nly
two 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 you
as my niece, and you have always believed yourself to be the child of my
only and idolized sister. But, to begin at the beginning, I first met
Mona Forester one day while attending my aunt to a millinery store, where
she had her bonnets and caps made. She waited upon her, and I sat and
watched the beautiful girl, entranced by her loveliness and winning
manner. She was a cultured lady, in spite of the fact that she was
obliged to earn her living in so humble a way.

"Her parents had both died two years previously, leaving her homeless and
destitute, after having been reared in the lap of luxury. I saw her often
after that, we soon learned to love each other, and it was not long
before she was my promised wife.

"But my first sin was in not giving her my full name. I was afraid she
might be shy of me, if she knew that I was the heir of the wealthy Miss
Dinsmore, and so I told her my name was Richmond Montague. About that
time, my studies being completed, my aunt wanted me to go abroad for a
couple of years.

"She also wished me to marry the child of an intimate friend, and take
her with me. She had been planning this marriage for years and had
threatened, if I disappointed her, to leave all her money to some one
else.

"Now comes my second sin against your mother. If I had been loyal and
true, 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. But
I shirked the duty--I thought something might happen before my return to
give me the fortune, and then I should be free to choose for myself; so
I led Miss Dinsmore to believe that on my return I would marry Miss
Barton. 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--a
girl bound up in the world and fashion, and I did love sweet and amiable
Mona Forester.

"Now my third sin: I was selfish. I could not bear the thought of leaving
my love behind, and so I persuaded her to a secret marriage, and to go to
Europe with me. I never should have done this; a man is a coward and
knave who will not boldly acknowledge his wife before the world. I hated
myself for my weakness, yet had not strength of purpose to do what
was right. We sailed under the name of Mr. and Mrs. R