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.
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