“Where are the gentlemen who sent up these cards?” Miss Campbell asked a bellboy, as she searched the piazza which was almost empty at this hour.
The boy took the cards and read them slowly. Then he began an itinerary of the piazzas and parlors calling in a loud voice:
“The Marqueese dee Brigander,—Lord Albert Spencer Ormond.”
“Good heavens, how very embarrassing,” exclaimed Miss Campbell. “I didn’t know the child was going to scream the names all over the place.”
It was indeed a conspicuous moment in the lives of these five ladies. People scattered about the piazzas and in the parlors began slowly to collect near the entrance to the lobby. There were faces at every window. Bellboys peeped from the doorways and around corners. But no gentlemen answering to the names of these ancient titles responded. In truth, Miss Campbell and her charges appeared to form a highly interesting group as they sat waiting for the noble strangers to approach.
At last the boy returned.
“They ain’t no such persons registered at this here hotel, ma’am. They may have come over from one of the others. Do you remember the boy as brought you the card?”
“I do,” answered Elinor. “He had a freckled face and a snub nose and I think his name is Joey.”
Joey was produced immediately. It appeared that he had been watching the callers who had sent up the sealed envelope, but he had not known that it was their names being called about the hotel. He had noticed, however, that they had slipped into the garden with some rapidity and no doubt they were there now, although he, Joey, had distrusted them from the first.
“But why, Joey?” asked Miss Campbell with some concern. “I’m sure they came very properly introduced by our great, although still unseen friend, Mr. Ignatius Donahue.”