heard anything from Mr. Corbin since I saw youlast?"

"No, and I fear that I shall not, " Mona replied, with a sigh. "I do notsee any possible way by which he can prove my identity. As you know, Ihave not a single item of reliable evidence in my possession, althoughI firmly believe that such evidence exists, and is at this moment in Mrs. Montague's keeping. "

She then related how her suspicions had been freshly aroused by theconversation of that morning, and Ray was considerably excited over thematter. 

"Why did you not tell me before that Louis Hamblin made himself obnoxiousto you at Hazeldean?" he questioned, flushing with indignation, for Monahad also told him of her interview with the young man in the library, inconnection with the story of Mrs. Montague's more recent proposal to her. 

"Because I believed that I had myself thoroughly extinguished him, " Monaanswered, smiling; "and besides, " she continued, with a modest blush, "Ibelieve that no true, considerate woman will ever mention her rejectionof a suitor to a third party, if she can avoid doing so. "

Ray gave her an admiring glance. 

"I wish there were more women in the world of the same mind, " he said. "But mind, dear, I will not have you annoyed about the matter further. If, after what you have told Mrs. Montague to-day, young Hamblin shouldpresume to renew the subject again, you are to tell me and I will dealwith him as he deserves. It certainly is rather suspicious her wantingyou to become his wife. Why, it is in everybody's mouth that she has beentrying for months to make a match between him and Kitty McKenzie, " heconcluded, thoughtfully. 

"Kitty McKenzie is far too good a girl for such a fate; but I am afraidshe is really quite fond of him, " said Mona, with a regretful sigh. "Butshall you come up to Forty-ninth street this afternoon, Ray?"

"I suppose I must, or people will talk, " he replied, dejectedly. "Ifmy father is determined to marry the woman it will create gossip, Isuppose, if I appear to discountenance it; so all that remains for meto do is to put the best possible face upon the matter and treat myfuture step-mother with becoming deference. "

"What do you suppose she will say when she learns the truth about us?"Mona inquired, with an amused smile. "I imagine there will be somethingof a breeze about my ears, for she informed me this morning that I needhave no hopes or aspirations regarding you upon the strength of anyattention that you bestowed upon me at Hazeldean, for--you were alreadyengaged, " and a little ripple of merry laughter concluded the sentence. 

Ray smiled, delighted to see the sunshine upon his dear one's face, andto hear that musical sound. Yet he remarked, with some sternness:

"I think she is overstepping her jurisdiction to meddle in your affairsto such an extent. But here comes our lunch, " he interposed, as thewaiter appeared, bearing a well laden tray of tempting viands. 

"Then let us drop all unpleasant topics, and give ourselves up to theenjoyment of it, " said Mona, looking up brightly. "A light heart and amind at ease greatly aid digestion, you know. "

She would not allow him to refer to anything of a disagreeable natureafter that, but strove, in her bright, sweet way, to banish the cloudfrom his face, and succeeded so well that before their meal was endedthey had both apparently forgotten Louis Hamblin and his aunt, and theunsuitable engagement about to be announced, and were only consciousthat they were there together, and all in all to each other. 

But time was flying, and Mona knew that she must get back to assist Mrs. Montague with her toilet for the high-tea. 

"It was very nice of you, Ray, to bring me here for this delightfullunch, " she said, as they arose from the table, with a regretful sighthat they must separate, and began to draw on her gloves. 

"We shall take all our lunches together before long, I hope, my darling, "he whispered, fondly; "half the stipulated time is gone, Mona, and Ishall certainly claim you at the end of another six weeks. "

Mona flushed, but she did not reply, and her heart grew heavy, for sheknew she should not be willing to become Ray's wife until she could provethe circumstances of her birth. 

She longed to tell him how she felt about it--she longed to know how hewould feel toward her if they should discover that any stain rested uponher. 

But she dare not broach the subject--a feeling of shame and humiliationkept her silent, and she resolved to wait and hope until the six weeksshould pass. 

They went out together, but still followed by that pair of malignanteyes, which had, however, been cautiously veiled, as was also the facein which they were set. 

Ray walked with his betrothed to a corner, where he helped her aboard acar, and then returned to his store. 

Later, on that same day, a gay company of gentlemen and ladies filledMrs. Montague's spacious and elegant rooms, where she, in her elaborateand becoming costume, entertained in her most charming manner. 

Mr. Palmer had come very early and secured a private interview, previousto the arrival of the other guests, and it was noticeable that, as thelady received, a new and magnificent solitaire gleamed upon the thirdfinger of her left hand. 

People surmised, very generally, what this meant, even before it waswhispered throughout the rooms that the engagement of Mr. Palmer and thebeautiful widow was formally announced. It was not very much of asurprise, either, as such an event had been predicted for some time. 

Ray did not arrive until late, for he had little heart for the gay scene, and less sympathy in its object. But for his respect and love for hisfather, he would not have set foot in the house at all. 

"Gentlemen's dressing-room on the left of the hall above, " said thepolite colored man, who attended the door, and Ray slowly mounted thestairs, hoping that he might catch a glimpse, if not secure anopportunity for a word with Mona. 

But there was no such treat in store for him, for she was at that momentassisting Mary, who had met with a mishap in running up stairs, havingstepped upon her dress and torn it badly. 

Ray found the room indicated, which proved to be Mrs. Montague's boudoir, deposited his hat, gloves, and cane where he could conveniently get themagain--for he did not intend to remain long--and then descended to thedrawing-room. 

He made his way at once to where Mrs. Montague was standing with hercaptive beside her, for he desired to get through with the disagreeableduty of offering congratulations, with all possible dispatch. 

Poor Mr. Palmer! Ray pitied him, in spite of his aversion to theengagement, for he looked heated and flushed, and somewhat sheepish ashis son approached, although he tried to smile and look happy, as if heenjoyed the glitter and show and confusion reigning all about him. 

Ray politely shook hands with his hostess, making some general remarkupon the occasion and the brilliant assembly, as he did so. 

"And--I hope I am to have your congratulations. " Mrs. Montague archlyremarked, as she glanced from him to his father. 

"You certainly can have no doubt that I sincerely hope the arrangementmay be for your mutual happiness, " the young man gravely replied, as hebowed before them both. 

"Then show yourself a dutiful son by drinking a cup of tea with me, "laughingly returned the lady, as she slipped her white hand within hisarm, and led him toward the great silver urn, where several charming"buds" were dispensing the fragrant beverage to the numerous guests. 

Ray had no alternative, and he well knew that the wily widow had adroitlytaken this way to make it appear to her guests that the son heartilyapproved his father's choice. 

She possessed infinite tact, and chatted away in the most brilliantmanner, making him wait upon her so assiduously that Ray was sure, from the looks of those about them, that every one was admiring hisdevotion(?) to his future step-mother. 

She released him at last, however, and returned to her position besidehis father, and watching his opportunity he stole unobserved from theroom, and up stairs, intending to get away from the house as soon aspossible. 

Reaching Mrs. Montague's boudoir, he walked to the bay-window, and lookedout upon the street. He was nervous and excited, and wished to regain hisaccustomed composure before going down stairs again. 

He stood there a moment absorbed in unpleasant reflections, then turnedto get his coat and hat. 

As he did so, one of his feet caught in the heavy damask draperies, andin trying to disengage it, something crackled sharply beneath it, and hestooped to ascertain what it was. 

Sweeping aside the heavy curtains, he saw a long, narrow document lyingupon the floor beneath its folds. 

He picked it up, and saw that it was a piece of parchment with somethingapparently printed upon it. 

Not supposing it to be anything of importance, he mechanically unfoldedit and began to read. 

"Why, it is a marriage certificate!" he exclaimed, in surprise, under hisbreath. 

Not caring to read the whole form, he simply glanced at the places wherethe names of the contracting parties were written, and instantly a mightyshock seemed to shake him from head to foot. 

"Ha! what can this mean?" he exclaimed, in a breathless voice. 

His face grew deathly pale. A blur came before his eyes. He rubbed themto dispel it, and looked again. 

"It cannot be possible!" he said, in a hoarse whisper, and actuallypanting as if he had been running hard. "I cannot believe my sight, andyet it is here in black and white! and Mona--Mona, my darling! themystery will be solved, and you will be righted at last. "

The certificate, as will be readily surmised, was the very one which Mrs. Montague had examined the previous evening. 

When Mona had knocked upon the door, it will be remembered that shewas greatly startled and had upset the table. The accident had causedthe certificate to be thrown upon the floor, with the other things, andby some means it was pushed beneath the heavy damask curtain and hadescaped Mrs. Montague's eye and memory, when she hastily gathered up thescattered treasures and rearranged them in the secret compartment of thetable. 

Thus it had come into Ray's possession just at a time when it was mostneeded and desired. 

Regaining his composure somewhat, he read it carefully through frombeginning to end. 

"How could it have come to be in such a strange place, and to fall intomy hands?" he said, the look of wonder still on his face. "She--thatwoman must have had it in her possession, even as Mona suspected, and bysome mistake or oversight dropped and forgot it. Shall I tell her I havefound it? Shall I return it and then demand it from her?" he questioned, his innate sense of honor recoiling from everything that seemeddishonorable. "No, " he continued, sternly, "it is not hers--she has noright whatever to it; it belongs to Mona alone, for it is the proof ofher birthright. I will take it directly to Mr. Corbin, and I will noteven tell Mona until I have first confided in him. "

With a resolute purpose written on his fine face, Ray carefully put thedocument away in an inner pocket; then donning his coat and hat, quietlyleft the house. 

The last postal delivery of that same evening brought to Mrs. RichmondMontague the following anonymous letter:

"MADAME:--The girl in your employ, who calls herself Ruth Richards, isnot what she pretends to be. Her true name is Mona Montague, and she iscompromising herself by secret meetings with a gentleman in high life. She lunched this morning at the Hoffman House Cafe with Mr. RaymondPalmer, the son of a worthy gentleman whom you intend to marry. Youperhaps will best know whether she has any hidden purpose in figuringas a seamstress, and under the name of Ruth Richards, in your house. "

Unfortunately for our young lovers, Miss Josephine Holt had also beentaking an early lunch in the Hoffman House Cafe that morning, and hadseen Ray and Mona the moment they had entered. 

Ever since she had discovered Mona at Hazeldean she had been trying tothink of some way by which she could separate them, and now, knowing thatMrs. Montague was bent upon marrying Mr. Palmer, and feeling sure thatthere was some secret which Mona wished to preserve by becoming aseamstress in the woman's house under an assumed name, she believed shecould the best achieve her purpose by disclosing her identity and settingMrs. Montague against her. How well she succeeded will be seen later on. 

CHAPTER VII. 

MONA MAKES A SURPRISING DISCOVERY. 

It was now the third week in April, and the season was unusually early. The grass had become quite green, the trees were putting forth theirleaves, and the weather was very warm for the time of the year. 

On the morning after the high-tea and the announcement of the engagement, Mrs. Montague sought Mona and informed her that a party of friends hadarranged for a pleasure trip through the South and down the Mississippi, and asked her if she would accompany her, since Louis had business toattend to, and could not act as her escort. 

Mona did not exactly like to go, but there was really no good reason whyshe should refuse; the rush of sewing was nearly over, and if she wereleft behind, she would have to be idle the greater portion of the time;besides, she had worked very steadily, and she knew that she needed restand relaxation. 

She inquired how long Mrs. Montague intended to be gone, and the ladyreplied that she expected to return within two weeks. 

"Of course you can please yourself about the matter, Ruth, " she remarked. "I suppose I could take Mary, but she is not companionable--she would notappreciate the journey, and I really wish you would go. I should regardit as quite a favor, " the woman concluded, appealingly. 

If Mona had been more observing, she might have seen that she was beingclosely watched, and that her answer was anxiously awaited. Monaconsidered the subject a few moments before replying. Her greatestobjection was leaving Ray for so long--two weeks would seem almostinterminable without seeing him. 

But, on the other hand, perhaps while in such close companionship withMrs. Montague as there would have to be on such a journey, somethingmight be dropped about her former life which would enlighten herregarding what she was so eager to ascertain. It would be a delightfultrip, too, and Mona knew that she should enjoy seeing the country, as shehad never been South. 

"When do you start?" she inquired, before committing herself. 

"I want to get off in the evening express, " Mrs. Montague returned, watching every expression of the young girl's face. 

"In _this_ evening's express?" asked Mona, in surprise. 

"Yes. It is short notice, I know, " the woman said, smiling; "but I, myself, only knew of the plan yesterday, and, as you know, I was too busyto make any arrangements for it. Will you go, Ruth? We have nothing to dobut to pack our trunks. "

"I suppose there is no reason why I should not, " the young girl returned, musingly, while she told herself that she could send a note to Ray, informing him of her intention. She was not quite sure that he wouldapprove of it, and she wished that she could have known of it theprevious day, so that she could have consulted him. 

"That is nice of you, " Mrs. Montague quickly responded, and assuming thather remark was intended as an assent to the trip; "and now we must atonce go about our preparations. How long will it take you to pack?"

"Not long, " Mona answered; "I have only my dresses to fold, and my toiletarticles to gather up. I have not really unpacked since I came here, " shesaid, smiling; "for I have needed so few things. "

"Well, then, get yourself ready; then you may come to help me, " Mrs. Montague said, as she arose to go to her own room, and breathing a sighof relief that this vital point had been gained with so little trouble. 

Mona was as expeditious as possible, but, somehow, now that she had givenher consent to go, her heart grew unaccountably heavy, and she began tofeel a deep aversion to leaving New York. 

She wrote a hasty note to Ray, telling him of the intended journey, andhow she regretted not being able to consult him, but could not, under thecircumstances. She also wrote, as she did not know the route they were totake, she could not tell him where to address her, but would write to himagain when she learned where they were to be. 

Then she packed what she thought she would need to take with her, afterwhich she went to assist Mrs. Montague. She found that she had been veryexpeditious, for she had one trunk already packed and locked, ready to bestrapped, and was busily engaged filling another. 

Their arrangements were all made and they were ready to start by the timedinner was served, and this meal Mrs. Montague insisted they should eattogether, as they must leave immediately afterward. 

She was very chatty and agreeable, treating Mona more as an equal thanshe had ever done before. She seemed in excellent spirits, and talked sogayly and enthusiastically about the trip that the young girl reallybegan to anticipate it with considerable pleasure. 

Mary and the cook were to have a holiday during their absence; the housewas to be closed, and the coachman alone would remain about the premisesto look after the horses and see that nothing happened to the place. 

At seven o'clock they left the house, and an hour later were seated in aluxurious Wagner, and rolling rapidly Southward. 

They arrived in St. Louis on the morning of the second day, and drovedirectly to the Southern Hotel, where Mrs. Montague said they wouldremain for a day or two, to rest, and where the friends who were goingdown the Mississippi to New Orleans with them would join them. 

The following morning Mrs. Montague dressed herself with great care, andtold Mona that she was going out to make some calls, adding that shemight amuse herself as she chose, for there was nothing to be done, and she might get lonely to remain alone in the hotel. 

The young girl resolved to improve the opportunity and look about thecity a little on her own account. 

She donned her hat and jacket, and running down to the street, hailed thefirst car that came along, with the intention of riding as far as itwould take her. 

She changed her purpose, however, as the car was about passing a streetleading down to the great bridge across the Mississippi. 

She had heard and read a great deal about the grand structure, and shedetermined to walk across and see how it would compare with the wonderfulBrooklyn Bridge. 

She was feeling very well, the morning was bright, and she enjoyed herwalk immensely. By the time she returned her cheeks were like wild roses, and her whole face glowing from exercise. 

She was a little weary, however, and glad to get seated again in a cargoing back toward her hotel. 

The car had proceeded only about half a block, however, when it stoppedagain, and two people, a man and a woman, stepped aboard, and seatedthemselves next to her. 

They seemed to be absorbed in earnest conversation, and did not appear tonotice any one about them. 

The woman was an elderly person, rather fine looking, with a good figure, and an erect, graceful bearing. Her hair was almost white, and there weredeep wrinkles in her forehead, at the corners of her eyes, and about hermouth, although they were somewhat concealed, or softened, by the thicklyspotted black lace veil which she wore; but on the whole she was anagreeable looking person, and her manner was full of energy and vitality. 

Her companion was a rather rough-appearing personage and dressed like aWestern farmer or miner, rather coarsely handsome, and with an easy, off-hand manner that was quite attractive, and he might have been thirtyor thirty-five years of age. 

"What a dark skin--what black hair and beard, with blue eyes!" was Mona'smental comment, as she observed this peculiarity about him. He also hadvery white teeth, which contrasted strikingly with the intense blacknessof his mustache and beard. 

He appeared to be quite disturbed about something, and talked to hiscompanion rapidly and excitedly, but in low tones. 

"You were very imprudent to try to dispose of so many at one place, " Monaoverheard his companion say, in reply to some observation which he hadpreviously made, and then a great shock went tingling through all hernerves as her glance fell upon the dress which the woman wore. 

It was a fine, heavy ladies' cloth, of a delicate shade of gray--just thecolor, Mona was confident, of that tiny piece of goods which Ray hadshown her at Hazeldean, and which had been torn from the dress of thewoman who had trapped him into Doctor Wesselhoff's residence, and stolenhis diamonds. 

She was very much excited for a few moments, and her heart beat withrapid throbs. 

Could it be possible that this woman had been concerned in that robbery?

That woman had had red hair, and according to Ray's description, was muchyounger; but she might possibly be the other one, who had madearrangements with the physician for Ray's treatment. At all events, Mona was impressed that she had found the dress in which the fascinatingMrs. Vanderbeck had figured so conspicuously. 

Her face flushed, her fingers tingled with the rapid coursing of herblood, and she felt as if she could hardly wait until the woman shouldrise, so that she might look for a place that had been mended in theskirt of her dress. 

She resolved that she would ride as long as they remained in the car, andwhen they left it, she would follow them to ascertain their stoppingplace. 

She could not catch anything more that they said, although she strainedher ears to do so. 

Those few words which she had overheard had also aroused hersuspicions--"you were very imprudent to try to dispose of so many inone place, " the woman had said, and Mona believed she had referred todiamonds; her vivid imagination pictured these people as belonging tothe gang of robbers who had been concerned in the Palmer robbery, andnow that the excitement attending it had somewhat subsided, they haddoubtless come to St. Louis to dispose of their booty; while it was thestrangest thing in the world, she thought, that she should have happenedto run across them in the way she had. 

They were drawing very near the Southern Hotel, where Mona and Mrs. Montague were stopping; but the excited girl resolved that she would notget out--she would ride hours rather than lose sight of these twostrangers, and the chance to ascertain if that gray cloth dress wasmended--"on the back of the skirt, near the right side, among the heavyfolds. " Ray had told her that was where the tear was. 

But what if she should find it there? What should she do about thematter? were questions which arose at this point to trouble her. Whatcould she, a weak girl, do to cause the arrest of the thieves? how wasshe to prove them guilty?

At that moment the man signaled the conductor to stop the car, and Mona'sheart leaped into her throat, for they were exactly opposite her ownhotel. 

The couple arose to leave the car, and Mona slowly followed them. 

As the woman was about to step to the ground she gathered up her skirtswith her right hand, to prevent them from sweeping the steps of the car, and Mona looked with eager eyes, but she could detect no mended rent. 

She kept a little behind them as they crossed the sidewalk and madestraight for the entrance of the hotel, when, as they were mounting thesteps, the woman suddenly tripped and almost fell. 

In the act, her skirts were drawn closely about her, and Mona distinctlysaw a place, where the plaits or folds were laid deeply over one another, that had been mended, and not nicely, either, but hastily sewed togetheron the wrong side. It would hardly have been noticed, however, unless onehad been looking for it as Mona was, because it lay so deeply in amongthe folds. 

The couple entered the hotel, and both gave Mona a quick, sharp glance asshe followed; but she quietly passed them with averted eyes, and wentinto a reception-room on the left of the hall. 

"Go and register, Jake, and I will wait here for you, " Mona heard thewoman say, and the man immediately disappeared within the clerk's officeopposite, while his companion walked slowly back and forth in the hall. 

Presently the man rejoined her, remarking:

"It's all right; they had a room next yours which they could give me. Come, " and both passed directly up stairs. 

Mona waited a few minutes, to be sure they were well out of the way, thenshe quietly slipped across the hall to the office. 

"Will you allow me to look at the register?" she asked of the gentlemanlyclerk. 

"Certainly, " and with a bow and smile he placed it conveniently for her. 

She thanked him, and glanced eagerly at the last name written on thepage. 

"J. R. Walton, Sydney, Australia, " she read, in a coarse, irregular hand, as if the person writing it had been unaccustomed to the use of the pen. 

Running her eye up the page, Mona also read, as if the name had beensigned earlier in the day:

"Mrs. J. M. Walton, Brownsville, Mo. "

"It would appear, " mused Mona, as she left the office, "as if they aremother and son--that he had just returned from far Australia, and she hadcome here to meet him. But--I don't believe it! Walton--Walton! Wherehave I heard that name before?"

She could not place it, but she was so sure that these people were insome way connected with the Palmer robbery, she was determined to makean effort to establish the fact, and immediately leaving the hotel again, she sought the nearest telegraph office, and sent the following messageto Ray:

"Send immediately piece of the ladies' cloth torn from dress. "

This done she retraced her steps, and went directly up to her own room. 

She found that Mrs. Montague had returned from making her calls, and wasdressing for dinner. 

She seemed a little disturbed about something, and finally it came outthat the trip down the Mississippi would have to be delayed for a day ortwo longer than she had anticipated, as one of her friends was not quitewell enough to start immediately. 

Mona was very glad to learn this, for she was sure that she should hearfrom Ray and receive the piece of dress goods; her only fear was thatthe Waltons might not remain at the hotel long enough for her to find anopportunity to fit the piece into the rent, to ascertain if it belongedthere. 

The earnestly desired letter reached her the next evening. Ray had beenvery expeditious. Receiving Mona's dispatch just before the southwardmail closed, he had hastily inclosed the piece of cloth, with a fewwords, in an envelope, and so there was no delay. 

She was certain, as she examined it, that it was exactly the same coloras the dress she had seen the day before, and reasonably sure regardingthe texture; but the great question now to be answered was: Would it fitthe rent?

"Now I must find the dress, if possible, when the woman is wearingsomething else, " Mona mused, with a troubled face, and beginning to thinkshe had undertaken a matter too difficult to be carried out. "Perhapsshe has no other dress here; how, then, am I going to prove my suspiciontrue, or otherwise?"

She knew that she could go to the authorities, tell her story, and havethe woman and dress forcibly examined; but she could not bear to doanything that would make herself conspicuous, and it would be verydisagreeable to carry the affair so far and then find she had made alamentable mistake. 

"If Ray were only here he would know what to do, " she murmured, "but heisn't, and I must do the best I can without him. I must find out wherethe woman rooms. I must examine that dress!"

Fortune favored her in an unexpected way the very next morning. 

The chambermaid who had charge of the floor on which their rooms werelocated, came, as usual, to put them in order, but with a badly swollenface, around which she had bound a handkerchief. 

"Are you sick?" Mona asked, in a tone of sympathy, for the girl's heavyeyes and languid manner appealed very strongly to her kind heart. 

"I have a toothache, miss, " the girl said, with a heavy sigh. "I neverslept a wink last night, it pained me so. "

"I am very sorry, and of course you cannot feel much like work to-day, ifyou had no sleep, " Mona said, pityingly. 

"Indeed I don't--I can hardly hold my head up; but the work's got to bedone all the same, " was the weary reply. 

"Cannot you get some one to substitute for you while you have your toothtaken out and get a little rest?" Mona kindly inquired. 

"No, miss; the girls are all busy--they have their own work to do, andI shall have to bear it as best I can. "

"Then let me help you, " Mona said, a sudden thought setting all herpulses bounding. 

Perhaps she might come across that dress!

"You, miss!" the girl cried, in unfeigned astonishment. "A young ladylike you help to make beds in a hotel where you are a guest!"

Mona laughed. 

"I have often made beds, and--I am not regarded as a 'young lady' justnow; I am only a kind of waiting-maid to the lady with whom I amtraveling, " she explained, thinking she might the more easily gainher point if the girl was led to think the difference in their positionswas not as great as she had imagined. "Come now, " she added, "I am goingto help you, for I know you are not able to do all this work yourself, "and she immediately began to assist in putting her own chamber to rights. 

They went from room to room, Mona chatting pleasantly and trying to takethe girl's mind from her pain; but she saw that it was almost more thanshe could do to keep about her work. 

Finally she made her sit down and let her work alone. 

"How many rooms are there yet to be cared for?" she asked, as she beganto spread up the bed where they were. 

"Only four more, miss--just what are left in this hall, " said the girl, as her head fell wearily back against the high rocker which Mona hadinsisted upon her taking. 

Mona went on with the work she had volunteered to perform, and when shereturned to look at the girl again, she found that she was sleepingheavily. 

"Exhausted nature has asserted itself, and I will let her rest, " theyoung girl murmured; "there can be no possible harm in my doing this workfor her, although I suppose it would not be thought just the thing fora stranger to have access to all these rooms. "

She put everything there as it should be, then she went out, softlyclosing the door after her, that no one might see the girl sleeping. 

She proceeded to do the four remaining apartments without finding whatshe sought until she came to the very last one. 

As she entered it she picked up a card that had been dropped upon thefloor, and a joyful thrill ran through her as she read the name, "Mrs. J. M. Walton. "

She knew, then, that she had found the room occupied by the woman who hadworn the gray dress. 

Would she find the garment?

A trunk stood in one corner of the room, and her eyes rested covetouslyupon this. Then she went to the wardrobe and swung the door open. 

Joy! the robe she sought was hanging on a peg within!

With trembling hands she sought for the rent which she had seen the daybut one before. 

She found it, and with fluctuating color and a rapidly beating heart, shetook hold of the knot of the silk, which had been used to mend it, anddeliberately pulled it out, when the ragged edges fell apart, revealinga triangular-shaped rent. 

Mona drew her purse from her pocket, found the precious piece of cloththat Ray had sent to her, and laid it over the hole in the skirt. 

It fitted perfectly into the tear, and she knew that the dress which thebeautiful Mrs. Vanderbeck had worn, when she stole the Palmer diamonds, was found. 

But the woman!

Mona was puzzled, for surely the woman whom she had seen wearing thedress was much older than the one whom Ray had described to her. She waswrinkled and gray; and then--the name! But stay! All at once light brokein upon her. Walton had been the name of the person who had so cleverlydeceived Dr. Wesselhoff. She had been old and wrinkled, and now, withoutdoubt, she had come to St. Louis to dispose of her share of the stolendiamonds, and had worn the other woman's dress, thinking, perhaps, itwould be safe to do so, and would not be recognized under such differentcircumstances. 

"But what shall I do?" seemed now to be the burden of her thought. Atfirst she felt impelled to telegraph Ray to come and attend to thematter; then she feared the man and woman would both disappear beforehe could arrive, and she felt that some immediate action should be taken. 

"I believe my best way will be to go directly to a detective, and tellhim my story; he will know what ought to be done, and I can leave thematter in his hands, " was her final conclusion. 

She sped to her own room, secured a needleful of silk, then hastened backto Mrs. Walton's room and sewed the rent in the dress together once more, taking care not to fray the edges, lest the piece she had should not fitwhen it was examined again. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

MR. RIDER BECOMES ACTIVE AGAIN. 

After hanging the dress again in its place, Mona quickly finished herwork in the room, then went back to the girl whom she had left sleepingin one of the adjoining chambers, and awoke her. 

She had slept nearly an hour, and, though Mona knew that she needed manyhours more of rest, she was sure that she would be the better for whatshe had secured. 

"You are very good, miss, " she said, gratefully; "the pain is all gonefrom my tooth, and I feel ever so much better. "

"Your sleep has quieted your nerves; but I advise you to see a dentistand have the tooth attended to, " Mona returned; then hastened away to herroom, where she dressed herself for the street and went out. 

Mrs. Montague had been out for a long time driving with some friends. 

Mona inquired of an elderly, respectable policeman, whom she foundstanding upon a corner, where she should go to find a detective. 

He directed her to the headquarters of the force, although he lookedsurprised at the question coming from such a source, and she repairedthither at once. 

As she entered the office, a quiet-looking man, who was the only occupantat that time, arose and came forward, bowing respectfully; but he alsoappeared astonished to see a young and beautiful girl in such a place. 

"I wish to see a detective, " said Mona, flushing hotly beneath the man'scurious glance. 

"The men connected with this office are all out just at this moment, miss. I am a stranger, and only sitting here for a half-hour or so, justto oblige the officer in charge, " the man courteously replied. 

"I am very sorry, " said the young girl, with a sigh, "for I have comeupon business which ought to be attended to immediately. "

"I am a detective, miss, although I do not belong here. I'm an officerfrom New York; but if you see fit to tell me your business, perhaps Imight advise you, " said the officer, kindly, for he saw that she wasgreatly troubled. 

"You are from New York!" Mona exclaimed, eagerly; "then perhaps it willbe better for me to tell you, rather than a St. Louis detective; for therobbery happened in New York. "

The detective's eyes flashed with sudden interest at this. 

"Ah!" was all he said, however, and this very quietly. 

"Yes, it was a diamond robbery. A dress worn by one of the personsconnected with it was torn; a small piece was entirely cut out of it. Ihave found the dress; I have fitted the piece into the rent, and now Iwant the woman who owns it to be arrested and examined, " Mona explained, in low, excited tones, but very comprehensively. 

"Ah!" said the detective again, in the same quiet tone; "you havereference to the Palmer robbery. "

Mona lifted a pair of very astonished eyes to his face. 

"Yes, " she responded, breathlessly; "but how did you know?"

"Because I am looking after that case. I am in St. Louis upon that verybusiness, " replied the man, with a twinkle in his eyes. 

"Are _you_ Detective Rider?" questioned the young girl, wonderingly, andtrembling with excitement. 

Her companion smiled. 

"What do you know about Detective Rider?" he inquired. Then, as sheflushed and seemed somewhat embarrassed, he continued: "And who are_you_, if you please?"

"I am--I am acquainted with Raymond Palmer, " Mona answered, evasively;"he has told me about the robbery and--"

"Ah! yes. I understand, " interposed the quick-witted officer, as hecomprehended the situation. "But sit down and tell me the whole story asbriefly as possible, and I can then judge what will be best to do. "

He moved a chair forward for her, then sat down himself, where he couldwatch her closely, as she talked, and Mona related all that we alreadyknow regarding the two people whom she had seen upon the street-car, together with all that followed in connection with the discovery of therent in the gray cloth dress, the sending for the fragment that Ray hadpreserved, and which had fitted so exactly into the tear. 

The detective listened with the closest attention, his small, keen eyesalone betraying the intense interest which her recital excited. 

When she had concluded, he drew forth a set of tablets and made notes ofseveral items, after which he said:

"Now, Miss ---- What shall I call you? Whom shall I ask for at the hotel, if I should wish to see you again upon this business?"

"Miss Richards. I am traveling with a Mrs. Montague, of New York, " Monareplied. 

"Well, then, Miss Richards, you go back to your hotel, and of courseconduct yourself as if you had nothing unusual on your mind; but holdyourself in readiness to produce that important bit of cloth, if Ishould call upon you to do so within the next few hours. By the way, "he added, with sudden thought, "if you have it with you, I might as welltake a look at it. "

Mona took the paper containing it from her purse and gave it to him. 

"You are _sure_ this matches the dress?" he asked, examining it closely. "We don't want to make any awkward mistakes, you know. "

"It is identical. I believe that every thread in this piece can bematched by a corresponding thread in the garment, " the fair girlasserted, so positively that he seemed to be entirely satisfied. 

He returned the piece to her and then arose in a brisk, business-likeway, which told that he was ready for action. 

Mona also rose, and, bidding him a quiet good-day, went quickly out ofthe office, and hastened back to the hotel. 

 * * * * *

In order to understand more fully some of the incidents related, we shallhave to go back a few days. 

It was a bright, clear morning when a rather rough-looking, yet notunattractive person, entered a large jewelry establishment located onone of the principal streets of St. Louis. 

He might have been thirty-five years of age, for there was a sprinklingof silver among his coarse, intensely black hair, which he wore quitelong, and also in his huge mustache and beard. His face was bronzedfrom exposure; there were crow's feet about his eyes, and two deepwrinkles between his brows, and his general appearance indicated that hehad seen a good deal of the rough side of life. 

He wore a coarse though substantial suit of clothes, which hung ratherloosely upon him; a gray flannel shirt with a turn-over collar, which wasfastened at the throat by a flashy necktie, rather carelessly knotted; ared cotton handkerchief was just visible in one of his pockets; therewere coarse, clumsy boots on his feet, and he wore a wide-brimmed, slouchhat. 

He inquired of the clerk, who came forward to wait upon him, if he couldsee the "boss of the consarn, " as he had a little private business totransact with him. 

The clerk smiled slightly at his broad vernacular, as he replied thathe would speak to the proprietor, and presently an elderly gentlemanappeared from an inner office, and inquired the nature of the man'sbusiness. 

"I'm a miner, " he said. "I'm just home from Australia, where I've beenhuntin' diamonds for the last ten years. I've made a pretty good haul, and sold most of 'em in London on my way home. I had a few dandy ones cutthere, though, to bring back to my gal; but--but--well, to tell the plaintruth, " he said, with some confusion, "she's gone back on me; shecouldn't wait for me, so married another fellar; and now I want to sellthe stones. D'ye want to buy?"

There was something rather attractive, as well as amusing, in the man'sfrankness, and the merchant smiled, as he kindly remarked that he wouldexamine the stones. 

The miner thereupon pulled out a small leather bag from one of thepockets of his trousers, unwound the strong thong at its throat, andrattled out upon the counter several loose glittering diamonds of varioussizes. 

The merchant could hardly repress a cry of astonishment, for they wereremarkable for their purity and brilliancy, while there were two amongthe collection of unusual size. 

He examined them critically, and took plenty of time about it, while theminer leaned indifferently against the counter, his hands in his pockets, and gazed absently out of the window. 

"What do you value these stones at?" the merchant finally inquired, as heremoved the glass from his eye and turned to the man. 

"Wall, I don't suppose it would make much difference what my price mightbe, " he drawled; "I know they're about as good ones as anybody would careto see, and you know about what you'd be willin' to give. "

"Yes; but I would like to know what value you put upon them before I makean offer, " responded Mr. Cohen, shrewdly. 

"Wall, before I found out about the gal, I wouldn't a' sold 'em at anyprice, " was the rather gloomy response, "fur I'd promised 'em to her, yeknow; but now--so's I get what's reasonable, I don't care much whatbecomes on 'em. What'll ye give? I'll trust to yer honor in the matter. "

The jeweler had been watching the man closely while he was speaking, although he appeared to be thinking deeply of the purchase of the gems. 

"I--do not think that I am prepared to set a price on them just at thismoment, " he at length thoughtfully remarked. "As far as I can judge, theyare very fine stones and well cut; still, I am not an expert, althougha dealer in such things, and I should like to submit them to one beforemaking you an offer. "

"All right, " was the hearty and unhesitating reply, "that's fair, and I'magreeable. Bring on your expert. "

"Are you going to be in the city long?" asked the merchant. 

"Wall, no; I didn't calkerlate on staying any longer'n I could turn thestones into money, " the man said. "My old mother lives up to Brownsville, and I thought of goin' up to make her a little visit--han't seen her furten years. Then I'm going back to the mines, since I han't no reason tohang around these parts _now_, " with a bitter emphasis on the last word. 

"This is Tuesday, " said Mr. Cohen, reflectively; "the expert to whom Iwish to subject the stones is out of town, but will be here to-morrowevening; suppose you come in again on Thursday morning. "

"All right, " responded the miner, as he began to gather up his glitteringpebbles, though there was a look of disappointment in his eyes. "I'druther have got rid of 'em, fur they're kind o' ticklish things tobe carrying about. Wonder if I couldn't leave 'em in your safe tillThursday?"

"Certainly, if you are willing to trust them with me, " said Mr. Cohen, looking rather surprised at the man's confidence in him: "still you wouldhave to do so on your own responsibility. I should not be willing to beheld accountable for them in case of a robbery. "

"Wall, then, perhaps I'd better take them along, " the miner returned, ashe tied the mouth of his leather pouch, and shoved it into one of hispockets. 

Then drawing forth a plug of tobacco from another, he bit off a generousquid, remarking, as he did so:

"I'll be on hand Thursday mornin', I reckon. Good-day. "

The merchant politely returned his salutation, and watched himthoughtfully after he shut the door and went swaggering down the street, looking in at every window he passed, in regular country fashion. 

A few moments after, the merchant took his hat and also went out. 

A few hours later, Mr. Amos Palmer received the following dispatch:

"Send expert and detective at once to examine suspicious stones. EZRA COHEN. "

Ezra Cohen had for years had business relations with Amos Palmer, goingto New York several times every twelve months to purchase diamonds andother jewels, for the St. Louis trade. 

On his last visit thither Mr. Palmer had mentioned the bold robbery, which had resulted in his losing such valuable diamonds, and haddescribed some of the most costly stones, saying, that possibly theymight some time fall into his hands. 

Mr. Cohen was not sure, but he was impressed that the two larger stonesof the collection which the miner had brought to sell him, on thatmorning, resembled, in some points, the ones described by Mr. Palmer;and so he thought it worth while to have the matter proved, if possible, although he felt some compunctions regarding his suspicions, because theminer had appeared so frank and ingenuous. 

If he had only left the stones with him as he had proposed doing, thematter of testing them could have been attended to during his absence. Hehoped that he had not acted too hastily in telegraphing to Mr. Palmer;but he had done as his best judgment had prompted, and could only awaitthe result with patience. 

It was with no little nervousness, however, that he awaited Thursdaymorning, especially after receiving a reply to his message to the effectthat "Tom Rider, the detective, and a diamond expert, would arrive onan early train of that day. "

They did so, and presented themselves at Ezra Cohen's establishment soonafter the store was opened for business that morning. 

The merchant was already there, awaiting them, and received the twogentlemen in his private office, where they held a confidentialconversation regarding the matter in hand. 

The expert was quite confident, after listening to Mr. Cohen'sdescription of the diamonds, that they would prove to be the ones theywere seeking, but the detective was not quite so hopeful; he had beendisappointed so many times of late that he looked upon the dark side, while he was somewhat skeptical about the supposed miner making hisappearance again. 

About nine o'clock, however, the man swaggered into the store, anenormous quid of tobacco inside his cheek. 

"_He_ has never been in Australia, " said Detective Rider, in a low tone, but with sudden energy, as he and his companion watched him approach thecounter, where Mr. Cohen was quietly examining a case of watches. 

"Wall, " he remarked, in his broad, drawling tone, "got yer expert on handthis mornin'? I'd like to close up this 'ere business before I go up toBrownsville. "

"Yes, I think I can settle about the diamonds to-day, " Mr. Cohen politelyremarked. "James, " to a clerk, "please ask Mr. Knowlton to step thisway. "

James disappeared, and presently an elderly gentleman in spectaclesissued from the private office. 

"Mr. Knowlton, " said the merchant, "this is the man who wished to disposeof some diamonds. Will you examine them, and give your opinion of theirvalue?"

The miner darted a quick, searching look at the new-comer; but apparentlythe man was intent only upon the business in hand. 

Drawing forth his leather pouch, the miner untied it and emptied itscontents upon the square of black velvet which had been laid upon theshow-case to receive them. 

Mr. Knowlton examined each stone with careful scrutiny through a powerfulglass, never once speaking until he had looked the collection through. 

"They are quite valuable, " he remarked, as he laid the last one down. "These, " indicating the two large ones, "are especially so; you have beenvery fortunate, sir, to make such a collection, for there is not one poorone in the lot. "

The miner gave a slight start at this observation, and the color deepenedon his face; but he replied, with his habitual frankness:

"Well, I've had poor ones--plenty on 'em; but these were saved for aspecial purpose, " and he winked knowingly at Mr. Cohen. Then he added, ashe shot a sweeping look around the store and out through the window uponthe sidewalk: "Jest give us their value in round figgers, and well soonsettle this matter. "

The expert quietly made a memorandum upon a card and laid it before thejeweler, then immediately withdrew to the private office. 

"Well?" demanded Tom Rider, his keen little eyes gleaming with repressedexcitement, as Mr. Knowlton shut the door after him. 

"The two large stones belong to Amos Palmer, the others I never sawbefore, and you'd better hook your man as soon as possible, because heis beginning to smell powder, " said the gentleman, in a low tone. 

"I'm ready for him, " muttered the detective, as he grabbed his hat, crushed it upon his head, and vanished out of the back door with a gooddeal more of elasticity in his step than when he had entered. 

Going around to the front entrance he sauntered into the store and upto the counter, where Mr. Cohen was apparently trying to drive a closebargain for the Australian(?) diamonds, but really waiting for some signfrom the men closeted in his office. 

He paused at the entrance of the new-comer, bowed gravely, and politelyinquired:

"What can I do for you, sir?"

"I'm sorry to give you any trouble, " the detective returned, in quick, sharp tones, "but it is my duty to arrest this man! You are my prisoner, sir, " he concluded, laying his hand on the shoulder of the supposedminer. 

A startled oath broke from the man's lips, and he made an agile springfor the door. 

But the detective was too quick for him, and deftly placed a pair oftwisters about his wrists, with such force as to wring a howl of agonyfrom him. 

"None of that, my fine fellow, " Mr. Rider said, sternly, as he slylytried to slip his other hand underneath his coat, and he gave thetwisters another forcible turn. "Just you let that revolver alone. "

"All right, " said the miner, apparently yielding; "but what's the charge?Ye can't expect a fellar to submit very tamely to this kind o' thingwithout knowing what he's nabbed for. "

"I arrest you for robbery. These diamonds are stolen property, " was thebrief reply of the detective. 

"You don't say!" drawled the man, in a tone of sarcastic wonder. "Perhapsye'll be good enough to prove what ye assert. "

The detective could but admire the cool effrontery of the fellow, but hequietly responded:

"It has already been proved--those large diamonds have just beenidentified. "

"Ah!"

The miner said no more, but quietly submitted to have a pair of handcuffssnapped on his wrists. 

The diamonds were secured, and the prisoner was marched off to thestation-house, while Ezra Cohen gave utterance to a sigh of relief overthe fact that he had made no mistake. 

CHAPTER IX. 

MR. RIDER RECEIVES ANOTHER SET-BACK. 

Jake Walton, as the supposed miner gave his name, was thoroughly searchedby Detective Rider, after reaching the station-house, but nothingsuspicious was found upon him except a revolver. He had considerablemoney, but nothing to indicate that he had ever been concerned in anyrobbery, or to confirm the belief that he was other than he pretended tobe. 

He submitted to being searched with the utmost indifference, butdrawlingly remarked during the operation, he "supposed they'd takebail--he wasn't used to bein' shut up, and it would come pretty toughon him. "

"Of course the magistrate will accept suitable bail, " said Rider, notimagining that the prisoner could find any one to go security for him tothe large sum likely to be asked. 

The miner requested that a lawyer might be sent to him at once, afterwhich he coolly sat down, drew out a morning paper, and began to read. 

Later in the day a legal gentleman presented himself in his cell, andthere followed a long consultation between the two, and toward eveningthe lawyer, after consulting with a police justice, called at theSouthern Hotel and inquired for a lady by the name of Mrs. J. M. Walton. 

Yes, there was such a person stopping there, the clerk informed him, whereupon the lawyer sent up his card to her with the request that shewould grant him a private interview. 

The messenger returned in about fifteen minutes, saying the lady wouldreceive him in her private parlor. Upon being conducted thither, hefound a handsome elderly woman awaiting him, and immediately explainedhis business, relating the circumstances of the arrest of Jake Walton, and concluded by telling her that he had been employed as counsel forthe young man, who had sent him to her to arrange for bail. 

Mrs. Walton appeared to be greatly disturbed by these disagreeabletidings. She said she had come there expecting to meet her son, who hadjust returned from Australia, and it was very trying to be told thathe had been arrested for theft. Then she inquired what amount would berequired for security. 

The counsel named the sum fixed by the police justice, whereupon Mrs. Walton appeared to be considerably agitated for a moment. 

"I am an entire stranger in the city, " she remarked, recovering herselfsomewhat. "I know no one to whom I could appeal to become bound for solarge a sum. What can I do?"

"Have you plenty of means at your disposal, madame?" her companioninquired. 

"Yes, I could give bail to almost any reasonable amount, only being astranger here, I fear it would not be accepted from me, " the ladyreturned, with a look of anxiety. 

"No; but I think I can suggest a way out of that difficulty, " said thelawyer, with a crafty smile. 

"Then do so, " said Mrs. Walton, quickly; "I am willing to pay handsomelyto secure the release of my son from his uncomfortable position. "

"Very well. Then if you can command the sum named you can deposit it inone of the city banks and I will attend to all other formalities for you. Of course, the money will be returned to you after the trial of yourson. "

"Could such arrangements be made?" Mrs. Walton eagerly inquired. 

"Certainly. All that is required is sufficient security to insure theyoung man's appearance at his trial, and then he will be released. "

"Then I can arrange it, " the woman said, apparently greatly relieved;and after discussing ways and means a while longer, the lawyer took hisleave. 

A few hours served to arrange matters satisfactorily to all parties. Thesum required was deposited in one of the city banks, and the cashier wasempowered to pay it over to the city treasurer, if Jake Walton failedto appear at the time named to answer to the charge of complicity in thePalmer diamond robbery. He was then released, the lawyer was handsomelyremunerated for his efficient services, and Mrs. Walton and her sonreturned to the Southern Hotel. 

It was on their way thither that they entered the car in which Mona wasalso returning to the hotel, and when she made the discovery that thewoman had on the very dress which the charming Mrs. Vanderbeck had wornon the day of the Palmer robbery. 

We know what followed--how she immediately sent on to Ray for the scrapof cloth, and how, later, she found that it exactly fitted the rent inthe dress. 

We know, also, how, immediately following this discovery, she sought theheadquarters of the detective force, where she opportunely encounteredMr. Rider, and related to him the discoveries which she had made. 

Mrs. Walton had not appeared personally in connection with theformalities regarding the release of her son. 

Everything had been conducted by the shrewd lawyer, so Detective Riderhad not met her at all; but he felt confident, when Mona described her, together with her dress, that she was not the mother of Jake Waltonat all, but one of the "gang" who had so successfully robbed differentparties during the last two or three years. 

The moment the young girl disappeared from the office, after herinterview with him, the detective executed a number of antics whichwould have done credit to a practiced athlete. 

"The girl is a cute little body, " he muttered, with a chuckle, as he satdown to rest a moment, and plan his course of action, "and it is luckyfor me that she happened to be in St. Louis just at this time andstopping at that very hotel. I wonder, " he added, with a frown, "that Ididn't think that the woman who gave bail, might be one of the gang. ByJove!" with a sudden start, "I believe that money, which she depositedin the bank as security, is only a blind after all, and _they both intendto skip_! What a wretched blunder it was to accept bail anyway! But I'llcage both birds this time, only what I do must be done quickly. They musthave done a smashing big business in diamonds, " he went on, musingly;"and there are evidently two women and one man associated. This Mrs. Walton is doubtless the old one who tricked Doctor Wesselhoff, and thatred-headed Mrs. Vanderbeck, I am still confident, is none other than theWidow Bently, who did Justin Cutler and Mrs. Vander_heck_ out of theirmoney. I'd just like to get hold of all three! Tom Rider, if you onlycould, it would be a feather in your cap such as doesn't often waveover the head of an ordinary detective, not to mention the good roundsum that would swell your pocket-book! But half a loaf is better thanno bread, and so here goes! I'll arrest them both, and shall object toanybody going bail for them. "

Highly elated over the prospect before him, the man brushed his neat suituntil there wasn't an atom of dust upon it, polished his boots until hecould see his own face reflected in them, rearranged his necktie in thelast new style, then ran lightly down stairs, and hastened, with quick, elastic tread, toward the Southern Hotel, where he expected to accomplishsuch great results. 

 * * * * *

"Where have you been, Ruth?" exclaimed Mrs. Montague, in an irritatedtone, as Mona entered that lady's parlor upon her return from thedetective's office. "I wish you wouldn't go out without consultingme. I've been waiting here for a long time for you to mend these gloves. "

"I am very sorry, " Mona returned, flushing, "but after you went outto drive I assisted the chambermaid, who was nearly crazy with thetoothache, to put some of the rooms in order; then, as you had notreturned, I went out for a little walk. "

"Well, I don't mind about the walk, but I didn't bring you with me to dochamber-work in every hotel we stop at, " sharply retorted the muchannoyed lady. "You can go at the gloves right away, " she added; "thenI shall want you to help me pack, for we are to leave on the first boatto-morrow morning. And, " she concluded, thus explaining to Mona herunusual irritability, "we've got to make the trip alone, after all, formy friend is worse this morning, and so the whole family have given itup. "

"I am sorry that you are to be disappointed. I should suppose you wouldwish to give it up yourself. I am afraid you will not enjoy it at all, "Mona replied, wondering why she did not at once return to New Yorkinstead of keeping on. 

"Of course, I shall not enjoy it, " snapped the woman, but bestowing asearching glance upon her companion, "and I would not go on, only Louiswas to join us at New Orleans, and it is too late now to change hisplans. "

Mona's face fell at this unexpected and disagreeable intelligence. 

The last thing she desired was Louis Hamblin's companionship, and shewould have been only too glad to return at once to New York. 

"Could you not telegraph to him?" she suggested. 

"No; for I suppose he has already left New York, " Mrs. Montague curtlyreplied. 

Mona was quite unhappy over the prospect before her; then it suddenlyoccurred to her that perhaps Detective Rider would need her as a witness, if he should arrest the Waltons, and in that case she would be compelledto return to New York. 

Still she felt very uncomfortable even with this hope to encourage her, and but for the discovery of that morning, she would have regrettedhaving consented to accompany Mrs. Montague upon her trip. 

She sat down to mend the gloves, with what composure she could assume, although her nerves were in a very unsettled state, for she wascontinually looking for a summons from Mr. Rider. 

When they were finished she helped about the packing of Mrs. Montague'swardrobe, and then repaired to her chamber, to get her own in readinessto leave; but still no word from the detective, and she thought it verystrange. 

It might have been an hour after Mona's return to the hotel, when thatofficial sauntered into the office, where he picked up a paper and lookedit over for a few minutes. Then he went to the counter, pulled theregister before him, and began to glance up and down its pages. 

He finally found the names he was searching for, then turning to theclerk, he requested that a boy might take a note from him to Mrs. J. M. Walton's room. 

"Mrs. Walton?" repeated the clerk, with some surprise. 

"Yes; I have a little matter of business with her, " said Mr. Rider, whointended to make his arrest very quietly. 

"I am sorry you did not come earlier, then, " regretfully responded theclerk, "for Mrs. Walton and her son left the hotel about two hours ago, "

The detective's heart sank with a sudden shock. 

Gone! his birds flown when he had them so nearly captured!

"Are you sure?" he sharply demanded, while in spite of his long andsevere training, he turned very white, and his under lip twitchednervously. 

"Certainly, or I should not have so stated, " returned the clerk, withsome dignity. "When young Mr. Walton settled his bill, he ordered acarriage to be in waiting at eleven o'clock, and both he and hismother left the house at that time. I regret your disappointment, sir, in missing them. "

This was almost more than Mr. Rider could bear; but he could not doubtthe man's word, and he feared the thieves had escaped him again. Theymust have left while Mona was telling him her story at the detectiveheadquarters. 

They had been very sharp. Finding themselves in a bad box, they hadplanned their movements with great cunning. He believed that Mrs. Waltonhad deposited the amount required for bail in the bank, with thedeliberate intention of forfeiting it, rather than have her accomplicebrought to trial; doubtless he was too useful to her to run any risk ofhis being found guilty, and imprisoned for a term of years, and thusput an end to their successful career. 

The detective berated himself soundly again for not objecting to theacceptance of bail at all, but it was too late now to remedy the matter. Regrets were useless, and he must bestir himself, strike a fresh trail, if possible, and hope for better results. 

He wondered why they had not skipped immediately after Jake Walton'srelease, but finally concluded that they had remained in the city for aday or two to disarm suspicion. 

"Where did they go?" he inquired, as soon as he could command his voiceto speak calmly. 

"To the Grand Union Station. I believe they were going North, for I heardthe young man say something about purchasing tickets, at reduced rates, for Chicago, " the clerk replied. 

"Had they baggage with them?" Mr. Rider questioned. 

"Yes, a trunk and a good-sized grip, " said the man. 

The detective thought a moment. 

Then he called for writing materials, hastily wrote a few lines, which hesealed, and directed to "Miss Richards. "

"There is a young lady by that name stopping here, I believe, " heremarked, as he laid the envelope before the clerk. 

"Yes; she is with a Mrs. Montague. "

"That is the lady, " said the detective. "Will you see that this letter isgiven into her own hands, and _privately_? It is a matter of importance. "

"Yes, sir, I will myself attend to the matter, " responded the obligingclerk. 

Mr. Rider deposited a piece of silver upon the envelope, touched his hat, and walked briskly from the hotel. 

He jumped into a carriage that was waiting before the door. 

"To the Grand Union Station, " he ordered. "Be quick about it, and youshall have double fare. "

The man was quick about it, but the train for Chicago had been gone sometime. 

Mr. Rider had of course expected this, but he at once sought an interviewwith the ticket agent, and made earnest inquiries regarding those who hadpurchased tickets for Chicago that morning; but he could learn of nopersons answering to the description of the miner and his supposedmother. 

If he could have obtained any intelligence regarding them, he hadintended to telegraph ahead, and order their arrest when they shouldarrive at the end of their journey. But of course it would be of no useto put this plan into execution now, as he doubted very much their havinggone to Chicago at all. 

He was very much disheartened, and retraced his steps to his hotel, witha sickening sense of total defeat. 

"Tom Rider, " he muttered, fiercely, as he packed his own grip to take thefirst train back to New York, "you might as well give up the business andtake up some trade; you've been hoodwinked by these clever thieves oftenenough. "

But there was a very dogged, resolute expression on his plain face, nevertheless, as he turned it northward, which betrayed that he did notmean to give up his search quite yet. 

That afternoon when Mona went down to dinner, the clerk of the hotelwaylaid her and quietly slipped an envelope into her hand. 

"Thank you, " she said, in a low tone, and hastily concealed it in herpocket. 

When she was alone again she broke it open and read, with almost as muchdisappointment as the detective himself had experienced, when he foundthat his birds had flown, these words:

"Gone! They gave us the slip about eleven o'clock. Save the scrap ofcloth--it may be needed later. R. "

"Oh, dear!" sighed Mona, regretfully; "and the Palmer robbery is still asmuch of a mystery as ever. "

CHAPTER X. 

THE PLOT AGAINST MONA THICKENS. 

The next morning Mrs. Montague and her young companion left the SouthernHotel and proceeded directly on board one of the palatial steamers whichply between St. Louis and New Orleans. 

Mrs. Montague secured one of the best staterooms for their use, andimmediately made herself comfortable for the trip. 

The weather was very fine, the season advanced, for the foliage wasrapidly developing to perfection, and the sail down the broad tortuousriver was delightful. 

Mona enjoyed it, in spite of her dread of meeting Louis Hamblin at theend of it, and her anxiety to get back to New York and Ray. 

Mrs. Montague had entirely recovered her good nature; indeed, she hadnever been so kind and gracious toward her seamstress as during thisportion of their trip. She appeared to exert herself to make her enjoyit--was more free and companionable, and an observer would have regardedthem as relatives and equals. 

Mrs. Montague made many acquaintances, as she always did everywhere, andentered most heartily into every plan for amusing and entertaining theparty on board the steamer. 

The days were mostly spent in delightful intercourse and promenades ondeck, where Mona was put forward and made to join in the pleasures; whilethe evenings were devoted to tableaux, charades, music, and dancing, asthe passengers desired. 

It seemed almost like a return to her old life before her uncle's death, and could she have obliterated all sadness and painful memories, Monawould have enjoyed it thoroughly. 

They had barely touched the levee at New Orleans when they espied LouisHamblin, dressed with great care and in the height of style, awaitingtheir arrival. 

Mrs. Montague signaled to him from the upper deck; and he, with ananswering wave of his hand, sprang aboard, and quickly made his wayto her side. 

He greeted her with evident pleasure, remarking that it seemed an agesince he had seen her, and then he turned to Mona, with outstretchedhand and smiling eyes. 

"How well you are looking, Miss Richards, " he remarked; "your trip hasdone you a great deal of good. "

Mona bowed, but without appearing to notice his extended hand, and thenshe turned away to gather their wraps and satchels, preparatory to goingashore. 

Mr. Hamblin frowned at her coldness, but a peculiar smile curved his lipsas he whispered in Mrs. Montague's ear:

"We'll soon bring your proud beauty to better terms. "

"Don't be rash, Louis, " she returned; "we must be very wary if we wouldaccomplish our purpose. You say you love the girl, and I have consentedto let you have your way, but, since she is not inclined to accept youradvances, you will have to play your cards very shrewdly if you expectto win. "

"All right; I will be circumspection personified, if you will only helpme to make that girl my wife, " the young man said earnestly. "I do loveher with all my heart; and, Aunt Margie, I'll quit sowing wild oats, turnover a new leaf, and be a good man if I succeed in this. "

Mrs. Montague regarded him somewhat skeptically, as he made this eageravowal, but it was almost immediately followed by a look of anxiety. 

"I hope you will--you certainly owe me that much after all that I havedone for you, " she returned. "Mind you, " she added, "I never would haveyielded this point if I had not been driven to it. "

"Driven to it! How?" inquired her nephew, regarding her searchingly. 

"Driven to it, because I have found out that she is Mona Montague, andI'm afraid that she has an eye to her father's property. I believe she isvery keen--doubtless she knows that she has a legal claim upon what heleft, and means to assert it, or she never would have so cunningly wormedherself into my family. Of course it will be difficult for her to proveher position, since I have that certificate of marriage; still she mayhave some other proof that I know nothing about which she is secretlyworking. Of course I'd rather you would marry her, " Mrs. Montaguegloomily observed, "and thus make our interests mutual, than run any riskof losing the whole of my money. Still, I did want you to marry KittyMcKenzie: I wanted you to fortify yourself with additional wealth. "

"I have suspected that the girl was Mona all along, " Louis quietlyremarked. 

"Oh, have you?" sharply retorted his aunt, as she studied his face withsuspicious eyes. "Perhaps you have been plotting to marry her for thesole purpose of getting this fortune wholly under your control. "

"Pshaw! Aunt Margie, how foolish you are! Haven't I always worked foryour interests? More than that, haven't you always assured me that thefortune would be mine eventually? Why, then, should I plot for it?" theyoung man replied, in soothing tones, but coloring beneath her glance. "Itell you, " he went on, a note of passion in his voice, "I love the girl;I would even be willing to marry her without a dollar in prospect, andthen go to work to support her. Now come, do not let us quarrel overimaginary troubles, but unite our forces for our mutual benefit. Itwill be far safer for you if she becomes my wife, for then you willhave nothing to fear, and I shall have won the desire of my heart. "

"Well, it will have to be, I suppose, " said Mrs. Montague, moodily. "Iwonder how I was ever so deceived though, when she looks so like MonaForester. I can understand now why Ray Palmer was so attentive to her atHazeldean. Strange it never occurred to me, when I saw him waiting uponher, that she was Mona Montague, and they must have had a quiet laugh bythemselves over having so thoroughly hoodwinked us. "

"They didn't hoodwink me, " Mr. Hamblin affirmed, with a sly smile; "Iknew all the time who she was. "

"I don't see how you knew it, " Mrs. Montague retorted, impatiently. 

"I will tell you. I was in Macy's one day when the girl ran across someacquaintances. She bowed and smiled to them, as I suppose she had alwaysbeen in the habit of doing; but the petted darlings of _le bon ton_ drewthemselves up haughtily, stared rudely at her, and passed on, while thepoor child flushed, then paled, and looked ready to drop. A moment later, the two proud misses shot by me, one of them remarking with curling lipsand a toss of her head, 'Do you suppose that Mona Montague expects thatwe are going to recognize her now?'"

"Why didn't you tell me this before?" Mrs. Montague angrily demanded. 

"Because I knew that, if you suspected her identity, you would turn herout of the house forthwith, and then I should have hard work getting intoher good graces. "

"You are a sly one, Louis. "

"One must look out for one's own interests in some respects, " he coollyresponded. 

"Does she know that you suspect her identity?"

"No, not yet; but I mean she soon shall. "

"Ah!" said Mrs. Montague, with sudden thought, "maybe you can use thisknowledge to aid your suit--only don't let her know that I am in thesecret until you are sure of her. "

"That has been my intention all along--for I have meant to marry her, byhook or crook, " and the young man smiled complacently. 

"Look out, Louis; don't overreach yourself, " said his companion, bendingforward, and looking warningly into his face. "If you make an enemy ofme, I warn you, it will be the worse for you. "

"My dear aunt, I have no intention of making an enemy of you--you and Ihave been chums too long for any ill-will to spring up between us now. But, " he concluded, looking about him, "we must not remain here talkingany longer; most of the passengers have already left the boat I will gofor a carriage and we will drive directly to the St. Charles, where Ihave rooms engaged for you. "

Mrs. Montague turned to call Mona, who was standing at some distance fromthem, watching the men unload the boat. 

"Come, " she said, "we must go ashore. "

Mona followed her from the boat, and into the carriage, utterly ignoringLouis Hamblin's assistance as she entered. She shrank more and more fromhim, while a feeling of depression and foreboding suddenly changed herfrom the bright, care-free girl, which she had seemed ever since leavingSt. Louis, into a proud, reticent, and suspicious woman. 

Upon reaching the St. Charles Hotel, Mrs. Montague informed Mona thatdinner would be served shortly, and she would need to be expeditious inmaking her toilet. 

"I should prefer not to go to the dining-room, " Mona began, flushing. 

"But I wish you to, for we are going to drive afterward to some of thepoints of interest in the city, " Mrs. Montague returned. 

"If you will excuse me--"

"Nonsense, " retorted her companion, again interrupting her; "don't be agoose, Ruth! I want you with me, and we will not discuss the point anyfurther. "

Mona hesitated a moment, then turned away, but with a dignity whichwarned Mrs. Montague that it might not be well to enforce her commandstoo rigorously, or she might rebel outright. 

Mona went down to the dining-room, but to her great relief received nodisagreeable attentions from Mr. Hamblin, who sat on the right, while herseat was on the left of his aunt. He did not address her during the meal, except to ascertain if she was properly waited upon by the servants. 

Afterward they went for a drive out on the shell road, which proved tobe really delightful, for the city was in its prime, while, rain havingfallen early in the day, the streets were not in the least dusty. 

Mrs. Montague and Louis monopolized the conversation, thus leaving Monafree to look around about her. 

The only thing that occurred to annoy her was on their return to thehotel. Louis, in assisting her to alight, held her hand in a close, lingering clasp for a moment, and, looking admiringly into her eyes, remarked, in a low tone:

"I hope you have enjoyed your drive, Miss--Richards. "

What could he mean, Mona asked herself, by that significant pause beforeand that emphasis on her name?

She forcibly wrenched her hand from his, and deigning him no reply, walked with uplifted head into the hotel, and up to her own room. 

The next day she politely, but firmly, declined to go out driving, andremained by herself to write a long letter to Ray; thus she avoided thehated companionship of the man, who became more and more odious to her. 

The third evening after their arrival Mrs. Montague went to a concertwith some people whose acquaintance she had made while on the steamer, and Mona congratulated herself that she could have a long quiet eveningin which to read a book in which she had become deeply interested. 

She had not a thought of being interrupted, for she supposed that Louishad accompanied his aunt, and she was sitting contentedly by the table inMrs. Montague's private parlor, when she heard the door behind her openand close. 

She looked up surprised, but the expression was quickly succeeded by oneof dismay when she saw Louis Hamblin advancing toward her. 

She arose, regarding him with cold displeasure. 

He bowed politely as he remarked:

"Do not rise. I simply came to get some letters that Aunt Margie wishedme to mail for her. "

Mona resumed her seat, greatly relieved at this assurance, and went onwith her reading, while the young man took up his aunt's writing-pad, which lay upon the table, as if to search for the letters. 

He took out a couple and slipped them into his pocket; then selecting apen, began himself to write. 

Mona felt very uncomfortable, sitting there alone with him, but she kepthoping that he would soon go out again, and so went on with her reading. 

Presently, however, he laid down his pen, and, glancing across the tableat her, asked:

"What book have you that is so interesting?"

"The Senator's Bride, '" Mona briefly responded. 

"Ah! I have never read it. What do you think of it?"

"It is quite entertaining, " was the brief, cold reply. 

"Pray, do not be so cold and proud--so exceedingly laconic, " the youngman said, with a smile, which was intended to be persuasive. 

Instantly the young girl arose again, stately and frigid as an iceberg. 

She attempted to pass him and go to her own room, but he threw out hishand, seized her arm, and stopped her. 

"_Please_ do not go!" he urged, in an imploring tone. "I have somethingwhich I want very much to say to you. "

Mona's blood began to boil, and her eyes flashed dangerously at hispresumption in daring to touch her. 

She was too proud to struggle with him, and she could not shake off hishold upon her arm. 

"Release me, Mr. Hamblin!" she said, in ominously quiet tones. 

"Nay, _do_ not treat me so!" he pleaded. "Be kind to me for once, and letme open my heart to you. "

Her red lips curled. 

"_Will_ you let me pass?" she icily demanded. 

He colored hotly at her tone; a flash of anger gleamed in his eyes. 

"_No_. Be seated, _Miss Mona Montague_; I have something important to sayto you, " he said, in a tone that struck terror to her heart, while theutterance of her real name so startled and unnerved her that, almostinvoluntarily, she sank back into her chair, her face as white as herhandkerchief, and trembling in every limb. 

"Ah! that surprises you, doesn't it?" he remarked, with a smile oftriumph; "and now I imagine you will be more tractable. "

"What do you mean?" demanded Mona, recovering her composure somewhat, anddetermined not to commit herself, if she could avoid it. 

"What do I mean?" he repeated, with a light laugh. "I mean to have alittle private and serious conversation with Miss Mona Montague; and whenI have finished, I do not believe that she will treat me quite socavalierly as she has been doing of late. "

"I do not wish to hold any conversation with you, Mr. Hamblin, " Monabegan, haughtily. 

"Perhaps not, but you will, nevertheless, " he interposed; "and, let metell you, to begin with, it will be useless for you to ignore the name bywhich I have addressed you. I have discovered your identity in spiteof your clever efforts to represent some one else--or rather to concealyour personality. I know that you are Mona Montague, the daughter of myaunt's husband and a girl named Mona Forester--"

"Stay!" cried Mona, starting again to her feet, her eyes blazing. "I willnot hear my mother spoken of with any disrespect. "

"I beg your pardon; I had no intention of wounding you thus, " said theyoung man, regretfully, and flushing. "I simply wished you to understandthat I had discovered your identity; and since you have now virtuallyacknowledged it, by asserting that Mona Forester was your mother, I begyou will be reasonable, and talk the matter over calmly with me, andhear what I have to propose to you. "

Mona sank weakly back. 

She saw that it would be worse than useless to deny what he had asserted;she had indeed betrayed and acknowledged too much for that. 

"Very well. I will listen to what you wish to say, but be kind enough tobe brief, for I have no desire to prolong this interview beyond what isabsolutely necessary for your purpose, " she said, with freezing dignity. 

"Well, then, " Louis Hamblin began, "I have known who you were ever sinceyou came into Aunt Margie's house as a seamstress. "

Then he went on to explain how he learned it, and Mona, remembering theincident but too well, saw that it would be best to quietly accept thefact of his knowledge. 

"Does Mrs. Montague also know?" she asked, with breathless eagerness. 

"She suspected you at first, " he evasively answered, "but you sodiplomatically replied to her questions--you were so self-possessed underall circumstances, and especially so when one day you found a picture ofyour mother, that she was forced to believe your strange resemblance toMona Forester only a coincidence. "

CHAPTER XI. 

MONA IN A TRYING POSITION. 

Mona breathed more freely, for she believed from his evasive reply thatMrs. Montague did not now believe her to be Mona Forester's child. 

"I beg you will not tell her, " she said, impulsively, and then instantlyregretted having made the request. 

The young man's face lighted. 

If they could have a common secret he believed that he should make someheadway in his wooing. 

"That will depend upon how kind you are to me, " he said, meaningly. 

Mona's head went up haughtily again. His presumption, his assurance, bothannoyed and angered her. 

He affected not to notice her manner, and asked:

"What was your object, Miss Montague, in coming into my aunt's familyunder an assumed name?"

Mona thought a moment before replying; then she felt that since healready knew so much, it would do no harm to tell him the truth. 

"I had no intention at first of going anywhere under an assumed name, "she said, gravely. "I applied at an employment bureau for a situation asseamstress, and this position was obtained for me. I did not even knowthe name of the woman who had engaged me, until I entered Mrs. Montague'shouse. When I learned the truth, I was tempted to leave at once; but thedesire to learn more than I already knew regarding my parentage made mebold to brave discovery, and remain at least for a while, and so upon thespur of the moment I gave the name of Ruth Richards--Ruth is my middlename, and Richards very nearly like that of the man who married mymother--"

"Who married your mother?" questioned Louis Hamblin, in a mocking tone. 

"Yes; they were legally married. I at least know that much, " said Mona, positively, determined to make him think she fully believed it. 

"How did you learn so much?"

"My uncle assured me of the fact only the day before he died. "

"Your uncle? You mean Walter Dinsmore, I suppose?"

"Yes; of course. "

"How much of your history did he reveal to you?" questioned the youngman, eagerly. 

"I do not feel under any obligation to tell you that, " Mona coldlyanswered. 

"Now, Miss Montague, " Louis said, with well assumed frankness andfriendliness, "why will you persist in treating me as an enemy? Whywill you not have confidence in me, and allow me to help you? I knowyour whole history--I know, too, from what you have said, that you areignorant of much that is vital to your interests, and which I couldreveal to you, if I chose. Now forget any unpleasantness that may havearisen between us, tell me just what you hoped to learn by remaining inmy aunt's family, and, believe me, I stand ready to help you. "

Mona lifted her great liquid brown eyes, and searched his face. 

Oh, how she longed to know the truth about her mother; but she distrustedhim--she instinctively doubted his sincerity. 

He read something of this in her glance, and continued, hoping to disarmher suspicions:

"Of course you know that Aunt Margie is, or was, Richmond Montague'ssecond wife--"

"Ah! by that statement you yourself virtually acknowledge that my motherwas his first wife, " triumphantly interposed Mona. "As I said before, myuncle assured me of the fact, but your admission is worth something to meas corroborative evidence. All that I desire now is tangible proof of it;if you can and will obtain that for me, I shall have some faith in yourassertion that you wish to help me. "

"Are you so eager to claim, as your father, the man who deserted yourmother?" Louis Hamblin asked, with a sneer, and wishing to sound her alittle further. 

"No; I simply want proof that my mother was a legal wife--I have onlyscorn and contempt for the man who wronged her, " Mona replied, intenseaversion vibrating in her tones. "I regard him, as my uncle did, as aknave--a brute. "

"Did Walter Dinsmore represent him as such to you?" inquired hercompanion, in a mocking tone. 

"He did; he expressed the utmost contempt and loathing for the man whohad ruined his sister's life. "

The young man gave vent to a short, derisive laugh. 

"I cannot deny the justness of the epithets applied to him, " he said, with a sneer, "but, that such terms should have fallen from theimmaculate lips of the cultured and aristocratic Walter Dinsmore, ratheramuses me, especially as the present Mrs. Dinsmore might, with somereason, perhaps, bring the same charges against him. "

"Did you know my uncle?" Mona questioned, with some surprise. 

"Not personally; but Mrs. Montague knew him very well years ago. "

"Oh! I wonder if you could tell me--" Mona began, greatly agitated, asshe recalled the dreadful suspicion that had flashed into her mindregarding her uncle, in connection with her father's death. 

"If I could tell you what?" Louis inquired, while he wondered whatthought could have so suddenly blanched her face, and sent that look ofterror into her beautiful eyes. 

"Oh, I want to know--did he--how did my father die?" the young girlcried, in faltering, trembling tones. 

Louis Hamblin regarded her with unfeigned astonishment at the question. 

"How did your father die?" he repeated. "Why, like any other respectablegentleman--in his own house, and of an incurable disease. "

"Oh! then he did die a natural death, " breathed Mona, with a sigh ofrelief that was almost a sob. 

"Certainly. Ah!" and her companion appeared suddenly to divine herthoughts, "so you imagined that Walter Dinsmore killed Richmond Montaguefor the wrong done your mother! Ha! ha! I have no doubt that he feltbitter enough to commit murder, or almost any other act of violence, toavenge her; but let me assure you, Miss Montague, that that high-tonedgentleman never soiled his hands with blood; and if that was yourthought--"

"It is no matter what I thought, " Mona hastily, but coldly, interposed, for she had no intention of confessing any such suspicion; but she wasgreatly relieved to learn that it had no foundation, and she now bitterlyreproached herself for having even momentarily entertained a thought ofanything that had been so foreign to her uncle's noble nature. 

"To go back to what we were speaking of before, " she continued, gravely, "will you furnish me with tangible proof of my mother's marriage? I knowthat she eloped with Richmond Montague, that they lived together forseveral months, when he suddenly deserted her, and that there is somemystery connected with that event--something which my uncle hesitated orfeared to tell me. I know, too, that he was very anxious to revealsomething more to me when he lay dying, and could not, because he hadbeen stricken speechless. But for that fact, I believe I should notnow be obliged to ask this favor of you, " she concluded, flushing. 

"Does it gall you so much, to ask a favor of me?" he inquired, bitterly. "But why, " he went on, without waiting for a reply, "are you soexceedingly anxious to obtain this proof? Do you expect by the useof it to secure to yourself the property left by your father? Was thatyour object in remaining in my aunt's family under an assumed name?"

"No!" Mona vehemently returned. "I would not touch one dollar of hismoney. I would scorn to profit by so much as a penny of the fortune leftby the man who deserted his wife in her sad extremity, and then, whendeath freed him from the tie which bound him to her, married a woman whomhe did not love; who possessed so little of fatherly instinct in hisnature, that he never acknowledged his child, nor betrayed the slightestinterest in or affection for her. I would never own him for such apurpose; while, were it not for the sake of establishing my mother'shonor, I would even repudiate the name I bear, " she concluded, looking soproud and beautiful in her righteous scorn that the young man gazed uponher with admiration. 

"You are very proud-spirited, " he remarked; then, with a sly smile, "butas for the name you affect to so despise, it would be an easy matter tochange it. "

Mona colored at this observation, not because she gave a thought to hismeaning, but because she hoped it would not be so very long before shewould change the hated name of Montague for the honored one of Palmer. 

Her companion noticed the flush, and an eager look flashed into his eyes, while his lips trembled with the torrent of burning words which he longedto pour into her ears. But he controlled himself for the moment, andcontinued:

"You ask me if I will give you the tangible proof of your mother'smarriage. I have told you that I can do so; that I know the whole storyof the elopement and the desertion. I can produce absolute proof thatMona Forester was a legal wife. "

"Then give it to me--give it to me and I will believe that you are myfriend, " Mona cried, appealingly, and trembling with excitement at hisstatement. 

"I will do so gladly, " the young man said, a smile of triumph curling hislips, "but I can only do so conditionally. "

"Conditionally?" repeated Mona, her great eyes flashing up to his facewith a startled look. 

"Yes. I can produce the certificate proving your father's and mother'shonorable marriage. I can give you letters that will also prove it, andprove, too, that your father was not quite so disreputable and heartlessas you have been led to believe. There is also a picture of him, paintedon ivory, and set in a frame of gold, embellished with costly stones, which he had made for his wife, and there are valuable jewels and otherkeepsakes which he bestowed upon her with lavish hands, and which nowrightly belong to you. All these I will give you if--if you will marryme--if you will be my wife, Mona. "

The girl sprang to her feet, every atom of color now gone from her face, and confronted him with haughty mien. 

"_Your wife_!" she began, pantingly. But he would not let her go on--hemeant at least to explain himself more fully before allowing her toreject him. 

"Yes, why not?" he asked, throwing into his tone all the tenderness hecould command, "for I love you, Mona, with all my heart. I have told youso once before, but you would not believe me. You taunted me withunworthy motives, and asserted that I would not dare to confess myaffection to my aunt; but I have confessed it, and she is willing that Ishould win you. I know that I have paid devoted attention to KittyMcKenzie, as you also twitted me of doing, and Aunt Margie wanted me tomarry her; but when she found that I had no love to give her, that myheart was set upon you, she yielded the point, and I now have her fulland free consent to make you my wife. Do not scorn my suit, Mona; Icannot think of you as Ruth Richards any longer; do not curl your proudlips and flash your glorious eyes upon me with scorn, as you did that dayat Hazeldean, for I offer you a warm and loyal heart. I know, that I amnot worthy of you, " he went on, flushing and speaking humbly for once, for he was terribly in earnest; "I have been guilty of a great manythings which I have learned to regret, since I have known you; but I canconquer everything if you will give me your love as an incentive, and Iwill be a better man in the future. I will even _work_ for you, if you sodespise the fortune which your father left and which I have expected toinherit from my aunt. Oh, Mona, do not despise my love for you, for it isthe purest attribute of my nature, and--"

"Pray cease, " Mona here interposed, for she felt unable to hear any moreof this passionate avowal, while she was greatly surprised and reallymoved by the depth of feeling which he evinced. "I would be the lastone, " she continued, in kind, grave tones, but with averted eyes andtrembling lips, "to despise the true affection of any man. If I saidanything to wound you that day at Hazeldean, I regret it now, althoughI felt at the time that you showed some disrespect in your manner ofapproaching me. But I cannot be your wife; if you make that thecondition"--and her lips curled a trifle here--"of my learning themystery regarding my father's desertion of my mother, and securing theproof of their marriage; then I must forever relinquish all such hopes, for I could never marry a man--"

"But, " he interrupted, excitedly. 

"Let me finish, " she persisted, lifting her hand to stay his words. "Nowoman should ever become the wife of a man she cannot love. I do not loveyou, Mr. Hamblin, and knowing this, you would not respect me if I shouldyield to your suit. Let me assure you that I honor you for some thingsyou said to-day--that you would be willing to work for one whom youloved; that you would even relinquish a fortune for her sake. Believe me, I respect you and appreciate such an avowal, and only regret that yourregard could not have been bestowed upon some one who could return suchdevotion. I cannot, but, Mr. Hamblin, I feel more friendly toward you atthis moment than I have ever felt before. I beg, however, " she concluded, sadly, "that you will never address me thus again, for it gives me painto know that any one's life should be marred through me; put thisaffection away from you--crush it in your heart, and seek some dear, goodgirl who will love you and make you happier than I possibly could, if Ishould yield to your suit without any heart to give you. "

"Put this love out of my heart! crush it!" burst forth the young man, with pale lips. "Could you do that, Mona Montague, if the man you lovedshould stand coldly up before you and bid you to do so?"

Mona flushed, and hot tears sprang into her eyes. She knew, but too well, that she could never crush out of her heart her love for Raymond Palmer. 

If Louis Hamblin had bestowed but a tithe of such affection uponher there was indeed a sad future in store for him, and the deepestsympathies of her nature were aroused for him. 

"I am sorry--" she began, falteringly, as she lifted her swimming eyesto his face, and both look and tone stirred him to hot rebellion, for heknew well enough of what she had been thinking. 

"How sorry are you?" he cried, in a low, intense tone; "sorry enough totry to do for me what you have bidden me do for another? Will you crushyour love for Ray Palmer, and bestow it upon me?"

Mona recoiled beneath these fierce, hot words, while she inwardlyresented the selfishness and rudeness of his question. 

Still she tried to make some allowance for his bitter disappointment andevident suffering. 

"I do not think you have any right to speak to me like that, " she said, in tones of gentle reproof, though her face was crimson with consciousblushes. 

"Have I no right to say to you what you have said to me?" he demanded. "You have said that no woman should marry a man whom she does not love, while, in the very next breath you bid me go 'seek for some dear, goodgirl, ' and ask her to marry me, who can never love any woman but you. Are you considerate--are you consistent?"

"Perhaps not, " she returned, sorrowfully, "but I did not mean to beinconsistent or to wound you--I could hardly believe that you cared sodeeply! I hoped you might be mistaken in your assertion that no otheraffection could be rooted in your heart. "

"There may be other natures besides your own that are capable oftenacious affection, " he retorted, with exceeding bitterness. 

"True, " Mona said, sighing heavily, "but, " driven to desperation, andfacing him with sudden resolution, "I cannot respond to your suit as youwish; I can never be your wife, for--perhaps, under the circumstances, I ought to make the confession--I am already pledged to another. "

CHAPTER XII. 

THE SECRET OF THE ROYAL MIRROR. 

Mona's eyes were averted and she was greatly embarrassed as she made theacknowledgment of her engagement, therefore she could not see the lookof anger and evil purpose which suddenly swept every expression oftenderness from Louis Hamblin's face. 

He could not speak for a moment, he was so intensely agitated by herconfession. 

"Of course, I cannot fail to understand you, " he remarked, at last. "Youmean that you are engaged to Ray Palmer, and that accounts for theattentions which he bestowed upon Ruth Richards at Hazeldean. You twowere very clever, but even then I had read between the lines and knewwhat you have just told me. "

"You knew, and yet presumed to make this avowal? You dared to ask anotherman's promised wife to marry you!" Mona exclaimed, all her embarrassmentnow gone, her scornful eyes looking straight into his. 

"Well, perhaps I should not say I knew, but I surmised, " he confessed, his glance wavering beneath hers. 

"That is but a poor apology, " she retorted, in the same tone as before;"you certainly have betrayed but very little respect for me if you even'surmised' the truth, and would ask me to regard my plighted troth solightly as to break it simply to gratify your own selfishness. "

"And your respect for me has waned accordingly, I suppose you would beglad to add, " Louis Hamblin interposed, with a sneer. 

Mona made him no answer. She began to think that she had overestimatedthe purity of his motives--that all her recent sympathy had been expendedupon an unworthy object. 

"You will not forget, however, that I made the promise to surrendercertain proofs and keepsakes conditional upon your yielding to my suit, "he added, with cold resoluteness. 

"No honorable man would make such conditions with the woman he professedto love, " retorted Mona, with curling lips. 

"A man, when he is desperate, will adopt almost any measure to achievehis object, " her companion responded, hotly. 

"We will not argue the matter further, if you please, " Mona said, frigidly, as she took up her book, which she had laid upon the tablewhen she arose, and started to leave the room. 

"Mona, do not go away like this--you shall not leave me in such a mood!"the young man cried, as he placed himself in her path. "Do you not seethat I am filled with despair--that I am desperate?"

"I am sorry, " she answered, gravely, "but I can tell you nothingdifferent--my answer is final, and your own sense of what is rightshould make you realize and submit to it. "

"Then you do not care for the marriage certificate and other proofs?" hesaid. 

Again the young girl's lips curled with infinite scorn. 

"Did you suppose that my love and my hand were, like articles ofmerchandise, to be bought and sold?" she asked, with scathing sarcasm. "Yes, I do care for--I do want the proofs; but they are not to bementioned in connection with such sacred subjects, " she went on, withdignity. "If you were really my friend you would never have suggestedanything of the kind; you would have been glad to help me to any proofthat would relieve my mind and heart from the harassing doubts regardingthe history of my parents. If such proofs exist, as you claim, theyrightly _belong_ to me, and you are uncourteous, not to say dishonorable, in keeping them from me. "

"People are not in the habit of resigning important documents simply forthe sake of preserving themselves from the charge of discourtesy, " Louislaconically observed. 

"I am to understand from that, I suppose, that you will not give them tome, " Mona remarked. "Well, since I _know_ that there was no blame orshame attached to my mother--since I know that she was only a victim tothe wickedness of others--it will not matter so very much if I do nothave the tangible proofs you possess, and I must try to be contentwithout them. "

She made another attempt to leave the room, but he still stood in herway. 

"I cannot--I will not give you up, " he said, between his tightly lockedteeth. 

"You will be kind enough to let me pass, Mr. Hamblin. " Mona returned, andignoring his excited assertion. 

"No, I will not, " he fiercely replied. 

She lifted her eyes, and met his angry glance with one so proudlyauthoritative that he involuntarily averted his own gaze. 

"I beg that you will not cause me to lose all faith in you, " she quietlyremarked. 

A hot flush surged to his brow, and he instantly stepped aside, lookingcrestfallen and half-ashamed. 

Without another word, Mona passed from the room and entered her ownchamber. 

As soon as she had closed and locked the door, she sat down, and tried tothink over all that had been said about her mother; this one subjectfilled all her mind to the exclusion of everything else. 

But for Louis Hamblin's last remarks, and the betrayal of his realnature, and his selfish, ignoble purpose, she would have been grieved onhis account, but she saw that he was unworthy of her regard, of even onesorrowful thought. 

"These papers and keepsakes of which he has told me are mine, " she saidto herself; "they belong by right to me, and I must--I will have them. That certificate, oh! if I could get but that, I could give myself to Raywithout a scruple, and besides I could secure this property which HomerForester has left to my mother, and then I need not go to Ray quitepenniless. These things must be in either Louis Hamblin's or Mrs. Montague's possession--doubtless they are even now somewhere in the housein West Forty-ninth street. I shall tell Mr. Corbin immediately upon myreturn, and perhaps he will know of some way by which they can becompelled to give them up. "

She fell to musing over the matter, little suspecting that the mostimportant treasure of all--the contested marriage certificate--hadalready fallen into her lover's hands, and was at that moment safelylocked in Mr. Corbin's safe, only awaiting her own and Mrs. Montague'sreturn from the South to set her right before the world, both as toparentage and inheritance. 

Louis Hamblin remained in Mrs. Montague's parlor until her return fromthe concert, brooding over the failure of his purpose, and trying todevise some scheme by which he could attain the desire of his heart. 

He then gave her a faithful account of his interview with Mona, and theysat far into the night and plotted how best to achieve their object. 

Mrs. Montague was now as eager to have Louis marry Mona as she hadpreviously been determined to oppose it. 

"I am bound that she shall never go into the Palmer family, if I canprevent it, " she said, with a frowning brow. "If I am to be mistress ofMr. Palmer's home, I have no intention of allowing Mona Forester's childto be a blot on my future happiness. "

"You are complimentary, Aunt Marg, in your remarks regarding my futurewife, " Louis sarcastically observed. 

"I can't help it, Louis. I bear the girl no good-will, as you have knownfrom the first, and you must make up your mind to accept matters as theyare. You are determined to have her and I have given my consent to themarriage from purely selfish motives, " Mrs. Montague returned, in astraightforward, matter-of-fact tone. "I would never have consented, "she added, with a frown "if I had not feared that there is proof--besideswhat we possess--of Mona Forester's legal marriage, and that through itwe might some time lose our fortune. I should be in despair to be obligedto give it up--life without plenty of money is not worth living, and Iconsider that I was very shrewd and fortunate in getting possession ofthat certificate and those other things. "

"Did you bring them with you when you left home?"

"No; I never thought of them, " Mrs. Montague responded, with a start anda look of anxiety. "It is the first time I ever came away from homewithout them; but after I received that telegram and letter I had plentyon my mind, I assure you--my chief aim was to get that girl out of NewYork, and away to some safe place where we could work out our scheme. "

"But you ought never to leave such valuables behind, " said her nephew;"the house might take fire, and they would be all destroyed. "

"That would be but a small loss, " the woman retorted. "I have thought ahundred times that I would throw them all into the fire, and thus blotout of existence all that remained of the girl I so hated; but wheneverI have attempted to do so I have been unaccountably restrained. But Iwill do it as soon as we get home again, " she resolutely concluded. 

Louis Hamblin's eyes gleamed with a strange expression at this threat;but he made no reply to it. 

"But let us settle this matter of your marriage, " she resumed, after amoment of thought. "The girl shall marry you--I have brought her here forthat purpose, and if she will not be reasoned into compliance with ourwishes, she shall be compelled or tricked into it. But how, is thequestion. "

"I will agree to almost anything, so that I get her, " remarked hernephew, with a grim smile. 

The clock on the mantel-piece struck two before they separated, but theyhad decided on their plan of action, and only awaited the coming day todevelop it. 

Meanwhile strange things had been happening in Mona's room. 

We left her musing over her recent interview with Louis, and deeplyabsorbed in making plans to obtain possession of the proofs of hermother's marriage, which he had asserted he could produce. 

The more she thought of the matter the more determined she became toaccomplish her purpose, and she began to grow very anxious to returnto New York to consult with Ray and Mr. Corbin. 

"I wonder how much longer Mrs. Montague intends to remain here, " shemurmured. "She said she should return within a fortnight, but nearly thattime has expired already. I cannot understand her object in prolongingher stay, since she was disappointed about coming with the party. Ibelieve I will ask her to-morrow how soon we are to go back. "

Mona felt very weary after the unusual excitement of the evening; hernerves were also considerably unstrung, and she resolved not to wait forMrs. Montague's return, but retire at once. 

She arose and began to prepare for bed, but having sent some clothingaway to be washed that morning, she found that her night-robe had gonewith the other articles, and unlocking her trunk, she began to lookfor another. 

"I thought I put an extra one in the tray, " she mused, as she searchedfor but failed to find it. 

This obliged her to remove the tray and to unpack some of the contentsbeneath. 

While thus employed she took out a box, and without thinking what itcontained, carelessly set it across a corner of the trunk. 

She finally found the garment she needed, and then began to replace theclothing which she had been obliged to remove during her search. 

While thus engaged she turned suddenly to reach for something that hadslipped from her grasp, and in the act she hit her elbow against the boxsetting on the corner of her trunk, and knocked it to the floor. 

"Oh! my mirror!" she cried, in a voice of terror, and hastily gatheringup the box, uncovered it to see if the precious relic had been injured. 

To her great joy she found that it had not been broken by the fall; butas she lifted it from the box, to examine it still further, the bottom ofthe frame dropped out, and with it the things which Mr. Dinsmore hadconcealed within it. 

"Mercy!" Mona excitedly exclaimed; "it looks like a little drawer, andhere are some letters and a box which some one has hidden in it! Can itbe that these things once belonged to Marie Antoinette, and have beeninclosed in this secret place all these long years?" she wonderinglyquestioned. 

"No, surely not, for they would be yellow with age, " she continued, asshe began to examine them. 

"Ah!" with a start, and growing pale, "here is a letter addressed tome--_For Mona_--and in Uncle Walter's handwriting! He must have knownabout the secret of this mirror, and put these letters here with somespecial object in view. What can it mean?"

She grew dizzy--almost faint with the excitement of her discovery, andthe things dropped from her nerveless fingers upon her lap. 

"There is some secret here!" she whispered, as she gazed down at them, anexpression of dread in her startled eyes. "Perhaps it is the secret whichI have so long wanted to know! Can it be that the mystery of my mother'ssad fate is about to be solved--that Uncle Walter had not the courage totell me all, that never-to-be-forgotten morning, but wrote it out and hidit here for me to find later? Ah!" and she lifted her head as if suddenlyrecalling something, "this was what he tried to make me understand theday he died! He sent me for the mirror, not to remind me to keep italways, as I thought at the time, but to explain the secret of it, sothat I could find what he had hidden here. Oh, how he suffered because hecould not show me! Why could I not have understood?" and her tears fellthick and fast, as she thus lived over again that painful experience. 

She soon brushed them away, however, and lifting the mirror, examined itcarefully. 

She found that the tiny drawer would shove smoothly in and out, and shepushed it almost in, but took care not to quite close it. 

"There must be a spring somewhere to hold it in place, " she murmured, regarding it curiously. "Ah! now I feel it! But how is it operated? Howcan the drawer be opened again if I shut it entirely?"

She looked the mirror over most carefully, both on the back and front, but at first could detect nothing. But at length, as she still continuedto work the drawer in and out, she noticed that the central pearl andgold point at the top of the frame moved slightly as she pressed thedrawer close upon the spring, and she believed that she had discoveredthe Secret of the Royal Mirror. 

With a resolute air she shut it entirely and heard the click of thespring as it shot into its socket. Her reason told her that pressureapplied to that central point of pearl and gold would at once releasethe drawer again. 

She tried it, and instantly it dropped out upon her lap. 

"It is the strangest thing in the world. I feel almost as if I had openeda grave, " she murmured, a shiver running along her nerves. "My heartalmost fails me when I think of examining its contents--this letteraddressed to me, this package of letters, and the tiny box. I wonderwhat there is in it?"

She looked strangely beautiful as she sat there upon the floor, her facestartlingly pale, her eyes seeming larger than ever, with that wonderingexpression in their liquid depths, while she turned that little box overand over in her trembling hands, as if she tried to gather courage tountie the string that bound its cover on and look within it. 

At last she threw up her head with a determined air, gathered up all thethings she had found in the secret drawer, and rising, drew a chair toher table, where she sat down to solve the mystery. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

"I SHOULD THINK WE WERE OUT AT SEA!"

Mona's curiosity prompted her to examine the contents of the little boxfirst. 

She untied the narrow ribbon that was bound about it, lifted the coverand a layer of cotton, and discovered the two rings which we already knowabout. 

"My mother's wedding and engagement-ring!" Mona breathed, seeming to knowby instinct what they were. "They must have been taken from her fingersafter she was dead, and Uncle Walter has kept them all these years forme. Oh, why could he not have told me about them? I should have prizedthem so. " She lifted them from their snowy bed with reverent touch, remarking, as she did so, the size and great beauty of the diamond in theengagement-ring. 

"My dear, deeply wronged mother! how I should have loved you!" shemurmured. "I wonder if you know how tenderly I feel toward you; if youcan see me now and realize that I, the little, helpless baby, for whoselife you gave up your own, am longing for you with all my heart andsoul. "

She touched the rings tenderly with her lips, tears raining over hercheeks, while sob after sob broke from her. 

She wiped away her tears after a little, and tried the rings upon her ownfingers, smiling sadly to see how perfectly they fitted. 

"Mamma's hand must have been about the size of mine, " she said. "I thinkI must be very like her in every way. "

She slipped the heavy gold band off and bent nearer the light to examinethe inside, hoping to find some inscription upon it. 

She found only the date, "June 6th, 1861. "

"The date of her marriage, " she whispered, a little smile of triumphlighting her face, then removing the other ring from her hand, she laidthem both back in the box and put it one side, "Now for the letters, "she said, taking up the one addressed to herself and carefully cuttingone end across the envelope with a little knife taken from her pocket. 

She unfolded the closely written sheets, which she drew from it, withhands that trembled with nervous excitement. 

The next moment she was absorbed in their contents, and as she read astrange change came over her. 

At first there was a quick start, accompanied by a low exclamation ofsurprise, then a look of wonder shot into her great brown eyes. Suddenly, as she hungrily devoured the pages, her color fled, even her lips becamewhite, and an expression of keen pain settled about her mouth, but sheread on and on with breathless interest, turning page after page, untilshe came to the last one, where she found her uncle's name signed infull. 

"Now I know!" burst from her trembling lips, as the sheets fell from hernerveless hands and her voice sounded hollow and unnatural. "How very, very strange! Oh! Uncle Walter, why didn't you tell me? why didn'tyou--tell me?"

Her lips only formed those last words as her head fell back against herchair, all the light fading out of her eyes, and then she slipped awayinto unconsciousness. When she came to herself again she was cold, andstiff, and deathly sick. 

At first she could not seem to remember what had happened, for her mindwas weak and confused. Then gradually all that had occurred came back toher. 

She shivered and tried feebly to rub something of natural warmth into herchilled hands, then suddenly losing all self-control, she bowed her faceupon them, and burst into a passion of tears. 

"Oh, if I had only known before, " she murmured over and over again, withunspeakable regret. 

But she was worn out, and this excitement could not last. 

She made an effort to regain her composure, gathered up the scatteredsheets of her uncle's letter, restoring them to the envelope, and thentook up the other package which was bound with a scarlet ribbon. 

There were half a dozen or more letters and all superscribed in a bold, handsome hand. 

"They are my father's letters to my mother, " Mona murmured, "but I haveno strength to read them to-night. "

She put them back, with the other things, into the secret drawer in themirror, which she restored to its box, and then carefully packed it awayin her trunk, with all her clothing except what she wished to put on inthe morning. 

"I shall go back to New York to-morrow, " she said, with firmly compressedlips, as the last thing was laid in its place. "I cannot remain anotherday in the service of such a woman; and, since I have now learnedeverything, there is no need; I must go back to Ray and--happiness. "

A tender smile wreathed her lips as she prepared to retire, but she couldnot sleep after she was in bed, even though she was weak and exhaustedfrom the excitement of the last few hours, for her nerves throbbed andtingled with every beat of her pulses, and it was not until near morningthat slumber came to her relief. 

She was awake long before the gong for breakfast sounded, however, and rising immediately dressed herself for traveling, after which shefinished packing, and then went down to breakfast with a grave, resoluteface, which betrayed that she had some fixed purpose in her mind. 

Mrs. Montague regarded her with some surprise as she noticed her dress, but she made no remark, although she looked troubled and anxious. 

As soon as they arose from the table Mona went directly up stairs again, and waited at the door of Mrs. Montague's parlor until that lady made herappearance. 

Louis was with her, but Mona ignored his presence, and quietly asked:

"Can I see you alone for a few moments, Mrs. Montague?"

"Certainly, " she replied, giving the girl a sharp, curious glance, andimmediately preceded her into the room. "Well?" she inquired, turning andfacing her, the moment the door was closed, as if already she suspectedwhat was coming. 

"I simply wanted to tell you that I am going to return to New Yorkto-day, " Mona said, in a tone which plainly indicated that no argumentwould serve to change her determination. 

"Aren't you somewhat premature in your movements? What is your reason forwanting to go home in such a hurry?" Mrs. Montague demanded, withsome asperity. 

"There are a number of reasons. I have some business to attend to, forone thing, " Mona answered. 

Mrs. Montague appeared startled by this unlooked-for reply. She hadexpected that she would complain of Louis' persecution of the previousevening. 

"Do you think it just fair, Ruth, to leave me at such short notice?" sheinquired, after thinking a moment. 

"I am very sorry if my going will annoy you, " Mona said, "but you willhave Mr. Hamblin for an escort, and so you will not be left alone. I havemade up my mind to go, and I would like to leave at as early an hour aspossible. "

Mrs. Montague saw that it would be useless to oppose her, but a look ofcunning leaped into her eyes as she returned, with an assumption ofgraceful compliance:

"Then we will all go. A few days will not matter much with me; I havebeen disappointed in almost everything since leaving home, and I am aboutready to go back myself. I am sure I do not wish to keep you if you areunhappy or discontented, and so we will take the afternoon boat if youlike. I feel a certain responsibility regarding you, and could not thinkof allowing you to return alone and unprotected, " she interposed, acurious smile curving her lips; then she added: "I will have Louis go tosecure staterooms immediately, and you can do your packing as soon asyou like. "

"It is all done. I am ready to go at any hour, but, " and Mona flushed, "Ishould prefer to go by rail, as we could reach New York much more quicklythan by boat. "

Mrs. Montague frowned at this remark. 

"Pray do not be in such an unnecessary hurry, Ruth, " she said, with someimpatience. "It is much pleasanter traveling by boat than by rail at thisseason of the year, and I enjoy the water far more. I think you mightoblige one by yielding that much, " and the woman watched her anxiously asshe awaited her reply. 

"Very well, " Mona said, gravely, though reluctantly. "I will do as youwish. At what hour does the steamer leave?"

"I don't know. I shall have to ask Louis, and I will tell you later. Now, I wish you would baste some fresh ruching on my traveling dress, then youmay hem the new vail that you will find upon my dressing-case, " andhaving given these directions, Mrs. Montague hurried from the room tofind her nephew. 

She met him in the hall, where he had been walking back and forth, for hesurmised what the nature of Mona's interview would be, and knew that thetime had come for him to act with boldness if he hoped to win the prizehe coveted. 

"Come into your room, where we shall not be overheard, " Mrs. Montaguewhispered, and leading the way thither, they were soon holding an earnestconsultation over this unexpected interruption of the scheme which theyhad arranged the night before. 

They talked for half an hour, after which Mrs. Montague returned to herparlor and Louis at once left the hotel. 

He did not return until nearly lunch time, when, in Mona's presence, heinformed his aunt that the staterooms were secured, and the boat wouldleave at seven that evening. 

"If you will get your trunks ready I will send them aboard early, andthen I shall have no trouble about baggage at the last moment, and canlook after your wraps and satchels, " he remarked, as he glancedsignificantly at his aunt. 

"Mine are ready to strap, and Ruth's was packed before breakfast, so theycan be sent off as soon as you like, " Mrs. Montague returned. 

He attended to the strapping of them himself, and a little later theywere taken away. 

Mona wondered somewhat at this arrangement. She thought the trunks mightjust as well have gone with them, but concluded that Louis did not wishto be troubled with them at the last moment, as he had said. 

At half-past six they left the hotel, and drove to the pier where thesteamboat lay. 

Louis hurried the ladies on board, and to their staterooms, telling themto make haste and get settled, as dinner would be served as soon as theboat left the landing. 

He had secured three staterooms for their use, another circumstance whichappeared strange to Mona, as she and Mrs. Montague had occupied onetogether in coming down the river. 

"Perhaps, " she said to herself, "she is angry because I insisted upongoing home, and does not wish to have me with her. I believe, however, I shall like it best by myself. "

She arranged everything to her satisfaction, and then sat down by herwindow to wait until the gong should sound for dinner, but a strangefeeling of depression and of homesickness seemed to settle over herspirits, while her thoughts turned with wistful fondness to her lover sofar away in New York, and she half regretted that she had not insistedupon returning by rail. 

She wondered that she did not hear Mrs. Montague moving about in herstateroom, but concluded that she had completed, her arrangements for thenight and gone on deck. 

Presently the last signal was given, and the steamer swung slowly awayfrom the levee. A few moments later the gong sounded for dinner, and Monawent out into the saloon to look for her companions. 

She met Louis Hamblin at the door leading to the dining-saloon, but hewas alone. 

"Where is Mrs. Montague?" Mona inquired, and wondering if he was going tobe sick, for he looked pale, and seemed ill at ease. 

"Hasn't she been with you?" he asked, appearing surprised at herquestion. "I thought she was in her stateroom. "

"No, I did not hear her moving about, " Mona replied, "so supposed she hadcome out. "

"Perhaps she is on deck; if you will wait here I will run up to look forher, " Louis remarked, and Mona sat down as he walked away. 

He presently returned, but alone. 

"She is not up stairs, " he said; "I will go to her stateroom; perhaps shehas been lying down; she said she had a headache this afternoon. "

Again he left Mona, but came back to her in a few minutes, saying:

"Yes, it is as I thought; she isn't feeling well, and doesn't care to godown to dinner. I am to send her a cup of tea, and then she will retirefor the night. Shall we go down now? You must be hungry, " he concluded, smiling. 

Mona would have much preferred to go by herself, and have him do thesame, but she did not wish to have any words with him about it, soquietly followed him to the table, and took her seat beside him. 

He was very polite and attentive, supplying all her wants in a thoughtfulbut unobtrusive way, and did not once by word or look remind her ofanything disagreeable. 

The dinner was a lengthy affair, and it was after eight when they leftthe dining-saloon, when Mona at once retreated to her stateroom to ridherself of Louis Hamblin's companionship. On her way thither she rappedupon Mrs. Montague's door, and asked:

"Cannot I do something for you, Mrs. Montague?"

There was no response from within, and thinking she must be asleep, Monapassed on to her own room. 

It was growing quite dark, and Mona, feeling both weary and sleepy fromthe restlessness and wakefulness of the previous night, resolved toretire at once. 

She felt really relieved, although a trifle lonely to be in a stateroomby herself, but she fell asleep almost immediately, and did not awakeuntil the gong sounded for breakfast. 

She felt much refreshed, and after dressing went and knocked upon Mrs. Montague's door to inquire if she had rested well, and if she could doanything for her. 

There was no reply, and thinking perhaps she was still asleep, or hadalready arisen, she went up on deck to get a breath of air before goingto breakfast. 

"Why!" she exclaimed on looking around her, as she reached the deck, "howvery wide the river must be just here; I did not observe it to be so whenwe came down; perhaps, though, we passed this point during the night, butI did not suppose we could get out of sight of land on the Mississippi. "

A storm was evidently brewing; indeed, it was already beginning to rain, the wind blew, and the vessel rolled considerably. 

Mona could see nothing of either Mrs. Montague or Louis, and found thatshe could not walk about to search for them, for all at once she began tofeel strangely dizzy and faint. 

"Can it be that I am going to be sick?" she murmured, "I was not comingdown, for there was not much motion to the boat, but now it rolls andpitches as if it were out on the broad ocean. "

She was growing rapidly worse, and, retreating to her stateroom, shecrept again into her berth, and rang for the stewardess. 

She was ill all that day--so ill that she could not think of much but herown feelings, although she did wonder now and then if Mrs. Montague wasprostrated like herself. She must be, she thought, or she certainly wouldcome to her. 

Once she asked the stewardess if she was ill, and the woman had brieflyreplied that everybody was sick, and then hurried out to answer someother call. 

But during the next day Mona began to rally, and the stewardess advisedher to go up on deck, saying that the fresh air would do much towardimproving her condition. She assisted her to dress, and helped her upstairs to a chair, covered her with a warm robe, and then left her alone. 

Mona at first was so faint and weary from her exertions that she did notpay much attention to her surroundings. She lay with her eyes closed fora while, but finally the air made her feel better, and she began to lookabout her. 

An expression of wonder and anxiety instantly overspread her white face. 

Where were the banks of the river, so green and bright, which had madethe southward trip so delightful?

The sun was shining brightly, for the storm had passed and the skywas cloudless, but, looking in every direction, she could discern noland--all about her was but a wide waste of deep blue water. 

"Why!" she cried, "I should think we were out at sea!"

She looked greatly disturbed, but just at that moment she saw LouisHamblin coming toward her, and she noticed that he also looked somewhatpale, as if he, too, had been suffering from sea-sickness. 

"You are really better, " he smilingly observed as he reached her side;"you have had a severe siege as well as I. "

"Then you have been sick?" Mona observed, but turning away from theintense look which he bent upon her. 

"Indeed, I have. I have but just ventured out of my berth, " he returned, shrugging his shoulders over painful memories. 

"How is Mrs. Montague? I have not seen her since we left New Orleans, "Mona inquired. 

A peculiar look came into Louis Hamblin's eyes. 

"Well, she has been under the weather, too, and has not cared to see anyone, " he said. "She simply wants to be let alone, like most people whosuffer from sea-sickness. "

"That accounts for her absence and silence, " thought Mona. Then sheasked: "Is it not very strange that we do not see the banks of the river?One would almost imagine that we were far out at sea. "

Again that peculiar look swept over the young man's face. 

"And so we are, " he quietly answered, after a momentary pause. 

"What?" exclaimed Mona, in a startled tone, and turning her blanched faceupon him with a look of terror. 

"Do not be excited, Miss Montague, " he coolly observed. "Aunt Margiesimply took a sudden freak to go home by sea; she thought the voyagewould be beneficial to her. She did not confide her plans to you, asshe feared you would object and insist upon going home alone by rail. "

Mona flushed hotly. She was very indignant that Mrs. Montague should havedone such a thing without consulting her, and she deeply regretted thatshe had not insisted upon acting according to her own wishes. 

She had no suspicion even now of the wretched deception that had beenpracticed upon her, but she did not now wonder so much that the woman hadso persistently kept out of her way, and she felt so angry that she didnot care to meet her again until they should land. 

"When shall we get to New York?" she inquired, in a low, cold tone. 

"We shall land some time this evening, " Louis Hamblin evasively replied, but watching her with curious interest. 

Mona gave utterance to a sigh of relief, but did not appear to notice howhe had worded his sentence. 

She believed that in a few hours more she would forever sever allconnections with this bold, bad woman who had been guilty of so muchwrong; that she would forever be freed from the society and attentionsof her no less unprincipled and disagreeable nephew. 

She resolved to go at once to Mr. Graves, then send word to Ray of herreturn, when she would reveal all that she had learned about herself, andall her troubles would be over. There was now no reason why she shouldnot become his wife as soon as he desired. 

She lay back in her chair and closed her eyes, thus signifying to Mr. Hamblin that she did not wish to continue their conversation. 

He moved away from her, but continued to watch her covertly, smiling nowand then to himself as he thought of the developments reserved for her. 

When the sun began to decline Mona arose to return to her stateroom, butshe was still so weak she could not walk steadily. 

The young man sprang at once to her side. 

"Let me help you, " he cried, offering his arm to her. 

She was obliged to take it, much as she disliked to do so, and heassisted her to the door of her stateroom, where, touching his hatpolitely, he left her. 

She lay down to rest for a while before gathering up her thingspreparatory to going ashore, but the effort of coming down stairs hadso wearied her that almost immediately she fell into a sound sleep. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

MONA FINDS FRIENDS. 

When Mona awoke again it was dark. 

The lamps were lighted in the saloon, however, and shone dimly into herstateroom through the glass in the door. 

She at once became conscious that the steamer had stopped, while theconfusion and bustle on deck told her that they had arrived in port andthe vessel was being unloaded. 

She hastily arose and dressed to go ashore, and she had hardly completedher toilet when some one rapped upon her door. 

Opening it she found Louis Hamblin standing outside. 

"We have arrived, " he said. "How soon can you be ready to go ashore?"

"Immediately, " Mona replied, then asked: "Where is Mrs. Montague?"

"Waiting for us in the carriage. I thought I would take one invalid at atime, " he responded, smiling. 

"What time is it, please?" the young girl asked, thoughtfully. 

"Nearly ten o'clock. We are very late arriving to-night. "

Mona looked blank at this reply, for she felt that it would be too lateto go to Mr. Graves' that night. She would be obliged to go home withMrs. Montague after all, and remain until morning. So she said nothingabout her plans, but followed Louis above to the deck, out across thegangway to the pier, where a perfect babel prevailed, although at thatmoment, in the excitement of getting ashore, she did not notice anythingpeculiar about it. 

The young man hurried her to the carriage, which proved to be simply atransportation coach belonging to some hotel, and was filled with people. 

"We have concluded to go to a hotel for to-night, since it is so late andthe servants did not know of our coming, " Louis explained, as he assistedhis companion to enter the vehicle, which, however, was more like ariver barge than a city coach. 

"I do not see Mrs. Montague, " Mona said, as she anxiously tried to scanthe faces of the passengers, and now noticed for the first time that mostof them appeared to be foreigners, and were talking in a strangelanguage. 

"Can it be possible that I have made a mistake and got into the wrongcarriage?" said Louis, with well-feigned surprise. "There were two goingto the same hotel, and she must be in the other. She is safe enough, however, and it is too late for us to change now, " he concluded, as thevehicle started. 

Mona was very uncomfortable, but she could not well help herself, and sowas obliged to curb her anxiety and impatience as best she could. 

A ride of fifteen or twenty minutes brought them to the door of a largeand handsome hotel, where they alighted, and Louis, giving her bag andwrap to the porter, who came bowing and smiling to receive them, toldMona to follow him into the house while he looked after the trunks. 

Without suspecting the truth, although she was sure she had never beenin that portion of the city before, the young girl obeyed, but as shestepped within the handsomely lighted entrance, she was both confusedand alarmed by the fact that she could not understand a word of thelanguage that was being spoken around her, while she now observed thatthe hotel had a strangely foreign air about it. 

"There is something very wrong about this, " she said to herself. "Itdoes not seem like New York at all, and I do not like the idea of Mrs. Montague keeping herself so aloof from me. Even if she were sick, orangry with me, she might at least have shown some interest in me. I donot like Louis Hamblin's manner--he does not appear natural. I wish--oh, I wish I had gone home by rail. I am sure this is not New York. I amafraid there is something wrong. "

She arose and walked about the room, into which the porter had shown her, feeling very anxious and trembling with nervousness. It was very strange, too, that Louis did not make his appearance. 

Even while these thoughts occupied her mind he came into the room, andMona sprang toward him. 

"What does this mean?" she demanded, confronting him with blazing eyesand burning cheeks. 

"What does what mean?" he asked, but his glance wavered before hers. 

"This strange hotel--these foreign-looking, foreign-speaking people? Whydoes not Mrs. Montague come to me? Everything is very mysterious, and Iwant you to explain. "

"Aunt Margie has gone to her room, and--" Louis began, ignoring everyother question. 

"I do not believe it!" Mona interrupted, with a sinking heart, as thetruth began to dawn upon her. "I have not seen her since we left NewOrleans. I have seen only you. There is some premeditated deceptionin all this. I do not believe that we are in New York at all. Whereare we? I demand the truth. "

Louis Hamblin saw that he could deceive her no longer; he had notsupposed he could keep the truth from her as long as he had. 

"We are in Havana, Cuba, " he braced himself to reply, with someappearance of composure, which he was far from feeling. 

"Havana!--Cuba!" cried Mona, breathlessly. "Ah! that explains the foreignlanguage--and I do not know Spanish. " Then facing him again with an airand look that made him cower, in spite of his bravado, she sternly asked:"Why are we here?"

"We are here in accordance with Mrs. Montague's plans, " he answered. 

"Mrs. Montague had no right to bring me here without consulting me, " theyoung girl returned, passionately. "Where is Mrs. Montague?"

"I expect that Aunt Marg is in New York by this time, " Louis Hamblin nowboldly asserted. 

"What?" almost shrieked Mona, smitten to the heart with terror at thisintelligence. "Oh! you cannot mean to tell me that you and I have come toHavana alone! That--that--"

A hot blush mounted to her forehead, and for a moment she was utterlyovercome with shame and horror over the terrible situation. 

"Yes, that is just what we have done, " Louis returned, a desperate gleamcoming into his eyes, for he began to realize that he had no weak spiritto deal with. 

There was a prolonged and ominous silence after this admission, whileMona tried to rally her sinking spirits and think of some plan of escapefrom her dreadful position. 

When she did speak again she was white to her lips, but in her eyes thereshone a resolute purpose which plainly indicated that she would nevertamely submit to the will of the man before her. 

"How have you dared to do this thing?" she demanded, but so quietly thathe regarded her in astonishment. 

"I have dared because I was bound to win you, Mona, and there seemed noother way, " he returned, in a passionate tone. 

"And did you imagine for one moment that you could accomplish yourpurpose by decoying me into a strange country?"

"Yes; but, Mona--"

"Then you have yet to learn that you have made a great mistake, " was thehaughty rejoinder. "It is true that I am comparatively helpless in notbeing able to understand the language here; but there are surely peoplein Havana--there must even be some one in this hotel--who can speakeither French or German, if not English, and to whom I shall appeal forprotection. "

"That will do you little good, " retorted Louis, flushing with anger atthe threat, "and I may as well tell you the truth first as last. Mona, you will have to give yourself to me, you will have to be my wife. Mrs. Montague and I have both decided that it shall be so, and we have takenpains to prevent any failure of our plan. You may appeal as much as youwish to people here--they cannot understand you, and you will only layyourself liable to scandal and abuse; for, Mona, you and I came toHavana, registered as man and wife, and our names stand upon the registerof this hotel as Mr. And Mrs. Hamblin, of New York, where already thestory of our elopement from New Orleans has become the talk of the town. "

The deadly truth was out at last, and Mona, smitten with despair, overcome by the revelation of the dastardly plot of which she was thevictim, sank helplessly upon the nearest chair, quivering with shameand horror in every nerve, and nearly fainting from the shock which theknowledge of her terrible danger had sent vibrating through her verysoul. 

She covered her face with her hands, and tried to think, but her templesthrobbed like hammers, her brain seemed on fire, and her mind was in aperfect chaos. 

She sat thus for many minutes, until Louis Hamblin, who was hardly lessexcited than herself in view of his anxiety as to what would be theresult of this critical interview, could endure the silence no longer, and quietly but kindly remarked:

"Mona, I think it is best that you should go to your room and rest; it islate, and you are both weary and excited. To-morrow we will talk thismatter over again, and I hope that you will then be more reasonable. "

The sound of his voice aroused all her outraged womanhood, and springingto her feet again, she turned upon him with all the courage of a lionessat bay. 

"I understand you, " she cried. "I know why you and that unprincipledwoman have so plotted against me. You were afraid, in spite of what Itold you the other night, that I would demand your fortune, if I oncelearned the whole truth about myself. I have learned it, and I have theproof of it also. A message came to me, after my interview with you, telling me everything. "

"I do not believe you, " Louis Hamblin faltered, but growing very pale atthis unexpected information. 

"Do you not? Then let me rehearse a little for your benefit, " Monacontinued, gathering courage as she went on, and in low but rapid tonesshe related something of the secret which she had discovered in the royalmirror--enough to convince him that she knew the truth, and could, indeed, prove it. 

"Now, " she continued, as she concluded this recital, "do you think thatI will allow you to conquer me? You have been guilty of a dastardly act. Mrs. Montague has shown herself to be lacking in humanity, honor, andevery womanly sentiment; but I will not be crushed; even though you havesought to compromise me in this dreadful way I will not yield to you. Your wife I am not, and no writing me as such upon steamer and hotelregisters can ever make me so. You may proclaim from one end of New Yorkto the other that I eloped with you from New Orleans, but it will notserve your purpose, and the one for whom I care most will never losefaith in me. And, Louis Hamblin, hear me; the moment I find myself againamong English-speaking people, both you and Mrs. Montague shall sufferfor this outrage to the extent of the law. I will not spare you. "

"That all sounds very brave, no doubt, " Louis Hamblin sneered, butinwardly deeply chagrined by her dauntless words and bearing, "but youare in my power, Miss Montague, and I shall take measures to keep you sountil I tame that haughty spirit somewhat. You will be only too glad tomarry me yet, for I have gone too far in this matter to be balked now. When you leave Havana you will go as Mrs. Louis Hamblin, or you willnever go. "

"I would rather never go than as your wife, and I will defy you until Idie!" was the spirited retort, and the man before her knew that she meantit. 

He wondered at her strength of purpose and at her courage. Many girls, finding themselves in such a woeful strait, would have been entirelyovercome--would have begged and pleaded in abject fear or weakly yieldedto circumstances, and married him, but Mona only seemed to gather courageas difficulties closed around her. 

She looked very lovely, too. She had lost a little flesh and color duringher illness on shipboard, and her face was more delicate in its outlinesthan usual. She would have been very pale but for the spot of vividscarlet that glowed on each cheek, and which was but the outward sign ofthe inextinguishable spirit that burned within her. Her eyes gleamed witha relentless fire and her slight but perfect form was erect and resolutein its bearing. 

Louis Hamblin for the moment felt himself powerless to combat with suchmental strength, and ignoring entirely what she had just avowed, againasked:

"Will you go to your room now?"

He did not wait for any reply, but touched a bell, and a waiter almostimmediately appeared to answer the call. 

Louis signified to him that his companion wished to retire, whereupon theman took her bag and wrap and motioned Mona to follow him. 

With despair in her heart, but a dauntless mien, the fair girl obeyed, and crossing the wide entrance hall, mounted the great staircase to thesecond story. 

As they were passing through a long upper hall a door suddenly opened, and a gentleman came out of one of the rooms. 

Mona's heart gave a leap of joy as she saw him, for she was almost surethat he was an American, and she was on the point of speaking to him, buthe passed her so quickly she had no opportunity. 

She was rejoiced, however, to observe that her guide stopped before thedoor of a room next to the one which the stranger had just left, and sheresolved that she would listen for his return, and manage to communicatewith him in some way before morning. 

The porter threw open the door, and stood aside to allow her to pass in. 

The room was lighted, and she saw that while it was not large, it wascomfortably furnished, and her trunk stood unstrapped in one corner. Thenext moment the door closed upon her, and she heard the key turned in thelock. 

A bitter sob burst from her as she dashed the hot tears from her eyes, and a low, eager cry broke from her lips as she noticed that a doorconnected her room with the one from which the gentleman had issued afew moments before. 

She sprang toward it, and turned the handle. 

It was locked, of course. She told herself she might have known it wouldbe, but she had acted upon an uncontrollable impulse. 

But as she released her hold upon the knob she thought she heard some onemoving about within the other room. 

Perhaps the gentleman had his wife with him, and impelled by a wild hope, Mona knocked upon a panel to attract attention, and the next moment shewas sure she caught the rustle of skirts as some one glided toward her. 

Putting her lips to the key-hole, she said, in a low, appealing tone:

"Oh! can you speak English, French, or German? Pray answer me. "

She thought she had never heard sweeter music than when the clear, gentlevoice of a woman replied:

"I can speak English, but no other language. "

"Oh! I am so glad!" almost sobbed Mona. "Please put your ear close to thekey-hole, and let me tell you something. I dare not talk loud for fear ofbeing overheard. I am a young girl, a little more than eighteen yearsold, and I am in a fearful extremity. Will you help me?"

"Certainly, if you are in need of help, " returned the other voice. 

"Oh, thank you! thank you!" cried Mona, and then in low, rapid tones shebriefly told her story to the listener on the other side of the door. 

When she had concluded, the woman said, wonderingly:

"It is the most dreadful thing I ever heard of. My brother, with whom Iam traveling, will soon be back. We are to leave early in the morning, and he has gone down to the office to settle our bill and make necessaryarrangements. I will tell him your story, and we will see what can bedone for you. "

Mona again thanked her, but brokenly, and then overcome by thisunexpected succor she sank prone upon the floor weeping passionately; thetension on her nerves had given way and her overwrought feelings had tohave their way. 

Presently a hand touched the key in her door. 

Startled beyond measure, she sprang to it, feeling sure that LouisHamblin stood without. 

"Do not dare to open this door, " she cried, authoritatively. 

"Certainly not; I simply wished to ask if you have everything you wishfor the night, " the young man returned, in perfectly courteous tones. 

"Yes. "

"Very well, then; good-night. I hope you will rest well, " he said, thendrawing the key from the lock, he passed on, and the next moment Monaheard a door shut across the hall. 

It was scarcely five minutes later when she heard some one enter the roomnext to hers, and her heart leaped again with hope. 

Then she heard a gentleman and lady conversing in low tones, and knewthat her story was being repeated to one who had the power, if he choseto use it, to save her from her persecutor. 

A little later she heard the gentleman go to a window and open it. 

Then there came a gentle tap upon the door, and the lady said to theeager ear at the key-hole:

"There is a little balcony outside our window and another outside yourswith only a narrow space between. My brother says if you will go out uponyours he will help you across to us, then we can talk more freelytogether, and decide upon the best way to help you. Turn down your lightfirst, however, so that no one outside will see you. "

"Yes, yes, " breathed Mona, eagerly, and then putting out her light, shesprang away to the window. 

She raised it as cautiously as she could, crept out upon the narrow ironbalcony, and found a tall, dark figure looming up before her upon theother. 

"Give me your hands, " said the gentleman, in a full, rich voice that wonthe girl's heart at once, "then step upon the railing, and trust yourselfentirely to me; you will not fall. "

Mona unhesitatingly reached out her hands to him; he grasped them firmly;she stepped upon the railing, and the next moment was swung safely overthe space between the two balconies, and stood beside her unknown friend. 

He went before her through the window, and assisted her into the darkenedroom; the curtain was then lowered, and the gas turned up, and Mona foundherself in the presence of a tall, handsome man of about thirty-threeyears, and a gentle, attractive-looking woman a few years his senior. 

CHAPTER XV. 

MONA'S ESCAPE. 

The gentleman and lady both regarded the young girl with curious andsearching interest as she stood, flushed and panting from excitement, in the center of the room beneath the blazing chandelier. 

"Sit here, Miss Montague, " said the gentleman, pulling forward a lowrocker for her, "but first, " he added, with a pleasant smile, "allow meto introduce myself. My name is Cutler--Justin Cutler, and this lady ismy sister, Miss Marie Cutler. Now, it is late--we will waive allceremony, so tell us at once about your trouble, and then we will seeif we cannot help you out of it. "

Mona sat down and briefly related all that had occurred in connectionwith her trip since she left New York, together with some of thecircumstances which she believed had made Mrs. Montague and LouisHamblin so resolute to force her into a marriage with the latter. 

Her companions listened to her with deep interest, and it was plain to beseen that all their warmest sympathies were enlisted in her cause. 

Mr. Cutler expressed great indignation, and declared that Louis Hamblinmerited the severest sentence that the law could impose, but, of course, he knew that nothing could be done to bring him to justice in thatstrange country; so, after considering the matter for a while, heconcluded that the best way to release Mona from her difficulties wouldbe by the use of strategy. 

"We are to leave on a steamer for New York to-morrow morning, and youshall go with us, " Mr. Cutler remarked, "and if we can get you away fromthe hotel and on board the boat without young Hamblin's knowledge, youwill be all right, and there will be no disagreeable disturbance orscandal to annoy you. Even should he discover your flight, and succeed inboarding the vessel before she sails, he will be helpless, for a quietappeal to the captain will effectually baffle him. But how about yourbaggage?" he asked in conclusion. 

"My trunk is in my room, " Mona returned. 

"Of course you must have that, " said Mr. Cutler; "the only difficultywill be in getting it away without exciting suspicion. We must have thisdoor between these rooms opened by some means. I wonder if the key toours would fit the lock. "

He arose immediately and went to try it, but it would not work. 

"No. I did not expect our first effort would succeed, " he smilinglyremarked, as he saw Mona's face fall. "There is one way that we can doif all other plans fail, " he added, after thinking a moment; "you can goback to the other room and unpack your trunk, when I could easily removeit through the window, and it could be repacked in here; but that planwould require considerable time and labor, and shall be adopted only asa last resort. But wait a minute. "

He sprang to his feet, and disappeared through the window, and the nextmoment they heard him moving softly about in the other room. 

Presently he returned, but looking grave and thoughtful. 

"I hoped I might find a key somewhere in there, " he explained, "but thedoor bolts on that side. There should, then, be a key to depend upon forthis side. I wonder--"

He suddenly seized a chair, placed it before the door, stepped upon it, and reached up over the fanciful molding above it, slipping his handalong behind it. 

"Aha!" he triumphantly exclaimed all at once, "I have it!" and he held upbefore their eager gaze a rusty and dusty iron key. 

A moment later the door was unlocked, and swung open between the tworooms. 

Five minutes after, all Mona's baggage was transferred to Miss Cutler'sapartment, the door was relocked and bolted as before, and the fair girlfelt as if her troubles were over. 

Overcome by the sense of relief which this assurance afforded her, sheimpulsively threw her arms about Miss Cutler, laid her head on hershoulder, and burst into grateful tears. 

"Oh, I am so glad--so thankful!" she sobbed. 

"Hush, dear child, " said the gentle lady, kindly, "you must not allowyourself to become unnerved, for you will not sleep, and I am sure youneed rest. I am going to send Justin away at once, then we will bothretire. "

"Yes, I will go directly, " Mr. Cutler remarked, "but I shall call youearly. I will have your breakfast sent up here, when your trunks can beremoved. Then, Miss Montague, you are to put on a wrap belonging to mysister, and tie a thick veil over your face. I will come to take you tothe carriage, and no one will suspect but that you are Marie. Meantimeshe will slip down another stairway, and out of the private entrance;then away we will speed to the steamer, and all will be well. Now, good-night, ladies, and a good sleep to you, " he concluded, cheerfully, as he quietly left the room. 

Miss Cutler and Mona proceeded to retire at once, but while disrobing theelder lady told her companion how it happened that she and her brotherwere in Havana so opportunely. She had been out of health, and had cometo Cuba early in the fall to spend the winter. Her brother had come a fewweeks earlier to take her home, and they had been making excursionsto different points of interest on the island. 

"I am so glad, " she said, in conclusion, "that we decided to take roomsat this hotel during our sojourn in Havana. At first I thought I wouldlike to go to some more quiet place, but Justin thought we would bebetter served here, and, " with a gentle smile, "I believe it was wiselyordered so that we could help you. "

Mona feared that she should not be able to sleep at all, her nerves hadbeen so wrought upon, but her companion was so cheerful and reassuring inall that she said that before she was hardly aware that she was sleepyshe had dropped off into a sound slumber. 

At six o'clock the next morning a sharp rap on their door awakened thetwo ladies. 

They arose immediately, and had hardly finished dressing when anappetizing breakfast appeared. Miss Cutler received the tray at the door, so that the waiter need not enter the room, and then was so merry andentertaining as, with her own hands she served Mona, that the young girlforgot her nervousness, in a measure, and ate quite heartily. 

By the time their meal was finished another rap warned them that theporters had come for their trunks. 

"Step inside the closet, dear, " said Miss Cutler, in a whisper, and Monanoiselessly obeyed her. 

The door was then opened, and both trunks were removed, apparentlywithout exciting any suspicion over the fact that there were two insteadof one as when Miss Cutler arrived. 

A few minutes later Mr. Cutler appeared, and Mona, clad in Miss Cutler'slong ulster--which she had worn almost every day during her sojournthere--and with a thick veil over her face, took her tall protector'sarm, and went tremblingly out. 

Her heart almost failed her as she passed through the main entrance hall, which she had crossed in such despair only a few hours previously; butMr. Cutler quietly bade her "be calm and have no fear, " then led her downthe steps, and assisted her to enter the carriage that was waiting at thedoor. 

The next moment another figure stepped quickly in after her, Mr. Cutlerfollowed, the door was closed, and they were driven rapidly away. 

Arriving at the steamer-landing, they all went on board, and afterattending to the baggage, Mr. Cutler conducted his ladies directly totheir stateroom. 

"I will get you a room by yourself, if you prefer;" he said to Mona, "butI thought perhaps you might feel less lonely if you should share mysister's. "

"Thank you, but I should much prefer to remain with Miss Cutler if itwill be agreeable to her, " Mona returned, with a wistful glance at thelady. 

"Indeed, I shall be very glad to have you with me, " was the cordialreply, accompanied by a charming smile, for already the gentlewoman hadbecome greatly interested in her fair companion. 

"That is settled, then, " said the gentleman, smiling, "and now you mayfeel perfectly safe; do not give yourself the least uneasiness, but tryto enjoy the voyage--that is, if old Neptune will be quiet and allowyou. "

"You are very kind, Mr. Cutler, and I cannot tell you how grateful I amto both yourself and your sister, " Mona said, feelingly. "But, truly, "she added, flushing, "I shall not feel quite easy until we get off, for I am in constant fear that Mr. Hamblin will discover my flight, andcome directly here to search for me. "

"Well, even if he does, you need fear nothing, " Mr. Cutler returned, reassuringly; "you shall have my protection, and should Mr. Hamblin makehis appearance before we sail and try to create a disturbance, we willjust hand the young man over to the authorities. The only thing I regretin connection with him, " the gentleman concluded, with a twinkle in hiseye, "is that I cannot have the pleasure of witnessing his astonishmentand dismay when he makes the discovery that his bird has flown. Now, ladies, make yourselves comfortable, then come and join me on deck. "

He left them together to get settled for their voyage, and went up stairsfor a smoke and to keep his eye upon the shore, for he fully expected tosee Louis Hamblin come tearing down to the boat at any moment. The readerhas, of course, recognized in Justin Cutler the gentleman who, at theopening of our story, was made the victim of the accomplished sharper, Mrs. Bently, in the diamond crescent affair. It will be remembered alsothat he came on to New York at the time of the arrest of Mrs. Vanderheck, and that he informed Detective Rider of his intention of going to Cuba tomeet his invalid sister and accompany her home, and thus we find himacting as Mona's escort and protector also. 

While the three voyagers were settling themselves and waiting for thesteamer to sail, we will see how Louis Hamblin bore the discovery ofMona's escape. 

He did not rise until eight o'clock, and after having his bath and a cupof coffee in his own room, he went to Mona's door and knocked. 

Receiving no answer, he thought she must be sleeping, and resolved thathe would not arouse her just then. 

He went down stairs, and had his breakfast, then strolled out to smokehis cigar, after which he went back, and again tapped upon Mona's door. 

Still no answer. 

He called her name, but receiving no response, he took the key from hispocket and coolly unlocking the door, threw it wide open. 

The room was, of course, empty. 

There were no signs that the bed had been occupied during the night, andboth the girl and her trunk were gone. 

With a fierce imprecation of rage, the astonished young man rushed downto the office to interview the proprietor as to the meaning of the girl'sdisappearance. 

Although Mona had supposed there was no one in the house who could speakEnglish, there was an interpreter, and through him Louis soon made histrouble known. 

"Impossible!" the amazed proprietor asserted; "no trunk had been removedfrom Number Eleven, and no young lady had left the house that morning. "

Louis angrily insisted that there had, and in company with the landlordand the interpreter, he returned to Mona's room to prove his statement. 

At first the affair was a great mystery, and created considerableexcitement, but it was finally remembered that Americans had occupied theadjoining rooms, and it was therefore concluded that the young girl hadmanaged in some way to make her situation known to them, and they, havingleft that morning, had, doubtless, assisted her in her flight. 

"Who were they, and where were they going?" Louis demanded, in greatexcitement. 

"Cutler was the name, and they had left early to take the steamer for NewYork, " they told him. 

"What was her hour for sailing?" cried the young man. 

"Nine-thirty, " he was informed. 

Louis looked at his watch. 

It lacked fifteen minutes of the time. 

"A carriage! a carriage!" he cried, as he dashed out of the hotel anddown the steps at a break-neck pace. 

He sprang into the first vehicle he could find, made the driverunderstand that he wanted him to hasten with all possible speed to theNew York steamer, and enforced his wishes by showing the man a piece ofglittering gold. 

He was terribly excited; his face was deathly white, and his eyes had thelook of a baffled demon. But he was not destined to have the satisfactionof even seeing Mona, for he reached the pier just in season to see thenoble steamer sailing with stately bearing slowly out into the harbor, and he knew that the fair girl was beyond his reach. 

Meantime, as soon as she had seen Louis and Mona safely on board thesteamer, bound for Havana, Mrs. Montague, instead of going into thestateroom that had been engaged for her only as a blind, slippedstealthily back upon deck, hastened off the boat, and into her carriage, which had been ordered to wait for her, and was driven directly to therailway station, where she took the express going northward. 

She did not spare herself, but traveled day and night until she reachedNew York, when she immediately sent a note to Mr. Palmer, notifying himof her return and desire to see him. 

He at once hastened to her, for she had intimated in her communicationthat she was in trouble, and upon inquiring the cause of it, she informedhim, with many sighs and expressions of grief, that her nephew andprospective heir had eloped with her seamstress. 

Mr. Palmer looked amazed. 

"With that pretty, modest girl, whom you had at Hazeldean with you?" heexclaimed, incredulously. 

"Yes, with that pretty, modest girl, " sneered Mrs. Montague. "These sly, quiet things are just the ones to entrap a young man like Louis, andthere is poor Kitty McKenzie who will break her heart over the affair. "

The wily widow's acting was very good, and Mr. Palmer sympathized withher, and used his best efforts to comfort her. But all that Mrs. Montaguehad cared to do was to set the ball rolling so that Ray might get it, andgradually led the conversation into a more interesting channel, and theydiscussed at length the subject of their own approaching union. 

Mr. Palmer urged an early date, and after a little strategic hesitation, Mrs. Montague finally consented to make him happy, and the wedding wasset for just one month from that day. This matter settled, the sedatelover took his leave, and his _fiancée_ with a triumphant look on herhandsome face, went up stairs to look over her wardrobe to see whatadditions would be needed for the important event. 

"Whether Louis succeeds in making the girl marry him or not, she willhave been so compromised by this escapade that Ray Palmer will, ofcourse, never think of making her his wife, and my purpose will beaccomplished, " she muttered, with an evil smile. 

She did not give a thought to the wanderers after that, but went aboutthe preparations for her approaching marriage with all the zeal andenthusiasm that might have been expected in a far younger bride-elect. 

Mr. Palmer went home feeling a trifle anxious as to how Ray would receivethe news that the day was set for making Mrs. Montague his wife. 

To see that he dreaded revealing the fact expresses but little of what hefelt, but he had never taken any important step of late years withoutconsulting his son, and he did not feel at liberty to now ignore himupon a matter of such vital interest. 

So, after tea that evening, when they sat down to read their papers, hethought the opportunity would be a favorable one to make his confession. 

Ray seemed anxious and depressed, for he had not received his usualsemi-weekly letter from Mona that day, and was wondering what could bethe reason, when Mr. Palmer suddenly remarked:

"Mrs. Montague has returned. "

"Ah!" said Ray, and instantly his face brightened, for his naturalinference was that Mona had, of course, returned with Mrs. Montague, andthat accounted for his having received no letter that day. 

"Yes, she arrived this morning, " said his father. 

"She is well, I suppose?" Ray remarked, feeling that he must make somecourteous inquiry regarding his stepmother-elect. 

"Yes, physically; but that scapegrace of a nephew has been giving herconsiderable trouble, " Mr. Palmer observed. 

"Trouble?" repeated his son. 

"Yes, he eloped with a girl from New Orleans. They went on board asteamer bound for Havana, registered as man and wife, and that is thelast she has heard of him, while she was obliged to return to New Yorkalone, " explained Mr. Palmer, wondering how he was going to introduce thesubject of his approaching marriage. 

"Is that possible? Who was the girl?" exclaimed Ray, astonished andutterly unsuspicious of the blow awaiting his fond heart. 

"Mrs. Montague's seamstress--Ruth Richards. "

CHAPTER XVI. 

MONA CALLS ON MRS. MONTAGUE. 

Mr. Palmer's unexpected announcement fairly stunned Ray for a moment. Hisheart gave a startled bound, and then sank like a lump of lead in hisbosom, while a deadly faintness oppressed him. 

Indeed the blow was so sharp and sudden that it seemed to benumb him tosuch an extent that he made no outward sign--he appeared to be incapableof either speech or motion. His face was turned away from his father, andpartially concealed by his newspaper, so that Mr. Palmer, fortunately, did not observe the ghastly pallor that overspread it, and not knowingthat Ruth Richards was Mona Montague, he was wholly ignorant of the awfulimport of his communication. 

"Ruth Richards?" Ray finally repeated, in a hollow tone, which, however, sounded to his father as if he did not remember who the girl was. 

"Yes, that pretty girl that Mrs. Montague had with her at Hazeldean--theone to whom you showed some attention the night of the ball--surely youcannot have forgotten her. It seems, " the gentleman went on, "that youngHamblin has been smitten with her ever since she entered his aunt'sservice, but she has opposed his preference from the first. He followedthem South, and met them at New Orleans, and it seems that the elopementwas arranged there. They were very clever about it, planning to leave onthe Havana steamer on the very day set for their return to New York. Mrs. Montague learned of it at almost the last moment, and that they hadregistered as Mr. And Mrs. Hamblin, although she did not ascertain thatthere had been any marriage beforehand, and, overcome by this unexpectedcalamity, she took the first express coming North. "

It was well for Ray that his father made his explanation somewhatlengthy, for it gave him time to recover a little from the almostparalyzing shock which the dreadful announcement had caused. 

He was as white as a ghost, and his face was covered with coldperspiration. 

"This terrible thing cannot be true, " he said to himself, with a sense ofdespair at his heart. "Mona false! the runaway wife of another! Never!"

Yet in spite of his instinctive faith in the girl he loved, he knew theremust be some foundation for what had been told to his father. Mrs. Montague had come home alone. Louis and Mona had been left behind!What could it mean?

His heart felt as if it had been suddenly cleft in twain. He could notbelieve the dreadful story--he would not have it so--he would not submitto having his life and all his bright hopes ruined at one fell blow. Andthat, too, just as he had learned such good news for his darling--when hehad been planning to give her, upon her return, the one thing which shehad most desired above all others--the indisputable proof of her mother'shonorable marriage; when it would also be proved that she was the heir tothe property which Homer Forester had left, and could claim, if shechose, the greater portion of the fortune left by her father. 

Ray had been very exultant over the finding of that certificate in Mrs. Montague's boudoir, and had anticipated much pleasure in beholding Mona'sjoy when he should tell her the glorious news. 

But now--great heavens! what was he to think?

Then the suspicion came to him, with another great shock, and like arevelation, that it was all a plot; that Mrs. Montague had perhapsdiscovered Mona's identity and possibly the loss of the certificate, which, she might think, had fallen into the young girl's hands. He hadfelt sure, from the quizzing to which Louis Hamblin had subjected him atHazeldean, that that young man's suspicions had been aroused, andpossibly this sudden flitting to the South had been but a plot, frombeginning to end, to entrap Mona into a marriage with the young man inorder to secure the wealth they feared to lose. 

"When did Mrs. Montague leave New Orleans?" he inquired, when his fatherhad concluded, while he struggled to speak in his natural tone. 

"On Tuesday evening. "

"And you say that the Havana steamer sailed that same day?"

"Yes. "

"What was the name of the steamer?"

"I do not know. I did not ask, " Mr. Palmer replied. He was thinking moreabout his own affairs than of the alleged elopement of the young people, or he must have wondered somewhat at his son's eager questions. "And, Ray, " he added, as the young man suddenly laid down his paper and arose, "there is one other thing I wanted to mention--Mrs. Montague hasconsented to become Mrs. Palmer on the thirtieth of next month. I--Ihope, my dear boy, that you will be prepared to receive her cordially. "

"You know, father, that I would never willfully wound you in any way, andwhen Mrs. Montague comes as your wife, I shall certainly accord her alldue respect. "

Ray had worded his reply very cautiously, but he could not preventhimself from laying a slight emphasis upon the adverb, for he hadresolved that if Mrs. Montague had been concerned in any way in a plotagainst Mona's honor or happiness, he would not spare her, nor any effortto prove it to his father, and thus prevent him, if possible, fromruining his own life by a union with such a false and unscrupulous woman. 

"Thank you, Ray, " Mr. Palmer replied, but not in a remarkably hopefultone, and then remarking that he had a little matter of business toattend to, Ray went out. 

Late as it was, he hastened to a cable office, hoping to be able to senda night dispatch to Havana, but he found the place closed, therefore hewas obliged to retrace his steps, and wait until morning. 

There was not much sleep or rest for him that night. His faith in Mona'struth and constancy had all returned, but he was terribly anxious abouther, for the more he thought over what he had heard, the more he wasconvinced that she was the victim of some cunning plot that might makeher very wretched, even if it failed to accomplish its object. He knewthat she was very spirited, and would not be likely to submit to thewrong that had been perpetrated against her, and this of itself mightserve to make her situation all the more perilous. 

He was at the cable office by the time it was opened the next morning, and dispatched the following message to the American Consul in Havana:

"Couple, registered as Mr. And Mrs. Louis Hamblin, sailed from NewOrleans for Havana, April 28th. Search for them in Havana hotels. Succoryoung lady, who is not Mrs. Hamblin. Answer. "

Ray felt that this was the very best thing that he could do. 

He would gladly have gone himself to Havana, and longed to do so, but hewas sure that if she should escape from her abductor--for so he regardedLouis Hamblin--Mona would be likely to return immediately to New York andto him. Thus he concluded it would be best to send the above message andawait an answer from the consul, then if he could learn nothing aboutthe couple he would go himself to search for Mona. 

The day seemed interminable, and he was nearly distracted when nightcame, and he received no answer to his dispatch. He had not been able toapply himself to business all day, but wandered in and out of the store, looking wan and anxious, and almost ill. 

This led his father to imagine that he was unhappy over his contemplatedmarriage--a conclusion which did not serve to make the groom-elect feelvery comfortable. 

On the next morning, however, Ray received the following cablegram:

"Young lady all right; sailed for New York yesterday, May 1st. "

The relief which these few words afforded Ray's anxious heart can betterbe imagined than described. 

Mona was true to herself and him, and he knew well enough that she neverwould have returned to New York if she had been guilty of any wrong. Shewould soon be with him, and then he would know all. 

He ascertained what steamer left Havana on the first, and when it wouldbe likely to arrive in New York, and as the hour drew near, he hauntedthe pier, that he might welcome his darling, and give her his care andprotection the moment she arrived. 

Meantime Mona, her mind relieved of all anxiety, was having a verypleasant passage home with Justin Cutler and his sister. 

The weather was delightful, the sea was calm, and none of them was sick, so they spent most of their time together upon deck, and Mona was soattracted toward her new friends that she confided to them much more ofher history than she had at first done that evening in the Havana hotel. In so doing she had mentioned the Palmer robbery and what she haddiscovered in connection with it while she was in St. Louis. 

This led Mr. Cutler to relate his own experience with the crescents, andalso the similar deception practiced upon Mrs. Vanderheck, and hementioned that it was the opinion of the detective whom he had employedto work up the case, and whom Mona had met in St. Louis, that the sameparties were concerned in all three operations. 

"They are a very dexterous set of thieves, whoever they are, " heremarked, while they were discussing the affair, "but though I neverexpect to see those crescents again, for I imagine that the stones havebeen unset and sold, it would afford me a great deal of satisfactionto see that woman brought to justice. "

"I have the bogus crescents in my possession, " Miss Cutler smilinglyremarked to Mona. "Justin has given them to me to keep for him. Would youlike to see them, dear?"

"Yes, indeed, " Mona replied, "and I, too, hope that woman may yet befound. The affair is so like a romance, I am deeply interested in it. "

Mr. Cutler colored slightly as she spoke of the romance of theexperience, for he was still quite sensitive over the cruel deceptionthat had been practiced upon him, although he had never confessed to anyone how deeply and tenderly interested he had become in the captivatingwidow who had so successfully duped him. 

When the steamer arrived in New York, almost the first person Mona sawwas Ray, who stood upon the pier searching with anxious eyes among thepassengers for the face of his dear one. 

A cry of glad surprise broke from her, and, snatching her handkerchieffrom her pocket, she shook it vigorously to attract his attention, herlovely face all aglow with joy at his unexpected appearance. 

He caught sight of the fluttering signal almost immediately, and hisheart leaped within him as he looked into her beaming countenance. Truthand love and purity were stamped on every expressive feature. 

He sprang across the gang-plank, and in less time than it takes to tellit he was beside her, while oblivious, in his great thankfulness for hersafety, to the fact that others were observing them, he caught her closeto him in a quick embrace. 

"My darling!" he whispered. "Oh, you can never know how thankful I am tohave you safe in my arms once more! What an escape you have had!"

"Why, Ray! how did you know?--who told you?" Mona exclaimed, astonished, as, with a blushing face, she gently freed herself from his embrace, although she still clung almost convulsively to his hand. 

"I will tell you all about it later, " he returned, in a low tone, and nowrecalled to the proprieties of life. "I can only say that I learned ofthe plot against you, and have been nearly distracted about you. "

"Ah, Mrs. Montague told you that I had eloped with her nephew, " the younggirl said, and now losing some of her bright color, "but, " lifting herclear, questioning eyes to her lover's face, "you did not believe it;you had faith in me?"

"All faith, " he returned, his fingers closing more firmly over the smallhand he held. 

She thanked him with a radiant smile. 

"But how did you know I would come home on this steamer?" she persisted, eager to know how he happened to be there to meet her. 

"I cabled the American Consul to search for you, and render youassistance. He replied, telling me that you had already sailed forNew York, " Ray explained. 

"That was thoughtful of you, dear, " Mona said, giving him a gratefullook, "but I found friends to help me. Come and let me introduce youto them. "

She led him to Mr. Cutler and his sister, who had quietly withdrawn to alittle distance--for, of course, they took in the situation at once--andperformed the ceremony, when, to her surprise, Mr. Cutler cordiallyshook her lover by the hand, remarking, with his genial smile:

"Mr. Palmer and I have met before, but my sister has not had thatpleasure, I believe. "

Ray greeted them both with his habitual courtesy, and then in a frank, manly way, but with slightly heightened color, remarked:

"My appearance here perhaps needs some explanation, but it will besufficient for me to explain that Miss Montague is my promised wife. "

"I surmised as much, not long after making the young lady'sacquaintance, " Mr. Cutler remarked, with a roguish glance at Mona's pinkcheeks and downcast eyes. "But, " he added, with some curiosity, "it is apuzzle to me how you should know that she would arrive in New York onthis steamer to-day. "

Ray explained the matter to him, and then they all left the vesseltogether. 

Mr. And Miss Cutler were to go to the Hoffman House, and invited Mona tobe their guest during their stay in the city, but thanking them for theirkindness, she said she thought it would be best for her to go directlyto Mr. Graves, as she had business which she wished him to attend toimmediately. 

She also expressed again her gratitude to them for their exceedingkindness to her, and promised to call upon them very soon, then biddingthem an affectionate good-by she left the wharf with her lover. 

They went for a drive in Central Park before going to Mr. Graves, for Raywas anxious to learn all the story of the plot against her and to talkover their own plans for the future. 

He found it very difficult to restrain his anger as she told him of herinterview with Louis Hamblin in New Orleans, and how she had been decoyedupon the steamer for Havana, with the other circumstances of the voyage, and her arrival there. 

"The villain will need to be careful how he comes in my way after this, "he said, with sternly compressed lips and a face that was white withanger. "I will not spare him--I will not spare either of those twoplotters; but you shall never meet them again, my darling, " he concluded, with tender compassion in his tones, as he realized how much she musthave suffered with them. 

"I shall have to go to West Forty-ninth street once more, for I have agood many things there, and shall have to attend to their removalmyself, " Mona returned, but looking as if she did not anticipate muchpleasure from the meeting with Mrs. Montague. 

"Well, then, if you must go there, I will accompany you, " Ray said, resolutely. "I will never trust you alone with that woman again. And nowI have some good news to relate to you. "

He told her then of his discovery of the marriage certificate, and whathe had done with it, after which she gave him a graphic account of thediscoveries which she had made in the secret drawer of the royal mirror. 

"How very strange, my darling, " he exclaimed, when she concluded; "hownicely your discovery fits in with mine, and now every difficulty will besmoothed out of your way, only, " with an arch glance, "I am almost afraidthat I shall be accused of being a fortune-hunter when it becomes knownwhat a wealthy heiress I have won. "

Mona smiled at his remark, but she was very glad that she was not to goto him empty-handed. 

"And, dear, " Ray continued, more gravely, "I am going to claim my wifeimmediately, for, in spite of the great wealth which will soon be yours, you are a homeless little body, and I feel that you ought to be under myprotection. "

"Ah, Ray, it will be very nice to have a home of our own, " Mona breathed, as she slipped her hand confidingly into his, and then they began to planfor it as they drove down town. 

Arriving at the house of Mr. Graves, they were fortunate in finding boththat gentleman and his wife at home, and Mona received a most cordialwelcome, while the kind-hearted lawyer became almost jubilant uponlearning all the facts regarding her parentage and how comparatively easyit would now be to prove it. 

It was arranged that Mona and Mr. Graves should meet Ray and Mr. Corbinat the office of the latter on the next morning, when they would allthoroughly discuss these matters and decide upon what course to pursuein relation to them. 

This plan was carried out; the certificate and contents of the royalmirror were carefully examined, and then the two lawyers proceeded to layout their course of action, which was to be swift and sure. 

The third day after Mona's arrival in New York, Ray went with her to Mrs. Montague's house to take away the remainder of her wardrobe and somekeepsakes which had been saved from her old home. 

Mary opened the door in answer to their ring, and her face lighted withpleasure the instant she caught sight of Mona, although it was evidentfrom her greeting that Mrs. Montague had not told her servants thestory of the elopement. 

"Is Mrs. Montague in?" Mona asked, after she had returned the girl'sgreeting. 

"No, miss, she went out as soon as she had her breakfast, and said shewouldn't be home until after lunch, " was the reply. 

Mona looked thoughtful. She did not exactly like to enter the house andremove her things during her absence, and yet it would be a relief not tobe obliged to meet her. 

Ray saw her hesitation, and understood it, but he had no scruplesregarding the matter. 

"It is perhaps better so, " he said, in a low tone; "you will escape anunpleasant interview, and since she is not here to annoy or ill-use you, I will take the carriage and go to attend to a little matter, while youare packing. I will return for you in the course of an hour if that willgive you time. "

"Yes, that will be ample time, and I will be ready when you call, " Monaresponded. 

Ray immediately drove away, while she, after chatting a few moments withMary, went up stairs to gather up her clothing and what few treasures shehad that had once helped to make her old home so dear. 

She worked rapidly, and soon had everything ready. But suddenly sheremembered that she had left a very nice pair of button-hole scissorsin Mrs. Montague's boudoir on the day they left for the South. 

She ran lightly down to get them, and just as she reached the second hallsome one rang the bell a vigorous peal. 

"That must be Ray, " she said to herself, and stopped to listen for hisvoice. 

But as Mary opened the door, she heard a gentleman's tones inquiring forMrs. Montague. 

"No, " the girl said, "my mistress is not in. "

"Then I will wait, for my errand is urgent, " was the reply, and theperson stepped within the hall. 

Mona did not see who it was, but she heard Mary usher him into theparlor, after which she went to obey a summons from the cook, leavingthe caller alone. 

Mona went on into Mrs. Montague's room to get her scissors, but shecould not find them readily. She was sure that she had left them on thecenter-table, but thought that the woman had probably moved them sinceher return. 

Just then she thought she heard some one moving about in Mrs. Montague'schamber adjoining, but the door was closed, and thinking it might beMary, she continued her search, but still without success. 

She was just on the point of going into the other room to ask Mary if shehad seen them, when a slight sound attracted her attention, and lookingup, she caught the gleam of a pair of vindictive eyes peering in at herfrom the hall, and the next moment the door was violently shut and thekey turned in the lock. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

THE WOMAN IN BLACK. 

For a moment Mona was too much astonished to even try to account for sucha strange proceeding. 

Then it occurred to her that Mrs. Montague must have returned before shewas expected, let herself into the house with her latch-key, and comingquietly up stairs, had been taken by surprise to find her in her room, when she had supposed her to be safely out of her way in Havana, and sohad made a prisoner of her by locking her in the boudoir. 

At first Mona was somewhat appalled by her situation; then a calm smileof scorn for her enemy wreathed her lips, for she was sure that Ray wouldsoon return. She had only to watch for him at the window, inform him ofwhat had occurred the moment he drove to the door, and he would have herimmediately released. 

With this thought in her mind, she approached the window to see if he hadnot already arrived. 

The curtain was down, and she attempted to raise it, when, the springhaving been wound too tightly, it flew up with such a force as to throwthe fixture from its socket, and the whole thing came crashing downupon her. 

She sprang aside to avoid receiving it in her face, and in doing sonearly upset a small table that was standing before the window. 

It was the table having in it the secret treasures which we have alreadyseen. She managed to catch it, however, and saved the heavy marble topfrom falling to the floor by receiving it in her lap, and sinking downwith it. 

But while doing this, the broken lid to the secret compartment flew off, and some of its contents were scattered over her. 

Mona was so startled by what she had done, that she was almost faintfrom fright, but she soon assured herself that no real damage hadoccurred--the most she had been guilty of was the discovery of somesecret treasure which Mrs. Montague possessed. 

She began to gather them up with the intention of replacing them in theirhiding-place--the beautiful point-lace fan, which we have seen before, abox containing some lovely jewels of pearls and diamonds, and a packageof letters. 

"Ha!" Mona exclaimed, with a quick, in-drawn breath, as she picked theseup, and read the superscription on the uppermost envelope, "'Miss MonaForester!' Can it be that these things belonged to my mother? And thispicture! Oh, yes, it must be the very one that Louis Hamblin told meabout--a picture of my father painted on ivory and set in a costly frameembellished with rubies!"

She bent over the portrait, gazing long and earnestly upon it, studyingevery feature of the handsome face, as if to impress them indelibly uponher mind. 

"So this represents my father as he looked when he married my mother, "she said, with a sigh. "He was very handsome, but, oh, what a sad, sadstory it all was!"

She laid it down with an expression of keen pain on her young face andbegan to look over the costly jewels, handling them with a tender andreverent touch, while she saw that every one was marked with the nameof "Mona" on the setting. 

"These also are mine, and I shall certainly claim them. How strange thatI should have found them thus!" she said, as she laid them carefully backin the box. Then she arose and righting the table, replaced the variousthings in the compartment. 

In so doing she stepped upon a small box, which, until then, she had notseen. 

The cover was held in place by a narrow rubber band. 

She removed it, lifted the lid, and instantly a startled cry burst fromher lips. 

"Oh, what can it mean? what can it mean?" she exclaimed, losing all hercolor, and trembling with excitement. 

At that moment the hall-bell rang again, and Mona turned once more to thewindow, now fully expecting to find that Ray had come. 

No, another carriage stood before the door, but she could not see who hadrung the bell. 

She wondered why Ray did not come; it was more than an hour since he wentaway, and she began to fear that her captor was planning some fresh wrongto her, and he might be detained until it would be too late to help her. 

She was growing both anxious and nervous, and thought she would just slipinto Mrs. Montague's bedroom and see if she could not get out in thatway. 

Suiting the action to the resolve, she hastened into the chamber, andtried the door. 

No, that was locked on the outside, and she knew that the woman must havesome evil purpose in thus making a prisoner of her. 

She turned again to retrace her steps, that she might keep watch for Rayat the window, when her eyes encountered an object lying upon the bedwhich drove the color from her face, and held her rooted to the spotwhere she stood!

 * * * * *

About nine o'clock of that same morning, a woman might have been seenwalking swiftly down Murray street, in the direction of the Hudson River, to the wharf occupied by the Fall River steamers. 

She was tall and quite stout, but had a finely proportioned figure, andshe walked with a brisk, elastic tread, which betrayed great energy andresolution. 

She was dressed in deep mourning, her clothing being made of the finestmaterial, and fitting her perfectly. 

A heavy crape vail covered her head and partially enveloped her figure, effectually concealing her features, and yet a close observer would havesaid that she had a lovely profile, and would have noticed, also, thather hair was a decided red. 

She appeared to be in a hurry, looking neither to the right nor left, norabating her pace in the least until she reached the dock where the FallRiver boat, Puritan, had but a little while previous poured forthher freight of humanity and merchandise. 

As she came opposite the gang-plank a low whistle caused her to look up. 

A man stationed on the saloon deck, and evidently watching for some one, made a signal, and with a nod of recognition, the woman passed on boardand up the stairs to the grand saloon, where a man met her and slipped akey into her hand, then turned and walked away without uttering a word. 

"Two hundred and one, " she muttered, and walked deliberately down thesaloon glancing at the figures on the doors of the various stateroomsuntil she came to No. 201, when she unlocked it and went in. 

Ten minutes later the man who had stood on deck as she came aboard, followed her, entered the stateroom, and locked the door after him. 

The two were closeted there for nearly an hour, when the woman in blackcame out. 

"I shall look for you at three precisely; do not fail me, " said a lowvoice from behind the door. 

"I will not fail you; but keep yourself close, " was the equally guardedresponse, and then the heavily draped figure glided quickly down stairsand off the boat. 

She crossed West street, passed on to Chambers, and turned to walk towardBroadway, passing, as she did so, a group of three or four men who werestanding at the corner. 

One of them gave a slight start as her garments brushed by him, took astep forward for a second look at her, then he quietly broke away fromthe others, and followed her, about a dozen yards behind, up Chambersstreet. 

The woman did not appear to notice that she was being followed, for shedid not accelerate her speed in the least, nor seem to pay any heed towhat was going on about her. She kept straight on, as if her mind wasintent only upon her own business. 

But all at once, as she reached the corner of Broadway, she slipped intoa carriage that stood waiting there, and was driven rapidly up town. 

An angry exclamation burst from the man following her, who was none otherthan Rider, the detective, and he hastened forward to catch anotherglimpse of the carriage, if possible, before it should get out of sight. 

He saw it in the distance, and hailing another, he gave chase as fast asthe crowded condition of the street would permit. 

Some twenty minutes later he came upon the same carriage standing onanother corner, the driver as quiet and unconcerned as if he had not beendodging vehicles at the risk of a smash-up, or urging his horses to alawless pace in that busy thoroughfare. 

But the coach was empty. 

Mr. Rider alighted and accosted the man. 

"Where is the passenger that you had a few minutes ago?" he inquired. 

The man pointed with his whip to a store near by, then relapsed into hisindolent and indifferent attitude. 

Mr. Rider shook his head emphatically, to indicate his disbelief of thispantomimic information, and muttered a few words not intended for politeears as he turned on his heel and moved away. 

"Fooled again, " he added, "and I thought I had her sure this time. Ofcourse she didn't go into that store any more than that other party wentfrom St. Louis to Chicago. But it's worth something to know that she isin New York. I'll try to keep my eyes open this time. "

In spite of his skepticism, however, he entered the store and saunteredslowly through it, but without encountering any woman in black, havingred hair. 

"She came off the Puritan, " he mused, as he issued into the street again, and turned his face up town. "I imagine that she either came on from FallRiver last night, or she is going back this afternoon. I'll hang roundthere about the time the Puritan leaves. Meantime I'll take a stroll insome of the upper tendom regions, for I'll bet she is a high-liver. "

He boarded a car and was soon rolling up toward the more aristocraticportion of the city, and thus we must leave him for a while. 

When Ray returned to Mrs. Montague's residence for Mona, he found anothercarriage waiting at the door, and it was just at this moment that Monamade her strange discovery in the woman's bedroom. 

"Mr. Corbin's carriage, " Ray murmured to himself as he alighted and wentup the steps. "I wonder if Mr. Graves is with him, and if Mrs. Montaguehas returned. I hope she has not made matters unpleasant for Mona. "

He rang the bell and was admitted by Mary, who wondered how many moretimes she would be obliged to run to the door that morning. 

"Is Miss--Miss Richards through with her packing?" the young maninquired, but having almost betrayed Mona's identity, which, inaccordance with the advice of the lawyers, they were not quite readyto do yet. 

"She's still up stairs, sir, " the girl replied. "I'll step up and tellher that you have come. Perhaps you'll wait in the reception-room, sir, as Mrs. Montague has just come in and has callers in the drawing-room. "

"Certainly, " Ray answered, and was about to follow her thither, when heheard his name spoken, and turning, saw Mr. Graves beckoning to him fromthe doorway of the drawing-room. 

"Come in here, " he said; "we shall need you in this business, " and Rayknew that Mrs. Montague was about to be interviewed upon various mattersof importance. 

"Very well, " he replied, then turning to Mary, he added: "You may tellMiss Richards that she need not hurry. I will call you again when I amready to go. "

He then followed the lawyer into the drawing-room and the door was shut. 

"There is something queer going on in there, " she muttered. "Mrs. Montague seemed all worked up over something, and those two men looked asglum as parsons at a funeral. There is cook's bell again, and Miss Ruthmust wait, " she concluded, impatiently, as a ring came up from the lowerregions, and then she went slowly and reluctantly down stairs again. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

SOME INTERESTING DISCOVERIES. 

Upon entering Mrs. Montague's beautiful drawing-room, Ray found, as hehad expected, that Mr. Corbin was there also, and he at once surmised thenature of the lawyer's business. 

Mrs. Montague gave a start of surprise as she saw him, and lost some ofher color; then recovering herself, she arose with a charming smile, andwent forward to greet him. 

Ray thought she looked much older than when he had seen her before, forthere were dark circles under her eyes, with crows' feet at theircorners, and wrinkles on her forehead and about her mouth, which he hadnever noticed until then, and which, somehow, seemed to change theexpression of her whole face. 

"This is an unexpected pleasure, " she remarked, with great cordiality, "but you perceive, " with a glance at the lawyers, "that I am overrun withbusiness. May I ask you to step into the library for a few moments untilI am at liberty?"

"No, if you please, madame, it is at my request that Mr. Palmer is here, "quietly but decidedly interposed Mr. Graves. 

Mrs. Montague flushed hotly at this interference, then seeing thatshe could not change the condition of affairs, and that Ray evidentlyunderstood matters, as he only bowed in the most frigid manner inresponse to her effusive greeting, she resigned herself to the inevitableand returned to her chair with an air of haughty defiance. 

It was Mrs. Montague whom Mona had heard moving about in the chamberadjoining the boudoir. 

The woman had come in just after Mary admitted that first caller below, and speeding swiftly and noiselessly up stairs, was making some changesin her toilet when the bell rang again. Mr. Corbin and Mr. Graves were atthe door. She heard it, and gliding softly into the hall, leaned over thebalustrade to ascertain who had called. 

The moment she heard Mr. Corbin inquire for her, she grew white withpassion, and her eyes flashed angrily, for she imagined that he had cometo question her again regarding Mona Forester. She did not see hiscompanion, however. 

"I will give him a dose to remember this time, " she muttered. Then sheheard Mary inform the gentlemen that she was not at home. 

"Yes, I am, Mary, " she said, in a low tone, for she felt in a defiantmood, and not suspecting the fatal nature of the lawyer's visit, andfeeling very secure in her own position, she rather courted anopportunity to defy him. "Invite the gentleman in, and I will bedown presently. "

She turned to go back to her chamber to complete her toilet, when sheheard some one moving about in her boudoir. 

She glided to the door, softly opened it, and looked in. Instantly herface lighted with a smile of evil triumph, though she gave a great startof surprise as she saw Mona there, and evidently searching for something. 

She had already learned that the girl had managed to escape from thepower of Louis and returned to New York. Therefore she now imagined thatshe had but just arrived and had come directly there to secure her othertrunk, when doubtless she would immediately seek Ray Palmer's protection, and denounce both herself and her nephew for their plot against her. 

Such a proceeding she knew would ruin all her prospects of becoming Mr. Palmer's wife, and, actuated by a sudden impulse, she hastily drew thedoor to again and locked it. Then she sped back to her chamber door andturned the key in that also, to prevent escape that way, and entirelyforgetting in her excitement that she had intended to make still furtherchanges in her toilet before going below. 

This done, she sped swiftly down stairs, and encountered Mary in thehall. 

"Lor', marm! I didn't know you had come in till you spoke, " the girlremarked, with a curious stare at her. 

"I have a latch-key, you know, " Mrs. Montague returned, as she swept ontoward the drawing-room, and the girl wondered why she "looked so strangeand seemed so flustered. "

Mrs. Montague entered the room with haughty mien, intending to dispose ofMr. Corbin with short ceremony, but she was somewhat taken aback when shefound that he was accompanied by another legal-looking gentleman. 

She had but just exchanged formal greetings with them when Ray made hisappearance; but she did not suspect that he was aware of Mona's presencein the house. Mr. Graves' remark had led her to suppose that he was thereby his appointment. 

Mr. Corbin bowed to the young man, and remarked:

"I was about to explain to Mrs. Montague that some proofs regarding theidentity of Miss Montague have recently come into my possession. "

"Do you mean to assert that you have proofs that will establish thetheory which you advanced to me during your last call here?" Mrs. Montague demanded, with a derisive smile. 

"That is exactly what I mean, madame, " Mr. Corbin replied. 

Mrs. Montague tossed her head scornfully. 

She was sure that the only proof in existence of Mona Forester's legalmarriage was at that moment safely lying in the secret compartment ofthat little table up stairs. She had not seen it since her return, for she had been too busy to look over those things again and destroysuch as would be dangerous, if they should fall into other hands; but shehad seen them so recently she felt very secure, and did not dream thatshe had been guilty of any carelessness regarding them. 

She knew, also, that up to the evening of Louis' last declaration to her, Mona had no proof to produce, and, supposing that she had but justreturned from Havana, she did not imagine that either of the lawyersor Ray had seen her to learn anything new from her, even if she haddiscovered anything. 

"Well, I should like to see them, " she responded, contemptuously, butwith a confident air that would have been very irritating to one lessassured than Mr. Corbin. 

He quietly drew a folded paper from his breast-pocket, opened andsmoothed it out, and going to the woman's side, held it before her forexamination. 

She was wholly unprepared for the appalling revelation that met her eyes, and the instant that she realized that the paper was the identicalcertificate, which she believed to be in her own possession, she lostevery atom of her color. A cry of anger and dismay broke from her, andsnatching the parchment from the lawyer's hand, she sprang to her feet, crying, hoarsely:

"Where did you get it? how did it come into your possession?"

"Pray, madame, do not be so excited, " Mr. Corbin calmly returned, "and becareful of that document, if you please, for it is worth a great deal tomy young client. Mr. Raymond Palmer supplied me with this very necessarylink in the evidence required to prove Miss Montague's identity. "

"And how came Raymond Palmer to have a paper that belonged to me?"demanded Mrs. Montague, turning to him with an angry gleam in her eyes. "I have supposed him to be a gentleman--he must be a thief, else he nevercould have had it. "

"You are mistaken in both assertions, Mrs. Montague, " Ray responded, withcold dignity. "In the first place, the paper does not belong to you; itrightly belongs to your husband's daughter. In the second place, it cameinto my possession in a perfectly legitimate manner. On the day of yourhigh-tea I came here a little late, if you remember. Your private parlorabove was used as the gentleman's dressing-room, and I found thatdocument lying underneath the draperies of the bay-window. I accidentallystepped upon it. It crackled beneath my feet, and it was but naturalthat I should wish to ascertain what was there. When I discovered thenature of the paper I felt perfectly justified in taking charge of it, in the interests of my promised wife, and so gave it into Mr. Corbin'shands. "

Mrs. Montague sat like one half stunned during this explanation, for shereadily comprehended how this terrible calamity had happened to overtakeher. She realized that the certificate must have slipped from her lap tothe floor while she was examining the other contents of that secretcompartment; and, when she had been so startled by Mona's rap and upsetthe table, it had been pushed underneath the draperies, while, during herhurry in replacing the various articles, she had not noticed that it wasmissing. 

"Yes, I understand, " she said, in a low, constrained, despairing tone. "You have balked me at last, but, " throwing back her head like someanimal suddenly brought to bay, "what are you going to do about it?"

"Only what is right and just, Mrs. Montague, " courteously responded Mr. Corbin. 

"Right and just!" she repeated, with bitter emphasis. "That means, Isuppose, that you are going to compel me to give up my fortune. "

"The law decrees that children shall have their father's property, excepting, of course, a certain portion, " said the lawyer. 

"A paltry one-third, " retorted Mrs. Montague, angrily. 

"Yes, unless the heirs choose to allow something more to the widow. Perhaps my client--"

Mrs. Montague sprang to her feet, her face flaming with sudden passion. 

"Do you suppose I would ever humiliate myself enough to accept any favorfrom Mona Forester's child?" she cried, as she paced the floor excitedlyback and forth, "Never! I will never be triumphed over. I will defy youall! Oh, to be beaten thus!--it is more than I can bear. "

Mrs. Montague's fury was something startling in its bitterness andintensity, and the three gentlemen, witnessing it, could not help feelingsomething of pity for the proud woman in her humiliation, even thoughthey were disgusted with her vindictiveness and selfishness. 

"Defiance will avail you nothing, Mrs. Montague; an amicable spirit wouldconduce far more to your advantage, " Mr. Corbin remarked. "And now Iadvise you, " he added, "to quietly relinquish all right and title to thisfortune excepting, of course, your third, and trust to your husband'sdaughter and her counsel to make you such allowance as they may considerright. If you refuse to do this we shall be obliged to resort to thecourts to settle the question of inheritance. "

"Take the matter into the courts, then, " was the passionate retort. "Iwill defy you all to the bitter end. And you, " turning with blazing eyesand crimson cheeks to Ray, "I suppose you imagined that you were to wina princely inheritance with your promised wife; that when you found thispiece of parchment you would thus enable Mona Forester's child to triumphover the woman who hated her with a deadly hatred. Not so, I assure you, for my vengeance is even more complete than I ever dared to hope, andyour 'promised wife, ' my fine young man, will never flaunt her colorsin triumph over me here in New York, for her reputation has beenirretrievably ruined, and the city shall ring with the vile story ereanother twenty-four hours shall pass. "

"Don't be too sure, madame; don't be too sure that you're going to downthat clever little lady just yet, " were the words which suddenly startledevery one in the room, and the next instant the door swung wide open toadmit a new actor in the drama. 

A brisk, energetic little man entered the room, and going directly toMrs. Montague's side, he laid his hand upon her shoulder. 

"Madame, you are my prisoner, " he added, in a more quiet but intenselysatisfied tone. 

"What do you mean, sir?" haughtily demanded the woman, as she shookherself free from his touch. "Who are you, and how came you here?"

"Well, we'll take one question at a time, if you please, madame, " thenew-comer returned. "First, what do I mean? Just what I say--you are myprisoner. I arrest you for obtaining money under false pretenses--fortheft, for abduction. The proof of the first charge is right here in myhand. Look!"

He opened his palm and disclosed to the horrified woman's gaze and tothe amazement of the other occupants of the room two beautiful crescentsof blazing diamonds. 

"Heavens! where did you get them? Oh, I know--I know!" shrieked theunhappy creature, cowering and shrinking from the sight as if blinded byit, and sinking upon the nearest chair. 

"Yes, I reckon you do, " grimly remarked Detective Rider, for it was he, "and this clears up the Bently affair of Chicago, for here, on the backof the settings, is the very mark which Mr. Arnold of that city put uponthem more than three years ago. Well, so much for that charge. Now, ifMr. Palmer will just step this way, maybe he'll recognize some of hisproperty, and we'll explain the second and third charges. "

Ray looked astonished as he went forward, but he was even more so whenMr. Rider held up before him an elegant diamond cross, which he instantlyidentified as one of the ornaments which the beautiful Mrs. Vanderbeckhad selected on that never-to-be-forgotten day when he was decoyed intoDoctor Wesselhoff's establishment and left there a prisoner, while thewoman made off with her booty. 

"Where did you get it?" he exclaimed, while Mrs. Montague fell back amongthe cushions of her chair and covered her face with her trembling hands, utterly unnerved. 

"That remains to be explained, together with some other things which areno less interesting and startling, " the detective returned, with an airof triumph. "And now, " raising his voice a trifle, "if a certain littlelady will show herself, I imagine we can entertain you with another actin this strange comedy. "

As he spoke the drawing-room door, which the man had left slightly ajarwhen he entered, was pushed open, and Mona made her appearance with herarms full of clothing. 

She glided straight to the detective's side, and handed him somethingwhich, with a dextrous movement, he clapped upon Mrs. Montague's bowedhead. 

It was a wig of rich, dark-red hair, which fell in lovely rings about thewoman's fair forehead and white neck. 

She lifted her face with a cry of terror at Mr. Rider's act, and behold!the beautiful Mrs. Vanderbeck was before them!

Ray knew at once why Mrs. Montague had looked so strangely to him as shearose to greet him when he entered. 

Her face had been artistically made up, with certain applications ofpencil and paint, to give her the appearance of being considerably olderthan she was. But he wondered how she happened to be so made up thatmorning. 

"That is not all, " Mr. Rider resumed, as he took a costly tailor-madedress from Mona's arm and held it up before his speechless auditors. "Here is the robe which was so badly rent at the time that Mrs. Vanderbeck escorted Mr. Raymond Palmer to the great Doctor Wesselhoff fortreatment, while the fragment that was torn from it will fit into thehole. And here, " taking another garment from Mona, "is a widow's costumein which the fascinating Mrs. Bently figured in Chicago, when she soskillfully duped a certain Mr. Cutler, swindling him out of a handsomesum of money, and giving him paste ornaments in exchange. No one wouldever imagine the elegant Mrs. Richmond Montague and the lovely widow tobe one and the same person, for they were entirely different in figure aswell as face, the former being very slight, while the latter was inclinedto be decidedly portly, as was also Mrs. Vanderbeck. 

"But, gentlemen, that is also easily explained, as you will see if youexamine these costumes, for there must be five pounds, more or less, ofcotton wadding used about each to pad it out to the required dimensions. Clever, very clever!" interposed Mr. Rider, bestowing a glance ofadmiration upon the bowed and shivering figure before him. "I think, during all my experience, I have never had so complicated and interestinga case. I do not wonder that you look dazed, gentlemen, " he went on, witha satisfied glance at his wide-eyed and wondering listeners, "and Iimagine I could have surprised you still more if I had had time toexamine a certain trunk which stands open up stairs in the lady'schamber. I think I could find among its contents a gray wig and othergarments belonging to a certain Mrs. Walton, so called, and perhaps aminer's suit that would fit Mr. Louis Hamblin, alias Jake Walton, whoin St. Louis recently tried to dispose of costly diamonds which he hadbrought all the way from Australia, for his rustic sweetheart--eh? Ha, ha, ha!" and the jubilant man burst into a laugh of infinite amusement. 

"Truly, Mr. Rider, your discoveries are somewhat remarkable; but will youallow me to examine that cross?" a new voice here remarked, and Mr. AmosPalmer arose from a mammoth chair at the other end of the drawing-room, where he had been an unseen witness of and listener to all that hadoccurred during the last half hour. 

It was he who had rung the bell just as Mona was about to enter Mrs. Montague's boudoir in search of her scissors, and who, upon being toldthat the lady was out, had said he would wait for her. He had called toask his _fiancée_ to go with him to select the hangings for the privateparlor which he was fitting up for her in his own house. 

His face, at this moment, was as colorless as marble; his eyes gleamedwith a relentless purpose, and his manner was frigid from the strong curbthat he had put upon himself. 

At the sound of his voice Mrs. Montague lifted a face upon which utterdespair, mingled with abject terror, was written. She bent one brief, searching glance upon the man, and then shrank back again into the depthsof her chair, shivering as with a chill. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

HOW IT HAPPENED. 

Mr. Rider passed Mr. Palmer the diamond cross, which he took without aword, and carefully examined, turning it over and over and scrutinizingboth the stones and the setting with the closest attention, though Raycould see that his hands were trembling with excitement, and knew thathis heart was undergoing the severest torture. 

"Yes, " he said, after an oppressive silence, during which every eye, except Mrs. Montague's, was fixed upon him, "the cross is ours--my ownprivate mark is on the back of the setting. And so, " turning sternlyto the wretched woman near him, "you were the thief; you were theunprincipled character who decoyed my son to that retreat for maniacs, and nearly made one of me! Then, oh! what treachery! what duplicity!When you feared that the net was closing about you and you would bebrought to justice, you sought to make a double dupe of me by a marriagewith me, imagining, I suppose, that I would suffer in silence, if thetheft was ever discovered, rather than have my name tarnished by a publicscandal. So you have sailed under many characters!" he went on, in a toneof biting scorn. "You are the Mrs. Bently, of Chicago! the Mrs. Bent, ofBoston; Mrs. Vanderbeck and Mrs. Walton, of New York; and the woman inSt. Louis, who gave bail for the rascally miner, who tried to dispose ofthe unset solitaires. Fortunately those have been proven to be mine andreturned to me; but where are the rest of the stones? I will have them, every one, " he concluded, in a tone so stern and menacing that the womanshivered afresh. 

"They were all together--they were all yours except two; but the cross, we--we--"

Mrs. Montague proceeded thus far in a muffled, trembling tone, and thenher voice utterly failed her. 

"You did not dare to try to sell too many at one time, and so youreserved the cross for future use, " Mr. Palmer supplemented. "Perhaps youeven intended to wear it under my very eyes, among your wedding finery. I verily believe you are audacious enough to do so; but, madame, it willbe safe to say that there will be no wedding now, at least between youand me. "

The man turned abruptly, as he ceased speaking, and left the room, looking fully a dozen years older than when, an hour previous, he hadcome there, with hope in his heart, to plan with his bride-elect howthey could make their future home most attractive for her reception. 

Ray felt a profound pity for his father, in this mortifying trial anddisappointment, and he longed to follow him and express his sympathy;but his judgment told him that it would be better to leave him alone fora time; that his wounded pride could ill-brook any reference to hisblighted hopes just then. 

It may as well be related just here how Detective Rider happened toappear so opportunely, and how Mona found the robes in which Mrs. Montague had so successfully masqueraded to carry out her variousswindling operations. 

It will be remembered that Mona, after she had gathered up the keepsakesbelonging to her mother and returned them to the table, had found anotherbox upon the floor of Mrs. Montague's boudoir. 

When she had removed the rubber band that held the cover in its place, her astonished eyes fell upon a pair of exquisite diamond crescents forthe ears, and a cross, which, from the description which Ray had givenher, she knew must have been among the articles stolen from Mr. Palmer. 

Instantly it flashed across her what this discovery meant. 

She felt very sure that Mrs. Montague must have been concerned in theswindling of Mr. Cutler, more than three years previous, and also of Mrs. Vanderbeck in Boston, besides in the more recent so-called Palmerrobbery. 

Still, there were circumstances connected with these operations thatpuzzled her. 

Mrs. Bently, the crafty widow of Chicago, had been described to her as astout woman with red hair. Mrs. Vanderbeck had also been somewhat portly, likewise Mrs. Walton, whom she had seen in St. Louis, and these latterwere somewhat advanced in years also. 

Mrs. Montague, on the contrary, was slight and sylph-like in figure; ablonde of the purest type, with light golden hair, a lovely complexion, with hardly the sign of a wrinkle on her handsome face. 

But she did not speculate long upon these matters, for, having made thisdiscovery, she was more anxious than before to be released from her placeof confinement. So she had gone into the adjoining room, and tried thedoor leading into the hall. 

That, too, as we know, she had found locked, and then, as she turned toretrace her steps, she was stricken spellbound by something which she sawupon the bed. 

It was nothing less than a widow's costume, comprising a dress, bonnet, and vail, together with a wig of short, curling red hair!

Yes, Mrs. Montague was the "widow!" or woman in black whom DetectiveRider had observed and followed only a little while previous. When shefound that the man was on her track she had slipped into the carriage andordered the driver to take her with all possible speed to a certain storeon Broadway. Arriving there, she had simply passed in at one door and outof one opposite leading upon a side street, where she hailed a car, and, thoroughly alarmed, went directly home instead of going to the room whereshe usually made these changes in her costume. 

Upon reaching her own door, she quietly let herself in with herlatch-key, and going directly to her chamber, tore off her widow'sweeds, and wig, and threw them hastily upon the bed. She hurriedlydonned another dress, and was about to remove the cleverly simulatedsigns of age from her face, when she heard the bell ring, and went intothe hall to ascertain who had called. We know the rest, how sherecognized the lawyer, and imagined he had come again to annoy herfurther upon the subject of Mona Forester's child; how, almost at thesame moment, she discovered Mona's presence in the house, and instantlyresolved to lock her up until she could decide what further to do withher. And thus, laboring under so much excitement, she entirely forgotabout the wrinkles and crow's-feet upon her face, and which so changedits expression. 

The moment Mona saw the costume upon the bed everything was made plain toher mind. Mrs. Bently, of the Chicago and Boston crescent swindle, was noother than Mrs. Montague in a most ingenious disguise. 

Glancing about the room for further evidences of the woman's cunning, sheespied a trunk standing open at the foot of the bed, as if some one hadbeen hastily examining the contents and forgotten to shut it afterward. 

She approached it, and on top of the tray there lay the very dress ofgray ladies' cloth which she had seen hanging in the closet of a certainroom in the Southern Hotel in St. Louis. Then she knew, beyond a doubt, that Mrs. Montague had also figured as Mrs. Walton, the mother of theminer, in that city. 

But who was the miner?

Louis Hamblin, in all probability, although she had not dreamed of sucha thing until that moment. 

"It is very strange that I should not have recognized Mrs. Montague, in spite of the white hair and the spotted lace vail, " she murmured, thoughtfully. But after reflecting and recalling the fact that even thewoman's eyebrows had been whitened and the whole expression of the facechanged by pencil lines, to simulate wrinkles and furrows, and thencovered with a thickly spotted vail, she did not wonder so much. 

She was amazed and appalled by these discoveries, and trembling withexcitement, she resolved to learn more, if possible. 

She lifted the lid of the hat-box, at one end of the tray, and there laythe very bonnet and vail that the woman had worn in St. Louis, and alsothe wig of white hair. 

"What a wretched creature!" she exclaimed, in a horrified tone. Thenwondering if Ray might not have come, while she had been there, she flewback to the window in the other room to look for him. 

Yes, his carriage was standing before the door, and he would soon findmeans to release her, she thought. 

But moment after moment went by, and no one came, while the continuousmurmur of voices in the room below made her wonder what was going onthere. 

Presently, however, her attention was attracted to a man who wassauntering slowly along the opposite sidewalk, and she was sure she hadseen him somewhere before, although, just at first, she could not placehim. 

"Why!" she exclaimed, after studying his face and figure a moment, "it isMr. Rider. Can it be possible that he suspects anything of the mysteryconcealed in this house? At any rate, he is just the man that is neededhere at this time. "

She tapped lightly on the pane to attract his attention. 

He stopped, glanced up, and instantly recognized Mona, nodding andlifting his hat to indicate that he did so. 

She beckoned him to cross the street, and then cautiously raised thewindow. He was beneath it in a moment. 

"Come in, Mr. Rider, and come directly up stairs to me, " she said, in alow tone. "I have been locked in this room, and I have made an importantdiscovery which you ought to know immediately. "

He nodded again, his keen eyes full of fire, turned, ascended the steps, and pulled the bell. 

Mary sighed heavily as she bent her weary steps, for the fifth time, upthe basement stairs to answer his imperative summons. 

"Is your mistress at home?" Mr. Rider inquired, in a quick, business-liketone. 

"Yes, sir; but she is engaged with callers, " the girl replied. 

"So much the better, " returned the detective; then, bending a stern lookon her, he continued: "I am an officer; I have business in this house;you are to let me in and say nothing to any one. Do you understand?"

Mary grew pale at this, and fell back a step or two from the door, frightened at the term "officer. "

Mr. Rider took instant advantage of the situation and stepped within thehall. 

"Don't dare to mention that I am here until I give you leave, " hecommanded, authoritatively, and then ran nimbly and quietly up stairs. 

It was the work of but a moment to find the room where Mona was confined, turn the key, and enter. 

"What does this mean, Miss Richards?" he asked, regarding her curiously. "How do you happen to be locked up like a naughty child?"

"I will explain that to you by and by; but first let me show you these. "

She uncovered the box which contained the crescents and cross, and heldthe gleaming diamonds before his astonished eyes. 

The man was so utterly confounded by the unexpected sight that for amoment he gazed at them with a look of wonder on his face. 

"Zounds! where did you get them?" he cried, breathlessly. 

Mona briefly explained regarding the accident to the table, which hadresulted in her discovering the secret compartment with its treasures. 

"Clever! clever!" the man muttered, as his eyes fastened upon the tableand he comprehended the truth. "Well, well, young lady, you've done afine stroke of business this day, and no mistake! These are the realarticles, no paste or sham to fool me this time, " he added, as he liftedthe crescents from the box. "But--when--Mrs. Richmond Montague!--who'dhave thought it?"

"This isn't all, Mr. Rider, " Mona continued, in a whisper, for she fearedMrs. Montague might catch the sound of their voices. 

"What! more discoveries!" the man exclaimed, all alert again, as he shutthe box and slipped it into his pocket. 

"Yes, step this way, if you please, " and leading him to the door of Mrs. Montague's chamber, she pointed at the costume lying upon the bed. 

The quick eyes took it all in at a glance, and his face lighted with aswift flash of triumph. 

"The Bently affair--the Vanderbeck swindle--the Palmer robbery! Clever!clever!" he muttered, as he seized the costume, shook out its folds, discovered the thick layers of padding about the waist and hips, and eyedit with intense satisfaction. Then he revealed two rows of firm, whiteteeth in a broad smile, as he snatched up and twirled that dainty red wigupon his hand, examining it with a critical and admiring eye. 

"And this, also, " continued Mona, going to the trunk and lifting from itthe tailor-made costume of gray ladies' cloth. 

"Aha! ha!" chuckled Mr. Rider. "Really, Miss Richards, if you were only aman we might make a right smart detective of you. This is the very dresswe have been wanting, and here is the rent. Have you still the fragmentthat you showed me in St. Louis?"

"Yes, it is here in my purse, " Mona answered, drawing it from her pocket, and, taking the piece of cloth from it, she handed it to him. 

"Here, too, is the gray wig worn by Mrs. Walton, " she went on, as shelifted the lid of the hat-box and revealed its contents. 

"Yes; true enough! and I'll wager that this trunk contains some otherdisguises which we should recognize, " he responded. "But, " he added, "wehave enough for our purpose just now, and we will defer furtherexamination until later. Now, Miss Richards, I am going down stairs toconfront that woman with this stolen property. You follow me, but remainin the hall until I give you a signal, then come forward with thesedisguises. Have you any idea who is below calling on her ladyship?" heasked, in conclusion. 

"No; but I am very sure that Mr. Raymond Palmer is somewhere in thehouse, for he was to call for me, and his carriage is at the door. "

"I am glad to know that, " the man cried, "and now I will make quick workof this business. "

He turned and left the room with a quick step, and going directly belowentered the drawing-room, just as Mrs. Montague was rudely taunting Rayabout Mona. 

The young girl gathered up the various articles of clothing and followedhim, and we know what occurred after that. 

CHAPTER XX. 

MRS. MONTAGUE EXPLAINS. 

It would be difficult to describe the abject distress of the wretchedwoman, whose career of duplicity and crime had been so unexpectedlyrevealed and cut short. 

She was the picture of despair, as she sat crouching in the depths of herluxurious chair, her figure bowed and trembling, her face hidden in herhands. 

There was a silence for a moment after Mr. Amos Palmer left the room;then Mr. Rider, who had been curiously studying his prisoner while thegentleman was speaking, remarked:

"It is the greatest mystery to me, madame, how, with the large fortunewhich you have had at your disposal, you could have wished to carry onsuch a dangerous business. What could have been your object? Surely notthe need of money, nor yet the desire for jewels, since you have meansenough to purchase all you might wish, and you tried to sell those youstole. One would almost suppose that it was a sort of monomania withyou. "

"No, it was not monomania, " Mrs. Montague cried, as she started up withsudden anger and defiance; "it was absolute need. "

"Really, now, " Mr. Rider remarked, regarding her with a peculiar smile, "I should just like to know, as a matter of curiosity, how much it takesto relieve you from absolute need. I have supposed that you were one ofthe richest women in New York. "

Mrs. Montague flushed a sudden crimson, and darted a quick, half-guiltylook at Mr. Corbin. Then she turned again to the detective. 

"Did you?--and so did others, I suppose!" she cried, with a short, scornful laugh. "Well, then, let me tell you that until I set my wits atwork my income was only about twenty-five hundred dollars a year; andwhat was that paltry sum to a woman with my tastes?

"I do not care who knows now, " she went on, with increasing excitement;"I have been humiliated to the lowest degree, and I shall glory intelling you how a woman has managed to outwit keen business men, sharpdetectives, and clever police. In the first place, those crescents werepresented to me at the time of my marriage. They are, as you havedoubtless observed, wonderful jewels--as nearly flawless as it ispossible to find diamonds. When I went to Chicago I was poor, for Ihad been extravagant that year and overdrawn my income. Money I musthave--money I would have; and then it was that I attempted, for the firsttime, to carry out a scheme which I had planned while I was abroad theprevious year. I had ordered a widow's outfit to be made, and padded ina way to entirely change my figure. I also purchased that red wig. Whilein Paris I learned the art of changing the expression of my face, by theskillful use of pencils and paint, and thus, dressed in my mourningcostume with my eyebrows and lashes tinged to match my false hair, noone would ever have recognized me as Mrs. Montague. 

"I had also provided myself, while in Paris, with several pairs ofcrescents, the exact counterparts, in everything save value, of thecostly ones in my possession. I need not repeat the story of my successin getting money from Justin Cutler--you already know it; but I was soelated over the fact that I immediately went on to Boston, where I woneven a larger sum from Mrs. Vanderheck. "

"Yes; but how did you manage to change the jewels in that case, since youwere with Mrs. Vanderheck from the time you left the expert until shepaid you the money for them?" inquired Mr. Rider, who was deeplyinterested in this cunningly devised scheme. 

"That was easily done, " Mrs. Montague returned. "I had the case in mylap, and the duplicate crescents in my pocket. It required very littleingenuity on my part to so engage Mrs. Vanderheck's attention that Icould abstract the real stones from the case and replace them with theothers. Regarding the Palmer affair, " she continued, with a glance ofdefiance at Ray, "it only required a few lines and touches to my face toapparently add several years to my age and change its expression; and, with my red hair and the change in my figure, my disguise was complete. "

"And the name, " interposed Ray, regarding her sternly; "you had a purposein using that. "

"Certainly, and the invalid husband also, " she retorted, with a short, reckless laugh. "I had a purpose, too, in calling the elder Mr. Palmer'sattention to the profusion of diamonds worn by Mrs. Vanderheck upon theevening of Mrs. Merrill's reception. You can understand why, perhaps, "she added, sarcastically, and turning to the detective. 

He merely nodded in reply, but muttered under his breath, with a kind ofadmiration for her daring:

"Clever--clever, from the word 'go. '"

"With a wig of white hair, a few additional wrinkles, and the sedatedress of a woman of sixty, I passed as Mrs. Walton, the mother of alunatic son. It was not such a very difficult matter after all, " sheadded, glancing vindictively at Ray: "the chief requirement was plenty ofassurance, or cheek, as you men would express it. My only fear was thatthe diamonds would be missed before we were admitted to the doctor'shouse. "

"When did you take that package from my pocket?" Ray demanded, with somecuriosity. "Was it when I leaned forward to assist you about your dress?"

The woman's lips curled. 

"And run the risk of being detected before leaving the carriage after allmy trouble? No, indeed, " she scornfully returned. "My _coup de gracé_ wasjust after ringing Doctor Wesselhoff's bell, while we stood together onthe steps; the package was not large, though valuable, and it was but thework of a moment to transfer it from your pocket to mine, while you stoodthere with your arms full. "

Ray regarded her wonderingly. She must have been very dextrous, hethought, and yet he remembered now that she had turned suddenly andbrushed rather rudely against him. 

"And in St. Louis--" Mr. Rider began. 

Mrs. Montague flushed, and a wary gleam came into her eye. 

"Yes, of course, " she interrupted, hastily; "I was also the Mrs. Walton, of St. Louis. It was very easy to hire an extra room under that name. "

"And your agent was--who?" continued Mr. Rider. 

"That does not matter, " she retorted, sharply. "You have found me out. I have recklessly explained my own agency in these affairs, but you willnot succeed in making me implicate any one else. "

"Very well; we will question you no further upon that point now, " saidthe detective; "but it does not take a very wise head to suspect who wasyour accomplice, and I imagine it will not take a great deal of hunting, either, to find him, " and Mr. Rider resolved to make a bee line for theFall River boat the moment he could get through with his business there. "And now, gentlemen, " he resumed, turning to the lawyers and Ray, "Ithink we'll close this examination here, and I'll take my prisoner intocamp. "

A cry of horror burst from Mrs. Montague's blanched lips at this remark. 

"You cannot mean it--you will not dare to take me to a vile jail, " sheexclaimed, in tones of mingled fear and anger. 

"Jails were made for thieves, swindlers, and abductors, " was the laconicresponse. 

The woman sprang to her feet again, and shot a withering glance at him. 

"I go to a common prison? never!" she said, fiercely, and with all thehaughtiness of which she was capable. 

"The fact of your having figured as a leader in high life, madame, doesnot exempt you from the penalty of the law, since you have alreadydeclared yourself guilty of the crimes I have named, " coolly rejoinedthe detective. 

"Oh, I cannot--I cannot, " moaned the wretched woman, wringing her handsin abject distress. Then her glance fell upon Mona, who had quietlyseated herself a little in the background, after the detective hadrelieved her of the clothing which she had brought into the room. 

"You will not let them send me to prison--you will not let them bring meto trial and sentence me to such degradation, " she moaned, imploringly. 

Mr. Rider regarded her with amazement and supreme contempt at thisservile appeal, for so it seemed to him. 

"How can you expect that Miss Richards will succor you after yourheartless and wicked treatment of her?" he demanded more sharply thanhe had yet spoken to her. 

"Because, Mr. Rider, " Mona gently interposed, "she bears a name she knowsI am anxious to save from all taint or reproach; because she was thewife, and I the only child, of Walter Richmond Montague Dinsmore. "

The detective gave vent to a long, low whistle of surprise. 

"Zounds! can that be possible?" he cried, as he turned his wonderingglance upon the lawyers. 

"Yes, " said Mr. Corbin, "it is the truth, and, of course, it is time thatit should be revealed. I have known that Mrs. Richmond Montague and Mrs. Walter Dinsmore were one and the same person ever since the death of Mr. Dinsmore. The lady came to me immediately after that event and requestedme to ascertain if he had made a will. I instituted inquiries and learnedthat he had tried to do so, but failed to sign it. She then revealed tome that she was the wife of Mr. Dinsmore, but that they had separatedonly a year after their marriage, although he had allowed her an annualincome of twenty-five hundred dollars for separate maintenance. Sheproduced her certificate and other proofs that she was his lawfulwife, and authorized me to claim his fortune for her, but stipulated thatshe was not to appear personally in the matter, as she did not wish to beidentified as Mrs. Dinsmore, after having appeared in New York society asMrs. Montague. She absolutely refused to make her husband's niece--orsupposed niece--any allowance, although I felt that it was cruel todeprive the young lady of everything when she had been reared in luxuryand expected to be the sole heir, and I tried to persuade her to settleupon her the same amount that she herself had hitherto received fromMr. Dinsmore. All my arguments were without avail, however, and I wasobliged to act as she required. You all know the result; Miss Mona wasdeprived of both fortune and home, and Mrs. Montague, as she still wishedto be known, suddenly became, in truth, the rich woman she was supposedto be previously. "

"Did you know of this?" Mr. Rider asked, turning to Mr. Graves. 

"I knew that a woman claiming to be a Mrs. Dinsmore had secured thefortune which should have been settled upon this young lady; but I didnot know that Mrs. Montague was that woman until Miss Dinsmore, as Isuppose we must now call her"--with a smile at Mona--"returned from theSouth. Until then I also believed that she was only the niece of myfriend. If I had ever suspected the truth you may be very sure that Ishould have fought hard to establish the fact. "

"I suspected the fact when Miss Mona came to me, bringing her mother'spicture, and told me her story, " Mr. Corbin here remarked. "I wasconvinced of it after I had paid a visit to and made some inquiries ofMrs. Montague--"

"Ha!" that woman interposed as she turned angrily upon Mona, "then youdid make use of that torn picture after all!"

"I took it to an artist, had it copied, then gave the pieces to Mary tobe burned, as you had commanded, " Mona quietly replied. 

"Oh! how you have fooled me!" Mrs. Montague exclaimed, flushing hotly. "If I had only acted upon my first impressions, I should have sent youadrift at once--I should not have tolerated your presence a single hour;but you were so demure and innocent that you deceived me completely, andI never found you out until the morning after my high-tea. Then Iunderstood your game, and resolved to so effectually clip your wings thatyou could never do me any mischief. "

Mona started at this last revelation, and light began to break upon hermind. 

"How did you find me out?" she inquired, in a low tone. 

"I had a letter telling me that my seamstress, who called herself RuthRichards, was no other than Mona Montague--the last person in all theworld whom I would have wished to receive into my family--and that shewas having secret meetings with Raymond Palmer. "

"Who wrote that letter?" Mona demanded, with heightened color. 

"I do not know--it was anonymous; but I was convinced at once that youwere Mona Montague, from the fact that you were having secret interviewswith Ray Palmer, for his father had told me of his interest in her. Ofcourse I instantly came to the conclusion that you were plotting againstme, and, though I did not believe that you could prove your identity, or your mother's legal marriage, I feared that something might occur totrouble me in the possession of my fortune; so I resolved to marry youto Louis and settle the matter for all time. "

"Then that was why you started so suddenly for the South?" Mona said, with flashing eyes. 

"That was not my only reason for going, " returned Mrs. Montague, flushing. "I--I had a telegram calling me to St. Louis, and so thoughtthe opportunity a fine one to carry out my scheme regarding you. "

"And did you suppose, for one moment, that you could drive me into amarriage with a man for whom I had not the slightest affection or evenrespect?" Mona demanded, bending an indignant look upon the unprincipledschemer. 

"I at least resolved that I would so compromise you that no one elsewould ever marry you, " was the malicious retort, as the woman turned hervindictive glance from her to Ray. 

"Nothing could really compromise me but voluntary wrong-doing, " Monaanswered, with quiet dignity, "and your vile scheme was but a miserablefailure. "

"I do not need to be twitted of the fact, " Mrs. Montague impatientlyreturned. "My whole life has been a failure, " she went on, her facealmost convulsed with pain and passion. "Oh! if I had only destroyed thatmarriage certificate you would never have triumphed over me like this;you would never have learned the truth about yourself. "

"Oh, yes, I should, " Mona composedly returned, "and even my trip to NewOrleans resulted advantageously to me. "

"How so?" questioned her enemy, with a start, and regarding her with afrown. 

"An accident revealed to me, on the last night of our stay there, thewhole truth about myself. Up to that time I was entirely ignorant of thefact that my supposed uncle was my father, for I knew nothing about thediscovery of the certificate until my return from Havana. "

"What do you mean?--what accident do you refer to?" Mrs. Montague asked. 

"The day I was eighteen years old I asked my father some very closequestions regarding my parentage, of which I had been kept very ignorantall my life. Some of them he answered, some of them he evaded, and, onthe whole, my conversation with him was very unsatisfactory; for I reallydid not know much more about myself and my father and mother at its closethan at its beginning. 

"On the same day he gave me a small mirror that had once belonged toMarie Antoinette, and which, he said, had been handed down as an heirloomin my mother's family for several generations. This mirror he cautionedme never to part with; and so, when I went South with you, I packed itwith my other things in my trunk. That last evening in New Orleans, while removing and repacking some clothing I dropped the book containingmy mirror. When I picked it up I discovered that it contained a secretdrawer in its frame. In the drawer there were some letters, a boxcontaining two rings belonging to my mother and a full confession, written by my father upon the very day that he had presented me withthe royal keepsake. 

"So, " Mona concluded, "you perceive that even had you destroyed thecertificate proving their marriage, I should have other and sufficientproof that I was the child of Mr. And Mrs. Walter Dinsmore. "

"Oh! if I had only forced the sale of all his property and gone back atonce to California, I should have escaped all this and kept my fortune, "groaned the unhappy woman, in deep distress. 

"Really, Mrs. Dinsmore, you are showing anything but a rightspirit--" Mr. Corbin began, in a tone of reproof, when she interruptedhim with passionate vehemence. 

"Never address me by that name, " she cried. "Do you suppose I wish tobe known as the widow of the man who repudiated me? Never! That was whyI adopted the name of Montague, and I still wish to be known as such. Ah!--but if I have to go to--Oh, pray plead for me!" she cried, turningagain to Mona; "do not let them send me to prison. "

Just at that moment Mr. Palmer's wan face appeared again at the rear doorof the drawing-room. 

He beckoned to Ray, who immediately left the room, and Mona, who hadgrown very thoughtful after Mrs. Montague's last appeal, left her seatand approached the lawyers. 

"Mr. Graves--Mr. Corbin, " she said, in a low tone, which only theycould hear, "cannot something be done to keep this matter from becomingpublic? I cannot bear the thought of having my dear father's name becomethe subject of any scandal in connection with this woman. It would woundme very sorely to have it known that Mrs. Richmond Montague, who hasfigured so conspicuously in New York society, was his discarded wife;that she robbed me of my fortune, and why; that she--the woman bearinghis name--was the unprincipled schemer who defrauded Mr. Justin Cutlerand Mrs. Vanderheck, and robbed Mr. Palmer of valuable diamonds. I couldnot endure, " she went on, flushing crimson, "that my name should bebrought before the public in connection with Louis Hamblin and thatwretched voyage from New Orleans to Havana. "

"But, my dear Miss Dinsmore--" began Mr. Corbin. 

"Please let me continue, " Mona interposed, smiling faintly, yet betrayingconsiderable feeling. "I think I know what you wished to remark--that shehas had the benefit of all this money which she has obtained under falsepretenses, and that she ought to suffer the extreme penalty of the lawfor her misdeeds. She cannot fail to suffer all, and more than any onecould desire, in the failure of her schemes, in the discovery of herwickedness, and in the loss of the fortune of which she felt so secure. But even if she were indifferent to all this I should still beg you toconsider the bitter humiliation which a public trial would entail uponme, and the reproach upon my father's hitherto unsullied name. If--if Iwill cause Mr. Cutler and Mrs. Vanderheck to be reimbursed for the losswhich they sustained through Mrs. Montague's dishonesty, cannot youarrange some way by which a committal and a trial can be avoided?"

"I am afraid it would be defeating all law and justice, " Mr. Corbin beganagain, and just at that moment Ray returned to the room, looking verygrave and thoughtful. 

Mona's face lighted as she saw him. 

"Ray, come here, please, and plead for me, " she said, turning her earnestface toward him; and he saw at once that her heart was very much set uponher object, whatever it might be. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

MRS. MONTAGUE TELLS HER STORY. 

"What is it, Mona?" Ray inquired, as he went to her side. "You may bevery sure that I will second your wishes if they are wise and do notinterfere in any way with your interests. "

Mona briefly repeated what she had already proposed to the lawyers, andRay immediately responded that it was also his wish and his father's thatas far as they were concerned all public proceedings against Mrs. Montague should be suspended. 

"Come with me to another room where we can converse more freely, " headded, "for I have a proposition to make to you in my father's name. Mr. Rider, " raising his voice and addressing the detective, "will you allowMrs. Montague to remain alone with Miss Dinsmore for a little while, as Iwish to confer with you upon a matter of importance?"

The detective took a swift survey of the room before answering. It wasevident that he had no intention of allowing his captive to escape himnow after all his previous efforts to secure her. 

"Yes, " he replied, "I will go with you into the hall, if that will do. "

He knew that in the hall he should be able to keep his eyes upon bothdoors of the drawing-room, and no one could pass in and out without hisknowing it, while there was no other way of egress. 

The four gentlemen accordingly withdrew, thus leaving Mona and Mrs. Montague by themselves. 

Mona seated herself by a window, and as far as possible from the woman, for she shrank with the greatest aversion from her, while she felt thather own presence must be oppressive and full of reproach to her. 

But the woman's curiosity was for the moment greater than her anxiety orremorse, and after a brief silence, she abruptly inquired:

"How did that detective find that box of diamonds?"

"He did not find them. I accidentally discovered them, " Mona replied. 

"You? What were you prowling about in my room for?" crossly demanded Mrs. Montague. 

"I was simply looking for a pair of scissors which I had left there theday before we went South. But why did you lock me in the room, for Isuppose it was you?"

"Because I was desperate, " was the defiant response. "I had just learnedhow you had escaped from Louis, but I had not a thought of finding youhere. When I saw you in my room, however, a great fear came over me thatyou would yet prove my ruin. I imagined that you had just arrived in NewYork, and had come here to take away your things, and were perhapssearching my room for proofs of your identity. So on the impulse of themoment I locked you in, intending to make my own terms with you beforeI let you go. "

"Did you suppose, after my experience in New Orleans, that I would trustmyself with you without letting some one know where I could be found?"Mona quietly asked. 

"If I had stopped to think I might have known that you would not, " thewoman said, sullenly. "But how did you get out of that hotel in Havana?"

"Mr. Justin Cutler assisted me. "

Mrs. Montague flushed hotly at the mention of that name. 

"Yes, I know, but how?" she said. 

Mona briefly explained the manner of her escape, then inquired, in avoice of grave reproach:

"How could you conspire against me in such a way? How could you aid yournephew in so foul a wrong?"

"I have already told you--to make our fortunes secure, " was the coolretort. 

Mona shuddered. It seemed such a heartless thing to do, to plan the ruinof a homeless, unprotected girl for the sake of money. 

Mrs. Montague noticed it, and smiled bitterly. 

"You surely did not suppose I bore you any love, did you?" she sneered. "I have told you how I hated your mother, and it is but natural that thefeeling should manifest itself against her child, especially as you bothhad usurped the affections of my husband. "

"Such a spirit is utterly beyond my comprehension, " gravely said thegirl, "when your only possible reason for such hatred of a beautifulgirl was that my father loved and married her. "

"Well, and wasn't that enough?" hotly exclaimed Mrs. Montague. "For yearsWalter Dinsmore's aunt had intended that he should marry me--that was thecondition upon which he was to have her fortune--and I had been rearedwith that expectation. Therefore, it was no light grief when I learned byaccident, three weeks after he sailed for Europe, that he had married agirl who had come to New York to earn her living as a milliner. They wentabroad together and registered as Mr. And Mrs. Richmond Montague. I waswild, frantic, desperate, when I discovered it; but I kept the matter tomyself. I did not wish Miss Dinsmore to learn the fact, for I had a planin my mind which I hoped might yet serve to give me the position I socoveted. I persuaded Miss Dinsmore that it would be wise to let me followWalter to Europe, and I promised her that if such a thing were possible, I would return as his wife. Six weeks after he sailed with his bride, Ialso left for Europe with some friends. I kept track of the unsuspiciouscouple for four months, but it was not until they settled in Paris forthe winter that I had an opportunity to put any of my plans into action. "

"If you please, Mrs. Montague, I would rather you would not tell me anymore, " Mona here interrupted, with a shiver of repulsion. "My fatherwrote out the whole story, and so I know all about it. You accomplishedyour purpose and wrecked the life of a pure and beautiful woman--a lovedand loving wife; but truly I believe if my mother could speak to-dayshe would say that she would far rather have suffered the wrong andwretchedness to which she was subjected than to have exchanged placeswith you. "

"Do you dare to twit me of my present extremity and misery?" cried Mrs. Montague, angrily. 

"Not at all; I was not thinking of these later wrongs of which you havebeen guilty, " Mona gently returned, "but only of the ruin which youwrought in the lives of my father and mother. I cannot think that youwere happy even after you had succeeded in your wretched plots. "

"Happy!" repeated the woman, with great bitterness. "For two years I wasthe most miserable creature on earth. I will tell it, and you shalllisten; you shall hear my side of the story, " she went on, fiercely, as she noticed that Mona was restless under the recital. "As I saidbefore, when they settled in Paris for the winter I began to develop myplans. I went to a skillful costumer, and provided myself with a completedisguise, then hired a room in the same house, although I took care tokeep out of the sight of Walter Dinsmore and his wife. One day he wentout of the city on a hunting excursion, and met with an accident--he felland sprained his ankle, and lay in the forest for hours in great pain. Hewas finally found by some peasants who bore him to their cottage, andkindly cared for him. His first thought was, of course, for his wife, andhe sent a messenger with a letter to her telling of his injury. I saw theman when he rode to the door. I instinctively knew there was ill news. Isaid I knew Mrs. Montague, and I would deliver the letter. I opened andread it, and saw that my opportunity had come. Walter Dinsmore, with manysickening protestations of love, wrote of his accident, and said it wouldbe some time before he should be able to return to Paris, but he wishedthat she would take a comfortable carriage the next day, and come to himif she felt able to do so. Of course I never delivered the letter, butthe next day I went to Mona Forester, and told her that her lover haddeserted her; that she was no wife, for their marriage had been but afarce; that he had not even given her his real name; that he was alreadyweary of her, and she would never see him again, for he was pledged tomarry me as soon as he should return to America. 

"At first she would not believe one word of it--she had the utmostconfidence in the man she idolized; but as the days went by and he didnot return she began to fear there was some foundation for my statements. Then a few cunning suggestions to the landlord and his wife poisonedtheir minds against her. They accused her of having been living in theirhouse in an unlawful manner, and drove her out of it with anger andscorn. 

"She left on the fifth day after Walter's accident, and I hired thebutler of the house to go with her and make it appear as if she hadeloped with him. He carried out my instructions so faithfully that theirsudden flitting had every appearance of the flight of a pair of lovers. When Walter received no answer from his wife, and she did not go to him, as he requested, he became very anxious, and insisted upon returning toParis, in spite of his injury. Immediately upon his arrival he was toldthat his lady had eloped with the butler of the house, and the angrylandlord compelled him to quit the place also. 

"I did not set eyes on him again for more than two years, when hereturned at Miss Dinsmore's earnest request, for she had not long tolive. He did not seem like the same man, and apparently had no interestin life. When Miss Dinsmore on her death-bed begged him to let her seethe consummation of her one desire he listlessly consented, and we weremarried in her presence, and she died in less than a month. Then heconfessed his former marriage to me, and told me that he had a child;that her home must be with us, and to escape all scandal and remark wewould go to the far West. I was furious over this revelation, but Iconcealed the fact from him, for I loved him with all my soul, and Iwould have adopted a dozen children if by so doing I could have won hisheart. I consented to have you in the family, provided that you should bereared as his niece, and never be told of your parentage. He replied, with exceeding bitterness, that he was not anxious that his child shouldgrow up to hate her father for his lack of faith in her mother, and hisdeep injustice to her. 

"We went to San Francisco to live, but I hated you even more bitterlythan I had hated your mother, and every caress which I saw my husbandlavish upon you was like a poisoned dagger in my heart. But he neverknew it--he never knew that I had had anything to do with the tragedyof his life, until more than a year after our marriage. 

"My own child--a little girl--was born about ten months after that event;but she did not live, and this only served to make me more bitter againstyou; for, although my husband professed to feel great sorrow that shecould not have lived to be a comfort to us and a companion to you, I knewthat he would never have loved her with the peculiar tenderness which healways manifested toward you. 

"When your mother fled from him and Paris she left everything that hehad lavished upon her save what clothing she needed and money to defraynecessary expenses during the next few months; and so after my marriageI found pocketed away among some old clothing belonging to my husband thekeepsakes that he had given to her and also their marriage certificate. I took possession of them, for I resolved that if you should outlive yourfather you should never have anything to prove that you were his child;if I could not have my husband's heart I would at least have his money. 

"One day a little over a year after our marriage, on my return from adrive, I was told that a man was waiting in the library to see me. Without a suspicion of coming evil, I went at once to ascertain hiserrand, and was horrified to find there the butler--the man whom I hadhired to act as your mother's escort to London. He had been hunting forme for three years to extort more money from me, and had finally tracedme from New York to San Francisco. 

"He demanded another large sum from me. It was in vain that I told him Ihad paid him generously for the service he had rendered me. He insistedthat I must come to his terms or he would reveal everything to myhusband. Of course I yielded to that threat, and paid him the sum hedemanded, but I might have saved the money, for Walter Dinsmore, who hadthat morning started for Oakland for the day, but changed his mind andreturned while I was out, was sitting in a small alcove leading out ofthe library, and had heard the whole conversation. 

"Of course there was a terrible scene, and he obliged me to confesseverything, although he had heard enough to enable him to comprehend thewhole, and then he sternly repudiated me; but, scorning the scandal whichwould attend proceedings for a divorce, he gave me a meager stipend forseparate maintenance, and told me he never wished to look upon my faceagain. He settled his business, sold his property, and returned to NewYork with you and your nurse, leaving me to my fate. He forbade me tolive under the name of Dinsmore, but I would not resume my maidenname, and so adopted that of Mrs. Richmond Montague. But I stilltreasured that certificate and my own also, for I meant, if I shouldoutlive him, to claim his fortune, and also kept myself pretty wellposted regarding his movements. 

"Shortly after our separation my only sister died, and her son, Louis, was thus left destitute, and an orphan. I believed that I could make himuseful to me, so I adopted him. We have roved a great deal, for we havehad to eke out my limited income by the use of our wits. My best game, though, was with the crescents which Miss Dinsmore gave me as a weddingpresent, and which I had duplicated several times. Early last fall wecame to New York, for in spite of all the past I still loved WalterDinsmore, and longed to be near him. 

"I felt as if the fates had favored me when I heard that he had diedwithout making his will, and I knew from the fact that you were knownonly as his niece, Miss Mona Montague, that you must still be inignorance of your real relationship toward him. So it was comparativelyeasy for me to establish my claim to his property. I did not appearpersonally in the matter, for I was leading quite a brilliant career hereas Mrs. Richmond Montague, and I did not wish to figure as the discardedwife of Walter Dinsmore, so no one save Mr. Corbin even suspected myidentity. If Walter Dinsmore had never written that miserable confession, or if I had at once turned all his property into money and gone abroad, or to California, I need never have been brought to this. As mattersstand now, however, I suppose you will claim everything, " she concluded, with a sullen frown. 

Mona thought that if the law had its course with her she would need butvery little of the ill-gotten wealth upon which she had been flourishingso extravagantly of late. But she simply replied, in a cold, resolutetone:

"I certainly feel that I am entitled to the property which my fatherwished me to have. "

"Indeed! then you have changed your mind since the night when you soindignantly affirmed to Louis that you did not wish to profit by so muchas a dollar from the man who had so wronged your mother, " sneered hercompanion, bitterly. 

"Certainly, " calmly returned Mona, "now that I know the truth. My fatherdid my mother no willful wrong, although in his morbid grief andsensitiveness he imputed such wrong to himself, and never ceased toreproach himself for it. You alone, " Mona continued, with sterndenunciation, "are guilty of the ruin of their happiness and lives; youalone will have to answer for it. You have been a very wicked woman, Mrs. Montague, not only in connection with your schemes regarding them, butin your corruption of the morals of your nephew. I should suppose yourconscience would never cease to reproach you for having reared him tosuch a life of crime. You will have to answer for that also. "

Mrs. Montague shivered visibly at these words, thus betraying that shewas not altogether indifferent to her accountability. 

But she quickly threw off the feeling, or the outward appearance of it, and tossing her head defiantly, she remarked:

"I do not know who has made you my mentor, Miss Dinsmore; but there isone thing more that I wish you to explain to me--how came that detectiveto be in my house?"

"He was passing in the street, and I asked him to come in, " Mona replied. 

"Indeed! and where, pray, did you make the acquaintance of the high-tonedMr. Rider?" sarcastically inquired Mrs. Montague. 

"In St. Louis. "

"In St. Louis!" the woman repeated, astonished. 

"Yes. You doubtless remember the day that I rode with you and your nephewin the street-car, when you were both disguised. "

"Yes, but did you know us at that time?"

"No, I only recognized the dress you had on. "

"Ah! What a fool I was ever to wear it the second time, " sighed thewretched woman, regretfully. 

"I knew it was very like in both color and texture the piece of goodsthat Mr. Palmer had once shown me. I was almost sure when I saw that ithad been mended that it was the same dress that Mrs. Vanderbeck had wornwhen she stole the Palmer diamonds, and immediately telegraphed to havethe fragment sent to me. "

"And Ray Palmer had it and had kept it all that time!" interposed Mrs. Montague, with a frown. "I hunted everywhere for it. "

"He sent it to me by the next mail, and I began my hunt for the dress, although at that time I did not suspect that it belonged to you, " Monacontinued. Then she explained how, while assisting the chambermaidabout her work, she had found the garment hanging in a wardrobe, andproved by fitting the fragment to the rent that her suspicions werecorrect. 

"You will also remember, " she added, "how you chided me a little laterfor going out without consulting you. I had been out to seek a detectiveto tell him what I had discovered. "

"Ha! that was how you made Mr. Rider's acquaintance?" interrupted Mrs. Montague, with a start. 

"Yes. He told me he was in St. Louis on business connected with that verycase. He was very much elated after hearing my story, but when he went tomake his arrest he found that Mrs. Walton and her so-called son had bothdisappeared. I was, of course, very much disappointed, but I neverdreamed--"

"That I and my hopeful nephew were the accomplished sharpers, "supplemented Mrs. Montague, with a bitter laugh. "Well, Mona Dinsmore, you have been very keen. I will give you credit for that--you have beatenme; I confess that you have utterly defeated me, and your mother is amplyavenged through you. No doubt, you are very triumphant over my downfall, "she concluded, acrimoniously. 

"Indeed, I am not, " Mona returned, with a sigh. "I do not think I couldtriumph in the downfall of any one, and though I am filled with horrorover what you have told me, I am very sorry for you. "

"Sorry for me!" repeated the woman, with skeptical contempt. 

"Yes, I am truly sorry for you, and for any one who has fallen so low, for I am sure you must have seasons of suffering and remorse that arevery hard to bear, while as for avenging my mother, I never had such athought; I do not believe she would wish me to entertain any such spirit. I intend to assert my rights, as my father's daughter, but not with anydesire for revenge. "

Mona's remarks were here suddenly cut short by the return of the fourgentlemen, and Mrs. Montague eagerly and searchingly scanned their facesas they gravely resumed their seats. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

MRS. MONTAGUE'S ANNUITY. 

Mona, too, regarded the lawyers with some anxiety, for she felt extremelysensitive about having her father's troubles and past life become thesubject of a public scandal. 

Ray noticed it, and telegraphed her a gleam of hope from his tender eyes. 

The proposition which he had made to the lawyers upon leaving the roomwas in accordance with his father's request. 

Mr. Palmer had begged that all proceedings in the case of the robberymight be quashed. 

"I would rather lose three times the amount that woman stole from us thanto have all New York know the wretched truth, " he said to Ray, aftercalling him from the drawing-room. "To have it known that she robbed usand then tried to fortify herself by a marriage with me! I could not bearit. I have made a fool of myself, Ray, " he went on, with pitiablehumility, "but I don't want everybody discussing the mortifying detailsof the affair. If you can prevail upon the lawyers to settle everythingquietly, do so, and, of course, Rider being a private detective, and inour pay, will do as we say, and, my boy, you and I will ignore thesubject, after this, for all time. "

Ray grasped his father's hand in heartfelt sympathy as he replied:

"We will manage to hush the matter, never fear. I am very sure that Monawill also desire to do so, and though I should be glad to have that womanreap the full reward of her wickedness I can forego that satisfaction forthe sake of saving her feelings and yours. "

Then, as we know, he returned to the drawing-room where Mona called tohim to come and plead for the same thing. 

The lawyers were both willing, for Mona's sake, to refrain from activeproceedings against Mrs. Montague if she would resign all Mr. Dinsmore'sproperty; but Mr. Rider objected very emphatically to this plan. 

"It has been a tough case, " he said, somewhat obstinately, "and it is nomore than fair that a man should have the glory of working it up. Moneyisn't everything to a person in such business--reputation is worthconsiderable. "

They had quite a spirited argument with him; but he yielded the point atlast, provided Mr. Cutler would consent, although not with a very goodgrace, and then they all went back to Mona and her unhappy companion. 

But Mrs. Montague put a grave front upon her critical situation. 

"Well, and have you decided the fate of your prisoner?" she inquired ofMr. Rider, with haughty audacity, although her face was as white as herhandkerchief as she put the question. 

"Well, madame, " he retorted, with scant ceremony, "if it had been leftwith me to settle there would have been no discussion with you--you wouldbe in the Tombs. "

"Well?" she asked, impatiently, seeing there was more to be said aboutthe matter, and turning to Mr. Corbin. 

"We have decided, Mrs. Montague, that in the first place, you are torelinquish everything which you inherited from Mr. Dinsmore at the timeof his death. "

"Everything?" she began, interrupting him. 

"Please listen to what I have to tell you, and defer your objectionsuntil later, " remarked the lawyer, coldly. 

"Yes, everything. You are also to give up all jewels of every descriptionthat you have in your possession to make good as far as may be the lossesof those who have suffered through your dishonesty. You are then topledge yourself to leave New York and never show yourself here again uponpain of immediate arrest, nor cause any of the revelations of thismorning to be made public. Upon these conditions we have decided, for thesake of the feelings of others, to let you go free and not subject you toa trial for your crime--provided Mr. Cutler agrees to this decision. "

"But--but I must have something to live on, " the miserable woman said, with white lips. "I can't give up everything; the law would give me mythird, and I ought to inherit much more through my child. "

"The law would give you--a criminal--nothing, " Mr. Graves here sternlyremarked. "Let me but reveal the fact that Mr. Dinsmore wished to secureeverything to his daughter, and how you defrauded her, and you would findthat the law would not deal very generously with you. "

"But I must have money. I could not bear poverty, " reiterated the woman, tremulously. 

"Mr. Graves--Mr. Corbin!" Mona here interposed, turning to them, "itsurely becomes the daughter's duty to be as generous as the father, and--"

"Generous!" bitterly exclaimed Mrs. Montague. 

"Yes, he was generous, " Mona asserted, with cold positiveness, "for, after all the wrong of which you had been guilty, he certainly would havebeen justified if he had utterly renounced you and refused to make anyprovision for you. But since he did not, I will do what I think he wouldhave wished, and, with the consent of these gentlemen, " with a glance atRay and the lawyers, "I will continue the same annuity that he granted toyou. "

"That is an exceedingly noble and liberal proposition, Miss Dinsmore, "Mr. Corbin remarked, bestowing a glance of admiration upon her, "and withall my heart I honor you for it. "

Mrs. Montague did not make any acknowledgment or reply. She had droppedher head upon her hands and seemed to be lost in her own unhappyreflections. 

Mr. Graves and Mr. Corbin conferred together for a few moments, and thenthe former remarked:

"Mrs. Montague will, of course, wish to give these subjects someconsideration, and meanwhile I will go to consult with Mr. Cutlerregarding his interest in the matter. "

He left immediately, and Mr. Corbin and Mr. Rider fell into generalconversation, while Ray and Mona withdrew to the lower end of thedrawing-room, where they could talk over matters unheard. 

Mr. Graves was gone about an hour, and then returned accompanied by Mr. Justin Cutler himself. 

After discussing at some length the question of Mrs. Montague beingbrought to trial he finally agreed to concur in the decision of theothers. 

"For Miss Dinsmore's sake I will waive all proceedings, " he remarked, "but were it not for the feelings of that young lady, " he added, sternly, "I would press the matter to the extent of the law. "

Mrs. Montague shuddered at his relentless tone, but Mona thanked him witha smile for the concession. 

Mrs. Montague then consented to abide by the conditions made by thelawyers, and, at their command, brought forth her valuable store ofjewels to have them appraised and used to indemnify those who hadsuffered loss through her crimes. 

Ray laid out what he thought would serve to make Mr. Cutler's loss good, selected what stones he thought belonged to his own firm, and then it wasdecided that the real crescents should be given to Mrs. Vanderheck if shewished them, or they should be sold and the money given to her. 

Mrs. Montague was then informed that she must at once surrender alldeeds, bonds, bank stock, etc. , which she had received from the Dinsmoreestate, and would be expected to leave the city before noon of the nextday. 

She curtly replied that she would require only three hours, and that shewould leave the house before sunset. The house, having been purchasedwith Mr. Dinsmore's money, would henceforth belong to Mona, therefore sheand Ray decided to remain where they were until her departure and seethat everything was properly secured afterward. 

Having decided that these matters should not be made public, nothingcould be done with Louis Hamblin, and Mr. Rider, much against hisinclination, was obliged to forego making the arrest on the Fall Riverboat. 

Mrs. Montague hastened her preparations and left her elegant home on WestForty-ninth street in season to meet her nephew a little after the hourappointed in the morning. Mr. Corbin previous to this handed her thefirst payment of her annuity, and obtained an address to which it was tobe sent in the future, and thus the two accomplished sharpers disappearedfrom New York society, which knew them no more. 

The next evening Ray and Mona were talking over their plans for thefuture, in the cozy library in Mr. Graves' house, when the young girlremarked:

"Ray, would you not like to read the story that my father concealed inthe royal mirror?"

"Yes, dear, if you wish me, " her lover replied. 

Mona excused herself and went to get it. When she returned she broughtthe ancient keepsake with her. 

She explained how the secret drawer operated, showed him the two ringsand the letters, then putting Mr. Dinsmore's confession into his hands, bade him read it; and this is what his eager eyes perused:

"MY DEAR MONA:--You who have been the darling of my heart, the pride ofmy life; you have just left me, to go to your caller, after having probedmy heart to its very core. I can never make you know the bitterness ofspirit that I experience, as I write these lines, for the questions youhave just asked me have completely unmanned me--have made a veritablecoward of me when I should have boldly told you the truth, let theconsequence be what it would; whether it would have touched your heartwith pity and fresh love for a sorrowing and repentant man, or driven youaway from me in hate and scorn such as I experience for myself. You havejust told me that I have made your life a very happy one; that you loveme dearly. Oh, my darling, you will never know, until I am gone, how Ihug these sweet words to my soul, and exult over them with secret joy, and you will never know, either, until then, how I long and hunger tohear you call me just once by the sacred name 'father, '

"Yes, Mona, I am your father; you are my child, and yet I had not thecourage to tell you so, with all the rest of the sad story, this morning, for fear I should see all the love die out of your face, and you wouldturn coldly from me as you learned the great wrong I once did yourmother. 

"I told you that your father is dead. So he is, to you, and has been formany long years; for when I brought you from England, when you were onlytwo years old, I vowed that you should never know that I was the man who, by my cowardice and neglect, ruined your mother's life; so I adopted youas my niece, and you have always believed yourself to be the child of myonly and idolized sister. But, to begin at the beginning, I first metMona Forester one day while attending my aunt to a millinery store, whereshe had her bonnets and caps made. She waited upon her, and I sat andwatched the beautiful girl, entranced by her loveliness and winningmanner. She was a cultured lady, in spite of the fact that she wasobliged to earn her living in so humble a way. 

"Her parents had both died two years previously, leaving her homeless anddestitute, after having been reared in the lap of luxury. I saw her oftenafter that, we soon learned to love each other, and it was not longbefore she was my promised wife. 

"But my first sin was in not giving her my full name. I was afraid shemight be shy of me, if she knew that I was the heir of the wealthy MissDinsmore, and so I told her my name was Richmond Montague. About thattime, my studies being completed, my aunt wanted me to go abroad for acouple of years. 

"She also wished me to marry the child of an intimate friend, and takeher with me. She had been planning this marriage for years and hadthreatened, if I disappointed her, to leave all her money to some oneelse. 

"Now comes my second sin against your mother. If I had been loyal andtrue, I should have frankly told my aunt of my love for Mona Forester, and that I could never marry another woman, fortune or no fortune. ButI shirked the duty--I thought something might happen before my return togive me the fortune, and then I should be free to choose for myself; soI led Miss Dinsmore to believe that on my return I would marry MissBarton. I wanted the fortune--I loved money and the pleasure it brought, but I did not want Miss Barton for a wife. She was proud and haughty--agirl bound up in the world and fashion, and I did love sweet and amiableMona Forester. 

"Now my third sin: I was selfish. I could not bear the thought of leavingmy love behind, and so I persuaded her to a secret marriage, and to go toEurope with me. I never should have done this; a man is a coward andknave who will not boldly acknowledge his wife before the world. I hatedmyself for my weakness, yet had not strength of purpose to do whatwas right. We sailed under the name of Mr. And Mrs. Richmond Montague, and Mona did not know that I had any other; but I took care that themarriage certificate was made out with my full name, so that the ceremonyshould be perfectly legal. 

"We were very happy, for I idolized my young wife, and our life for sixmonths was one of earth's sweetest poems. We traveled a great deal duringthe summer, and then settled in Paris for the winter. We had rooms in apleasant house in a first-class locality; our meals were served in ourown dining-room, and everything seemed almost as homelike as if we hadbeen in America. 

"One day I took a sudden freak that I wanted to go hunting. Mona beggedme not to go; she was afraid of fire-arms, and feared some accident. ButI laughed at her fears, told her that I was an expert with a gun, andwent away in spite of her pleadings, little thinking I should never seemy darling again. I did meet with an accident--I fell and sprained myankle very badly, and lay for several hours in a dense forest unableto move. 

"Finally some peasants found me, and took me to their cottage, but itwas too late to send news of my injury to Paris that night. But the nextmorning early I sent the man of the house--who was going through thecity on his way to visit some friends for a week, with a letter to Mona, telling her to take a carriage and come to me. She did not come, and Iheard nothing from her. I could not send to her again, for there was noone in the cottage to go, and no neighbor within a mile. I was terriblyanxious, and imagined a hundred things, and at the end of a week, unableto endure the suspense any longer, I insisted upon being taken back toParis in spite of the serious condition of my foot and ankle. 

"But, oh, my child, the tidings that met me there were such as to drivethe strongest mind distracted. The landlord told me that my wife had fledwith the butler of the house. At first I laughed in his face at anythingso absurd, but when he flew into a towering passion and accused me ofhaving brought disgrace upon his house by living there unlawfully witha woman who was not my wife, I began to think there must be some truth inhis statements. In vain I denied the charge; he would not listen to me, and drove me also from his dwelling. 

"I was too lame and helpless to attempt to follow Mona, but I set adetective at work to find my wife, for I still had faith in her, andthought she might be the victim of the landlord's suspicions. Thedetective traced her to London, and brought me word that a coupleanswering the description of my wife and the butler had crossed thechannel on a certain date, and had since been living under the same roofin London. 

"Then I cursed my wife, and said I would never trust a human being again. I was a long time getting over my lameness, but I still kept my detectiveon the watch, and one day he came to me with the intelligence that thebutler had deserted his victim, and the lady was ill, and almostdestitute. 

"That Mona should want or suffer, under any circumstances, was the lastthing I could wish, even though I then firmly believed that she haddeserted me; while the thought that my child might even lack thenecessities of life, was sufficient incentive to make me hasten at onceto her relief. But I have told you, Mona, that she was dead, and I foundonly a weak and helpless baby to need my care. The nurse told me thatthe lady had wanted to go to America several weeks previously, but herphysician had forbidden her to attempt to cross the ocean. She told methat a gentleman had taken the room for her and had been very kind toher, but the lady had been very unhappy and ill most of the time, sincecoming to the house. I questioned her closely, but evidently Mona hadmade a confidante of no one, and she had lived very quietly, seldom goingout, and seeing no one. I could not reconcile this with the fact of herhaving eloped with the butler, and I realized all too late that I shouldhave come to her the moment I learned where she was, demanded anexplanation, and at least given her a chance to defend herself. Mydarling might have lived, if I had done so, and my child would nothave been motherless. 

"I was frantic with grief, and tried to drown my sorrow by constantchange of scene. I traveled for two years, and then was summoned home tomy aunt, who was dying. She insisted that my marriage with Miss Bartonshould be immediately consummated, and I, too wretched to contest thepoint, let them have their way. Miss Dinsmore died soon afterward, butwithout suspecting my previous marriage. Then I confessed the truth to mywife, and told her of the existence of my child. I saw at once that shewas deeply wounded upon learning of this secret of my life, but I neversuspected how exceedingly jealous and bitter she was, or that she had anyprevious knowledge of the fact, until a little more than a year after ourmarriage, when I accidentally overheard a conversation between her andthe man who had been her accomplice in ruining your mother's happinessand mine. That elopement, so called, had always seemed utterlyinexplicable to me until then. 

"I learned that day that Margaret Barton had known of my marriage withMona Forester almost from the first, that she had followed us abroad, andcame disguised into the very house where we were living; that she hadintercepted my letter, telling Mona of my accident, and made the poorchild believe that I had deserted her, and that I had not really marriedher, but simply brought her abroad with me to be the plaything of myseason of travel, after which I was pledged to marry her, MargaretBarton. She repeated this cunning tale to the landlord, and then, whenhe drove my darling forth into the street, she hired the butler to followher, and thus give her departure the appearance of an elopement. It wasa plot fit to emanate only from the heart and brain of a fiend, and Iwormed it out of her little by little, after the departure of her tool, who had traced her to this country, hoping to get more money for keepingher secret. 

"I cannot, neither do I wish to describe the scene that followed thisdiscovery. I was like a madman for a season, when I learned how I hadbeen duped, how my darling had been wronged and betrayed, and driven toher untimely death, and I closed my heart and my doors forever againstMargaret Barton. I settled an annuity of twenty-five hundred dollars uponher, then taking you, I left San Francisco. I came to settle in New York. 

"You know all the rest, my Mona, but you cannot know how I have longedto own you, my child, and dared not, fearing to alienate your love byconfessing the truth. I am going to conceal this avowal in the secretdrawer of the mirror, that I have given you to-day, and some time youwill read this story and perhaps pity and forgive your father for theculpable cowardice and wrong-doing of his early life. That woman stolethe certificate of my first marriage and all the trinkets I had givenyour mother; but I swear to you that Mona Forester was my lawfulwife--that you are our child, and in a few days I shall make my will, so stating, and bequeath to you the bulk of my fortune. I will also inthat document explain the secret of this mirror so that you will haveno difficulty in finding this confession, your mother's rings, and someletters which may be a comfort to you. 

"Now, my darling, this is all; but I hope you will not love me less whenyou learn your mother's sad story and my weakness and sin in not boldlyacknowledging her as my wife before the world. Oh, if I could hear butonce, your dear lips call me 'father' I could ask no greater comfort inlife--it would be the sweetest music I have ever heard since I lost myother Mona; yet it cannot be. But that God may bless you, and give youa happy life, is the earnest prayer of your loving father, "WALTER RICHMOND MONTAGUE DINSMORE. "

Ray was deeply moved as he finished reading this sad tale. 

"It is the saddest story I ever heard, " he said, as he folded the closelywritten sheets and returned them to Mona, "and Mr. Dinsmore must havesuffered very keenly since the discovery of the great wrong done hiswife, for his whole confession betrays how sensitive and remorseful hewas. "

"My poor father! if he had only told me! I could not have loved him less, and it would have been such a comfort to have known of this relationship, and to have talked with him about my mother, " said Mona, with tears inher beautiful eyes. 

"Well, dear, we will begin our life with no concealments, " said Ray, witha tender smile, "And now, when may I tell Mr. Graves that you will cometo me?"

"When you will, Ray, " Mona answered, flushing, but with a look of loveand trust that made his heart leap with gladness. 

"Then one month from to-day, dear, " he said, as he bent his lips to hers. 

And so, when the roses began to bloom and all the world was in itsbrightest dress, there was a quiet wedding one morning in Mr. Graves'spacious drawing-room and Mona Dinsmore gave herself to the man sheloved. 

There were only a few tried and true friends present to witness theceremony, but everybody was happy, and all agreed that the bride wasvery lovely in her simple but elegant traveling dress. 

"I cannot have a large wedding or any parade with gay people about me, for my heart is still too sore over the loss of my dear father, " Mona hadsaid, with quivering lips, when they had asked her wishes regarding thewedding, and so everything had been done very simply. 

It is doubtful if so young a bride was ever made the recipient of so manydiamonds as fell to Mona's lot that day. 

Mr. Palmer, true to his promise, had all the recovered stones reset forher, and made her a handsome gift besides. Mr. And Miss Cutler presentedto her a pair of beautiful stars for the hair, and Ray put a blazingsolitaire above her wedding-ring, for a guard. 

After a sumptuous wedding-breakfast, the happy couple started for a tripto the Golden Gate city, while during their absence, Mr. Palmer, senior, had his residence partially remodeled and refurnished for the fairdaughter to whom already his heart had gone out in tender affection. 

A notice of the marriage appeared in the papers, together with astatement that "the handsome fortune left by the late Walter Dinsmore hadbeen restored to the young lady formerly known as Miss Mona Montague, now Mrs. Raymond Palmer, who had been fraudulently deprived of it, through the craftiness of a woman calling herself Mrs. Dinsmore. "

Mona did not wish anything of her father's sad story to be made public, and so, it was arranged that this was all that should be given to thereporters, to show that she was Mr. Dinsmore's heiress, and would resumeher former position in the world upon her return from her bridal trip.