True Loves Reward | Page 7

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
told me more? I could not even prove that I am Mona Montague, for I
have no record of my parents' marriage or of my birth. Perhaps, if I
could find that 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 know whether this Mona Forester is a relative, if I
dare ask her; but I do not--I could not--without betraying myself and
perhaps spoil all my other plans. Oh, dear, it is so dreadful to be alone
in the world and not really know who you are!" she concluded, with a
sigh.
About the middle of the next forenoon Mrs. Montague asked her if she
would come with her to look over a trunk of clothing preparatory to
beginning upon spring sewing.
Mona readily complied with her request, and together they went up to a
room in the third story. There were a number of trunks in the room, and
unlocking one of these, Mrs. Montague threw back the lid and began to
lay out the contents upon the floor. Mona was astonished at the number
and richness of the costumes thus displayed, and thought her income
must be almost unlimited to admit of such extravagance.
She selected what she thought might do to be remodeled, and then she
began to refold what was to be replaced in the trunk.
Among other things taken from it, there was a large, square pasteboard
box, and Mrs. Montague had just lifted it upon her lap to examine its
contents to see if there was anything in it which she would need, when
Mary appeared at the door, saying that Mr. Palmer was below and
wished to see her.
Mrs. Montague arose quickly, and in doing so, the box slipped from her
hands to the floor and its contents, composed of laces, ribbons, and
gloves, went sliding in all directions.

"Oh dear! what a mess!" she exclaimed, with a frown of annoyance,
"You will 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
I return."
She went out, leaving Mona alone, and the latter began to fold the
ribbons and laces, laying them in the box in an orderly manner.
When this was done she turned her attention again to the trunk into
which Mrs. Montague had hastily tumbled a few garments.
"She has disarranged everything," the girl murmured. "I believe I will
repack everything from the bottom, as the dresses will be full of
wrinkles if left like this."
She removed every article, and noticing that the cloth in the bottom
was dusty, took it out and shook it.
As she was about to replace it, she was startled to find herself gazing
down upon a large crayon picture of a beautiful girl.
A low, startled cry broke from her lips, for the face looking up into hers
was so like her own that it almost seemed as if she were gazing at her
own reflection in a mirror, only the hair was arranged differently from
the way she wore hers, and the neck was dressed in the style of twenty
years previous.
"Oh, I am sure that this is a picture of my mother," she murmured, with
bated breath, as, with reverent touch, she lifted it and gazed long and
earnestly upon it.
"If you could but speak and tell me all that sad story--what caused that
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 in
mystery?"

She fell to musing sadly, with the picture still in her hands, and became
so absorbed in her thoughts that she was almost unconscious of
everything about her, or that she was neglecting her duties, until she
suddenly felt a 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's face with a keen glance.
Mona was quick to think and act, for she felt that now was her
opportunity, if ever.
"I was not prying," she quietly responded. "I thought I would pack
everything nicely from the bottom of the trunk, and as I took out the
cloth to shake and smooth it,