Sweeping aside the heavy curtains, he saw a long, narrow document lying
upon the floor beneath its folds.

He picked it up, and saw that it was a piece of parchment with something
apparently printed upon it.

Not supposing it to be anything of importance, he mechanically unfolded
it and began to read.

"Why, it is a marriage certificate!" he exclaimed, in surprise, under his
breath.

Not caring to read the whole form, he simply glanced at the places where
the names of the contracting parties were written, and instantly a mighty
shock seemed to shake him from head to foot.

"Ha! what can this mean?" he exclaimed, in a breathless voice.

His face grew deathly pale. A blur came before his eyes. He rubbed them
to dispel it, and looked again.

"It cannot be possible!" he said, in a hoarse whisper, and actually
panting as if he had been running hard. "I cannot believe my sight, and
yet it is here in black and white! and Mona--Mona, my darling! the
mystery will be solved, and you will be righted at last."

The certificate, as will be readily surmised, was the very one which Mrs.
Montague had examined the previous evening.

When Mona had knocked upon the door, it will be remembered that she