I have been traveling without pause during the past eight weeks." By this time he had ascertained two certain facts about Hermione Beauregard Grandison.

In the first place, she was the prettiest and most graceful creature he had ever met; in the second, she had all the hall-marks of good breeding and high social caste.

His brain was so busy over these discoveries that he disregarded the really remarkable way in which the object of his visit had been shelved for the moment.
It might reasonably be expected that the disconsolate lady would be concerned mainly as to the fate of the missing bridegroom, but the mistress evidently shared the maid's disquietude about Curtis himself.
And, precisely as in the case of Marcelle, Miss Grandison's face showed relief when it became manifest that he was a complete stranger.
"Pray forgive me for questioning you in this manner," she said, with a rapid reversion to a conventional air that disconcerted her hearer in a way she little imagined.

"Will you come in here, and be seated?
.

.