“Will it be convenient for me to see the register?” she inquired, forced to conceal her embarrassment.

The clerk obligingly brought the book and eagerly she scanned the list.  Unfortunately, for her, there was no mistake.  Nothing like Ridgeway, Ridge or Hugh’s handwriting greeted her anxious eyes.

A silence that seemed an inconceivably long one to the almost overwrought girl was broken by the clerk asking would she register?

Grace could hardly restrain her agitation.  The critical moment had come.  Something must be done.  But what?  Should she register and under what name?  Or, should she wait longer; and if not, where should she go?  Finally, with a desperate effort, she looked imploringly at him, and with heightened color, gasped: 

“No, thank you; I’ll wait a little longer for my—­my—­brother.”

It was out.  The prevarication had been uttered, and Grace felt as if she had committed a crime and punishment was at hand.  Tears of distress came to her eyes; the situation was becoming intolerable.

It was just then that there came a shrill cry: 

“Miss Ridge!”

Grace remained immovable.  The name she had inquired for a few minutes ago was called without bringing a sign or change of expression to the beautiful face, on which the wondering eyes of the clerk were fixed.  He started to speak, but was withheld by her impassibility.

Again the same cry, and this time, the last word was accentuated.  A boy entered.

As the clerk, slightly raising his eyebrows, turned toward her, Grace gave a little start; an enlightened glance shot from her eyes; the significance of the call gradually dawned upon her.

“I am Miss Ridge!” came excitedly from her trembling lips, the hot blood crimsoning her cheeks.

“A telephone—­”

“For me?” she asked uneasily.

“From Mr. Ridge; wants you to wait,” finished the boy.

“Thank you!  Oh, thank you!” The girl beamed her relief on the staring bell-boy.  And, the message having been delayed, the grateful words were hardly spoken before Hugh, almost distracted, rushed into the room.  Regardless of appearances or consequences, the tall young fellow seized her and kissed her in a fashion that would have brought terrible rebuke, under any other circumstance, and which certainly caused the clerk to consider this Mr. Ridge the most demonstrative brother that in a long experience in hotel life he had ever encountered.  When Hugh held her at arm’s length to give his admiring gaze full scope, he saw tears of joy swimming in her eyes.  Her voice quivered as she sighed: 

“I should have died in another moment!”

“You are the dearest girl in all the world!” Then he explained to her the cause of the delay.  After getting rid of Woods, he had rushed to the Hotel Astor, where he expected to find her waiting for him.  All inquiries as to whether any lady answering to her description had been seen there had resulted in failure.  He would have been there yet, growing angrier all the while, had not a gentleman who had overheard his troubles suggested that he telephone the Astor House, in the hope that the lady might be waiting there.