settled for their voyage, and went up stairs
for a smoke and to keep his eye upon the shore, for he fully expected to
see Louis Hamblin come tearing down to the boat at any moment. The reader
has, of course, recognized in Justin Cutler the gentleman who, at the
opening of our story, was made the victim of the accomplished sharper,
Mrs. Bently, in the diamond crescent affair. It will be remembered also
that he came on to New York at the time of the arrest of Mrs. Vanderheck,
and that he informed Detective Rider of his intention of going to Cuba to
meet his invalid sister and accompany her home, and thus we find him
acting as Mona's escort and protector also.

While the three voyagers were settling themselves and waiting for the
steamer to sail, we will see how Louis Hamblin bore the discovery of
Mona's escape.

He did not rise until eight o'clock, and after having his bath and a cup
of coffee in his own room, he went to Mona's door and knocked.

Receiving no answer, he thought she must be sleeping, and resolved that
he would not arouse her just then.

He went down stairs, and had his breakfast, then strolled out to smoke
his cigar, after which he went back, and again tapped upon Mona's door.

Still no answer.

He called her name, but receiving no response, he took the key from his
pocket and coolly unlocking the door, threw it wide open.

The room was, of course, empty.

There were no signs that the bed had been occupied during the night, and
both the girl and her trunk were gone.

With a fierce imprecation of rage, the astonished young man rushed down
to the office to interview the proprietor as to the meaning of the girl's
disappearance.

Although Mona had supposed there was no one in the house who could speak
English, there was an interpreter, and through him Louis soon made his
trouble known.

"Impossible!" the amazed proprietor asserted; "no trunk had been removed
from Number Eleven, and no young lady had left the house that morning."

Louis angrily insisted that there had, and in company with the landlord
and the interpreter, he returned to Mona's room to prove his statement.

At first the affair was a great mystery, and created considerable
excitement, but it was finally remembered that Americans had occupied the
adjoining rooms, and it was therefore concluded that the young girl had
managed in some way to make her situation known to them, and they, having
left that morning, had, doubtless, assisted