and one needs a reputation in order to
obtain pupils; besides, people would doubtless regard me as too young to
have had much experience in teaching. There, I have finished this--is
there anything else I can do for you?" and Mona laid the dress she had
been at work upon on a chair, and stood awaiting further orders.

"Yes; the buckle on this slipper needs to be more securely fastened. It
is true that there are legions of music teachers. Was this relative of
yours a teacher?"

"Oh, no; he simply bore the expense of my instruction."

"I suppose he cannot be living, or you would not be sewing for me," Mrs.
Montague remarked, with another searching glance.

"No," was the brief reply, and hot tears rushed to Mona's eyes, blinding
her so that she could hardly see where to put her needle.

She then made some remark to the effect that she needed some stronger
silk, and left the room to hide the grief which she found so hard to
control.

"Aha! this relative must be the friend for whom she is in mourning--he
cannot have been dead very long, for the girl is unable to speak of him
without tears," muttered Mrs. Montague, thoughtfully, a heavy frown
settling on her brow. "There is some mystery about her which I am bound
to ferret out; she is exceedingly reticent about herself--I wonder if my
suspicions can be correct?" she continued, her face settling into hard,
revengeful lines. "She certainly looks enough like that girl to be her
child. If I were sure, I would not spare her; I would crush her, for the
hate that I bore her mother, notwithstanding she is so useful to me. Ha,
ha!" and the laugh was exceedingly bitter, "it would seem like the irony
of fate to have her child thrown thus into my power. But if she is Mona
Montague why does she call herself Ruth Richards? what can be her object?
Can it be possible," she added, with a startled look, "that she has been
told her history, and she has engaged herself to me with the purpose of
trying to obtain the proofs of it? Is she deep enough for that? or has
she been advised to adopt such a course? She seems to be very frank and
innocent, intent only upon doing her work well and pleasing me. Yet, if
she should get hold of any of those proofs, she could make a great deal
of trouble for me. I believe I shall have to destroy them, although I
always feel as if a ghost were haunting me whenever I touch them. I shall
never be satisfied until I learn Ruth's history. I'll attack her about
the