Punctually every month Dan received a remittance² of sixty dollars through a foreign banker, whose office was near Wall street.

 

Of this sum it may be remembered that ten dollars were to be appropriated to Althea's dress.

 

Of the little girl it may be said she was very happy in her new home. She formed a strong attachment³ for Mrs. Mordaunt, whom she called mamma, while she always looked forward with delight to Dan's return at night.

 

Mrs. Mordaunt was very happy in the child's companionship, and found the task of teaching her very congenial.

 

But for the little girl she would have had many lonely hours, since Dan was absent all day on business.

 

"I don't know what I shall do, Althea, when you go to school," she said one day.

 

[Pg 192]

 

"I don't want to go to school. Let me stay at home with you, mamma."

 

"For the present I can teach you, my dear, but the time will come when for your own good it will be better to go to school. I cannot teach you as well as the teachers you will find there."

 

"You know ever so much, mamma. Don't you know everything?"

 

Mrs. Mordaunt smiled.

 

"Compared with you, my dear, I seem to know a great deal, but there are others who know much more."

 

Althea was too young as yet, however, to attend school, and the happy home life continued.

 

Mrs. Mordaunt and Dan often wondered how long their mysterious ward⁴ was to remain with them. Had she a mother living? If so, how could that mother voluntarily forego her child's society?

 

These were questions they sometimes asked themselves, but no answer suggested itself. They were content to have them remain unanswered, so long as Althea might remain with them.

 

The increase of Dan's income, and the large sum he had on interest, would have enabled them to live comfortably even without the provision made for their young ward.

 

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