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."

"But you almost took my breath away, Ray, when you bore me off so
unceremoniously before Mrs. Montague's disapproving eyes," Mona murmured
in response.

"Unceremonious!" the young man retorted, with assumed surprise, and a
roguish smile. "Why, I thought I was excessively formal."

"Yes, in your manner to me; but you did not ask the lady's permission to
conduct me to the host."

"How was I supposed to know that Miss Richards, to whom I had just been
introduced, was not a guest as well as the more gorgeous, but less
lovely, Mrs. Montague?" questioned the young lover, lightly. "But," he
continued, with a sigh, "I cannot bear this sort of thing a great while.
When I see you looking like some beautiful young goddess, I find it very
difficult to assume an indifferent exterior. I nearly forgot myself a
moment ago."

"Perhaps it would have been better if I had remained quietly in my own
room," Mona archly returned, as she gave him a mischievous glance out of
her bright eyes.

He drew the hand that lay on his arm cl