An idea occurred to me.

"Ring the bell, Million," I said. Then, remembering my place, I crossed
the room and rung the bell myself.

"For the chamber-maid. She may be able to tell us something about this,"
I explained. "We'll ask her."

More surprises!

The rather prim-faced and middle-aged chamber-maid who appeared in
answer to our summons had a startling announcement to make in answer to
my query as to who was responsible for that sheaf of glorious carnations
that we had found waiting.

"The flowers, Madam, yes. Mr. Burke gave them to me himself with orders
that they were to be placed in Miss Million's room."

"Yes," I answered for Miss Million; "but who is this Mr. Burke? That is
what we--I mean that is what Miss Million wants to know."

The sandy eyebrows of the chamber-maid rose to the top of her forehead
as she replied: "Mr. Burke? I understood, Madam, that----" Then she
stopped and began again: "Mr. Burke is staying in the hotel just now,
Madam."

A sudden presentiment chilled me. I glanced from the small, ill-clad
figure of the new heiress sitting at the table with her carnations,
through the open door into her bedroom with the pyramidal new trunks
which had attracted their full share of glances this morning!

Then I looked back to the chamber-maid standing there so deferentially
in front of the two worst-dressed people at the Cecil. And I said
quickly: "Is he--is Mr. Burke the man who drove up in the four-in-hand
this morning?"

"Yes, Madam. A black-and-yellow coach with four white horses; that would
be Mr. Burke's party."

"Lor'!" broke for the fiftieth time this day from the lips of Million.
"That young gentleman with all those grand people, and the trumpet"
(this was the posthorn), "and what not? Him with the red rose in his
buttonhole?" Million was as red as that rose in her flattered
excitement, as she spoke. "Well, I never! Did you ever, Miss--er--Smith!
Did you ever? Sending me in these beautiful flowers and all. Whatever
made him think he knew me?"

"I can't say, Madam," took up the chamber-maid, "but I certainly
understood from Mr. Burke that he knew your family--in the States, I
think he said."

"Would that be me uncle that I got my money from?" murmured the artless
Million to me.

I thought of the confab that I'd overheard in the central hall between
the hotel porter and that loudly dressed young man who had raised his
hat as we passed. It had been ascertained for him, then, t