“Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Mrs. Montague angrily demanded.

“Because I knew that, if you suspected her identity, you would turn her out of the house forthwith, and then I should have hard work getting into her good graces.”

“You are a sly one, Louis.”

“One must look out for one’s own interests in some respects,” he coolly responded.

“Does she know that you suspect her identity?”

“No, not yet; but I mean she soon shall.”

“Ah!” said Mrs. Montague, with sudden thought, “maybe you can use this knowledge to aid your suit—­only don’t let her know that I am in the secret until you are sure of her.”

“That has been my intention all along—­for I have meant to marry her, by hook or crook,” and the young man smiled complacently.

“Look out, Louis; don’t overreach yourself,” said his companion, bending forward, and looking warningly into his face.  “If you make an enemy of me, I warn you, it will be the worse for you.”

“My dear aunt, I have no intention of making an enemy of you—­you and I have been chums too long for any ill-will to spring up between us now.  But,” he concluded, looking about him, “we must not remain here talking any longer; most of the passengers have already left the boat I will go for a carriage and we will drive directly to the St. Charles, where I have rooms engaged for you.”

Mrs. Montague turned to call Mona, who was standing at some distance from them, watching the men unload the boat.

“Come,” she said, “we must go ashore.”

Mona followed her from the boat, and into the carriage, utterly ignoring Louis Hamblin’s assistance as she entered.  She shrank more and more from him, while a feeling of depression and foreboding suddenly changed her from the bright, care-free girl, which she had seemed ever since leaving St. Louis, into a proud, reticent, and suspicious woman.

Upon reaching the St. Charles Hotel, Mrs. Montague informed Mona that dinner would be served shortly, and she would need to be expeditious in making her toilet.

“I should prefer not to go to the dining-room,” Mona began, flushing.

“But I wish you to, for we are going to drive afterward to some of the points of interest in the city,” Mrs. Montague returned.

“If you will excuse me—­”

“Nonsense,” retorted her companion, again interrupting her; “don’t be a goose, Ruth!  I want you with me, and we will not discuss the point any further.”

Mona hesitated a moment, then turned away, but with a dignity which warned Mrs. Montague that it might not be well to enforce her commands too rigorously, or she might rebel outright.

Mona went down to the dining-room, but to her great relief received no disagreeable attentions from Mr. Hamblin, who sat on the right, while her seat was on the left of his aunt.  He did not address her during the meal, except to ascertain if she was properly waited upon by the servants.