Her arms were bare to the shoulder, the dress having no sleeves save a strap about two inches wide, into which a frill of costly point was gathered.  Long gloves of a delicate peach tint came above her elbow, and between the top of each of these and the frill of lace there was a diamond armlet to match the necklace.

Magnificent solitaires gleamed in her ears, and there was a star composed of the same precious stones among the massive braids of her golden hair.

She was certainly a radiant vision, and Mona’s quick glance took in every detail of her dress while she was crossing the room to her side.

Mrs. Montague bent a keen look upon her as she approached, and she gave a slight start as her eyes swept the delicately chiseled face of the girl.

“You are the new seamstress, Mary tells me.  What is your name—­what shall I call you?” she questioned, abruptly.

“M—­” Mona had almost betrayed herself before she remembered the need of concealing her identity.

But quickly checking herself, she cried: 

“Ruth Richards, madame; call me Ruth, if you please.”

“Hum!  Ruth Richards—­that’s rather pretty,” remarked the lady, but still searching the fair face before her with a look of curious interest.  “But,” she added, “you look very young; I am afraid you are hardly experienced enough to be a very efficient seamstress,” and the lady told herself that those delicate, rose-tipped fingers did not look as if they had been long accustomed to the use of a needle.

“I do not understand very much about dressmaking,” Mona frankly replied, although she ignored the reference to her youthfulness; “but I can do plain sewing very nicely, and, indeed, almost anything that is planned for me.  I distinctly stated at the office that I could neither cut nor fit.”

“Well, I can but give you a trial,” with a little sigh of disappointment, as if she regretted having engaged one so young; “and if you cannot fill the place, I shall have to try again, I suppose.  But, see here!  I caught the thread that fastened this lace to my skirt, and have ripped off nearly half a yard.  I want you to replace it for me, and you must do it quickly, for I am a little late, as it is.”

Mona dropped upon her knees beside the beautiful woman, threaded her needle with the silk which Mary brought her, and, though her fingers trembled and her heart beat with rapid, nervous throbs, she quickly repaired the damage, and in a manner to win commendation from Mrs. Montague.

“You are very quick with your needle, and you have done it very nicely,” she said, with a smile that revealed two rows of the most perfect teeth that Mona had ever seen.  “And now tell me,” she added, as she turned slowly around, “if everything about my costume is all right, then you may go.”

“Yes,” Mona returned; “it is perfect; it fits and hangs beautifully.”

“That is the highest praise any one could give,” Mrs. Montague responded, with another brilliant smile; “and I believe you are really a competent judge, since your own dress hasn’t a wrinkle in it.  Did you make it yourself?”