a sudden flush. But she had fled.

She reached her party, displaying her torn flounce as the cause of her
delay, and there was a slight quickness in her breathing and her speech
which was attributed to the same grave reason. "But, only listen,"
said Amita, "we've got it all out of the butler and the grooms. It's
such a romantic story!"

"What is?" said Maruja, suddenly.

"Why, the private tramp's."

"The peripatetic secretary," suggested Raymond.

"Yes," continued Amita, "Mr. Prince was so struck with his gratitude to
the old Doctor that he hunted him up in San Jose, and brought him here.
Since then Prince has been so interested in him--it appears he was
somebody in the States, or has rich relations--that he has been
telegraphing and making all sorts of inquiries about him, and has even
sent out his own lawyer to hunt up everything about him. Are you
listening?"

"Yes."

"You seem abstracted."

"I am hungry."

"Why not dine here; it's an hour earlier than at home. Aladdin would
fall at your feet for the honor. Do!"

Maruja looked at them with innocent vagueness, as if the possibility
were just beginning to dawn upon her.

"And Clara Wilson is just dying to see the mysterious unknown again.
Say yes, little Maruja."

Little Maruja glanced at them with a large maternal compassion. "We
shall see."

Mr. Prince, on his return an hour later, was unexpectedly delighted
with Maruja's gracious acceptance of his invitation to dinner. He was
thoroughly sensible of the significance which his neighbors had
attached to the avoidance by the Saltonstall heiress of his various
parties and gorgeous festivities ever since a certain act of
indiscretion--now alleged to have been produced by the exaltation of
wine--had placed him under ban. Whatever his feelings were towards her
mother, he could not fail to appreciate fully this act of the daughter,
which rehabilitated him. It was with more than his usual
extravagance--shown even in a certain exaggeration of respect towards
Maruja--that he welcomed the party, and made preparations for the
dinner. The telegraph and mounted messengers were put into rapid
requisition. The bridal suite was placed at the disposal of the young
ladies for a dressing-room. The attendant genii surpassed themselves.
The evening dresses of Maruja, Amita, and the Misses Wilson, summoned
by electricity from La Mision Perdida, and dispatched by the fleetest
conveyances, were placed in the arm