ntague almost
beyond endurance.

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

Mona could not quite conceal all emotion at this unexpected attack, and a
lovely color stole into her cheeks, at which the watchful woman opposite
her was quick to draw her own conclusions, even though the fair girl made
no 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 be
realized, since Ray Palmer is already engaged."

This statement was made upon the strength of what she had learned from
Mr. Palmer regarding Ray's affection for Mr. Dinsmore's niece, and his
own 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 she
was the young man's promised wife.

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

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

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

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

She had, for certain reasons, yielded her objections to Louis marrying
her, and now this unexpected opposition on Mona's part only served to
make 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 a
conciliatory tone. "Of course I have no right to coerce you in such a
matter, and you are too useful to me to be driven away by contesting
the point. So we will drop the subject; and now if you will take this
memorandum and go about the shopping I shall be obliged to you. I shall
need all my strength for this evening, because I am to have a large
company to entertain, and--"

She abruptly paused, and seemed a trifle confused for a moment. Then she
asked, w