head and about her mouth, which he had
never noticed until then, and which, somehow, seemed to change the
expression of her whole face.

"This is an unexpected pleasure," she remarked, with great cordiality,
"but you perceive," with a glance at the lawyers, "that I am overrun with
business. May I ask you to step into the library for a few moments until
I am at liberty?"

"No, if you please, madame, it is at my request that Mr. Palmer is here,"
quietly but decidedly interposed Mr. Graves.

Mrs. Montague flushed hotly at this interference, then seeing that
she could not change the condition of affairs, and that Ray evidently
understood matters, as he only bowed in the most frigid manner in
response to her effusive greeting, she resigned herself to the inevitable
and returned to her chair with an air of haughty defiance.

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