"Very likely, sir."
"Your sister, I suppose?"
"No, sir."
"A relation, I suppose?"
"I call her Cousin Ida," said Ben truthfully.
"Indeed! And she is from Philadelphia?"
Ben was placed in a dilemma. He saw that he should be forced to misrepresent, and this he did not like. On the other hand, he could not tell the truth, and so betray Miss Sinclair to her persecutor.
"You can tell by looking at the hotel register," he said coldly.
Mr. Campbell judged by Ben's tone that our hero meant to rebuke his curiosity, and, having really very little idea that he was on the right track, he thought it best to apologize.
"Excuse my questions," he said, "but I have an idea that I know your cousin."