"
"Not even one word?"
"She only succeeded in saying, 'Renie, I have something
important to tell you;' then her tongue became paralyzed, and
she never spoke again."
"Upon no former occasion did she ever give you hint?"
"Never."
"She never told you of the circumstances under which you were
confided to her care?"
"Never."
"And she never spoke of a mysterious box or any relics that
might some day serve as identification tokens."
"Never. She always gave me to understand that she was my real
mother."
"Well, now, Renie, I wish to ask you some very, important
questions, and I desire that you will think and consider well
before you make a reply."
"I have a good memory; but, first, tell me what was the
purport of the conversation between my father and the man
Garcia?"
"We will not speak of that now."
"There were revelations made"
"Yes."
"And you will repeat them to me?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"Some day."
"Why not now?"
"I will answer you frankly. I have determined, as I told you,
to solve the mystery connected with your consignment to the
care of Mrs. Pearce, and I do not wish to tell you anything
that will start any suggestions in your mind, until I have
collected and considered all the little memories you may have
retained of the habits of your supposed mother."
"Her habits were ordinary and commonplace enough. She was
merely a good, hard-working fisherman's wife."
"But did she not act like a woman who possessed: a secret?"
The girl was thoughtful for some moments.
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