n in your
position."

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

"I do not quite understand you--" she began, when her companion turned
angrily 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 refer
to your acceptance of Mr. Palmer's attentions. One would have supposed
that you regarded yourself as his equal by the way you paraded the
drawing-room with him to-night."

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

"You witnessed my introduction to Mr. Palmer this evening," she quietly
replied; "you heard him offer to conduct me to Mr. Wellington, and so
know 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 no
young lady would have done so under the circumstances."

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

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

"Really!" was the sarcastic rejoinder. "Your vanity, Ruth, would be
odious if it were not so ridiculous. But you should not allow your
complacency, over a merely pretty face, to lead you into such presumption
as you have been guilty of to-night. I blame myself somewhat for what has
occurred; if I had not accorded you permission to witness the dancing,
you would not have been thrown into such temptation; but I did not dream
that you would force yourself upon the notice of any of Mr. Wellington's
guests."

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

"I consider myself a competent judge in such matters," she insolently
asserted. "At all events, however, you are to receive no more attentions
from Mr. Palmer. He--is the son of the gentleman whom I expect to marry,
and I have no intention of allowing my seamstres