But the voluble Miss McKenzie saluted him in her frank outspoken manner.

“Oh, Mr. Palmer,” she cried, “are not the rooms lovely?—­the flowers, the lights, indeed all the decorations?”

“They are, truly, Miss McKenzie; and,” he added, with a merry smile, as he glanced at her bright face and figure, and then turned his gaze upon Mona, “there are some other lovely adornments about the rooms, besides those so skillfully used by the professional decorator.”

“Thank you—­of course that was intended as a compliment to ourselves,” the quick-witted little lady returned, as she dropped him a coquettish courtesy; “and,” turning to Mona, “perhaps you would like an introduction to my friend.  Miss Richards, allow me to present you to Mr. Palmer.”

Ray bowed low over the white hand which Mona mechanically offered him, and which he clasped in a way to send a thrill leaping along her nerves that made the violets upon her bosom quiver, as if a breath of wind had swept over them.

She barely had time to acknowledge the presentation, however, when an icy voice behind her remarked: 

“Miss Richards, Mr. Wellington is looking for you to conduct you to your seat in the balcony.”

Turning, Mona saw Mrs. Montague regarding her with a look of cold displeasure, and she knew that she must have witnessed her introduction to Ray, and disapproved of it.

But she was secretly glad that she had been so near, for now she could feel free to recognize her lover whenever they met, without the fear of being questioned as to how she happened to know him.

“Mr. Wellington looking for Miss Richards, did you say, Mrs. Montague?” Ray inquired, quickly improving his opportunity, and looking about him in search of that gentleman.  “Ah!  I see him yonder—­Miss Richards, allow me to conduct you to him.”

He offered his arm in a ceremonious way, as any new acquaintance might have done, and led her slowly toward the spot where Mr. Wellington was standing, while Mrs. Montague watched them, with a frown upon her brow.

“I believe I was a fool to allow her to come down; she is far too pretty to appear in public with me; any one would suppose her to be an equal,” she muttered, irritably.  “Who would have believed,” she added, “that she could have gotten herself up in that bewitching style, with only a few bits of white ribbon and not a single ornament!  I wonder where she got her violets?  She has exquisite taste, anyhow.”

But Ray and Mona were unconscious of these jealous remarks.  They were oblivious of everything just then, except the presence of each other and the fortunate circumstances which had thrown them together.

“My darling,” Ray said, under his breath, “that was very cleverly managed, was it not?  Don’t you think I am quite a tactician?  I caught sight of you the moment you appeared; then that bright fairy, Kitty McKenzie, arrived upon the scene, and I knew that my opportunity had come.”