out of a mere advertisement! Still," she added, more thoughtfully,
"this woman's heirs cannot be very numerous or it would not be necessary
to advertise for them."

She carefully cut out the lines from the paper, slipped the clipping into
her pocket-book, then took up her work just as Mrs. Montague entered the
room.

She gave instructions regarding the alterations she wished made, and then
left Mona by herself again. All day long Mona's mind kept recurring to
the advertisement she had cut from the paper, while she had an
instinctive feeling that she might be in some way connected with Mona
Forester, although how she could not comprehend.

"It would be useless for me to go to Corbin & 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.