It was Mrs. Montague whom Mona had heard moving about in the chamber adjoining the boudoir.

The woman had come in just after Mary admitted that first caller below, and speeding swiftly and noiselessly up stairs, was making some changes in her toilet when the bell rang again.  Mr. Corbin and Mr. Graves were at the door.  She heard it, and gliding softly into the hall, leaned over the balustrade to ascertain who had called.

The moment she heard Mr. Corbin inquire for her, she grew white with passion, and her eyes flashed angrily, for she imagined that he had come to question her again regarding Mona Forester.  She did not see his companion, however.

“I will give him a dose to remember this time,” she muttered.  Then she heard Mary inform the gentlemen that she was not at home.

“Yes, I am, Mary,” she said, in a low tone, for she felt in a defiant mood, and not suspecting the fatal nature of the lawyer’s visit, and feeling very secure in her own position, she rather courted an opportunity to defy him.  “Invite the gentleman in, and I will be down presently.”

She turned to go back to her chamber to complete her toilet, when she heard some one moving about in her boudoir.

She glided to the door, softly opened it, and looked in.  Instantly her face lighted with a smile of evil triumph, though she gave a great start of surprise as she saw Mona there, and evidently searching for something.

She had already learned that the girl had managed to escape from the power of Louis and returned to New York.  Therefore she now imagined that she had but just arrived and had come directly there to secure her other trunk, when doubtless she would immediately seek Ray Palmer’s protection, and denounce both herself and her nephew for their plot against her.

Such a proceeding she knew would ruin all her prospects of becoming Mr. Palmer’s wife, and, actuated by a sudden impulse, she hastily drew the door to again and locked it.  Then she sped back to her chamber door and turned the key in that also, to prevent escape that way, and entirely forgetting in her excitement that she had intended to make still further changes in her toilet before going below.

This done, she sped swiftly down stairs, and encountered Mary in the hall.

“Lor’, marm!  I didn’t know you had come in till you spoke,” the girl remarked, with a curious stare at her.

“I have a latch-key, you know,” Mrs. Montague returned, as she swept on toward the drawing-room, and the girl wondered why she “looked so strange and seemed so flustered.”

Mrs. Montague entered the room with haughty mien, intending to dispose of Mr. Corbin with short ceremony, but she was somewhat taken aback when she found that he was accompanied by another legal-looking gentleman.

She had but just exchanged formal greetings with them when Ray made his appearance; but she did not suspect that he was aware of Mona’s presence in the house.  Mr. Graves’ remark had led her to suppose that he was there by his appointment.