"I am so sorry," she said, "but you must know now that I know whom you are."
Never in his life had Jack felt quite so ill at ease, or so utterly foolish.
"Who else knows?" he asked lamely.
"Only one, beside myself—Mrs. Wellington."
"Mrs. Wellington!"
"Naturally," said Miss Hatch placidly. "Did you suppose for a moment you could successfully hide anything from her? Chief Roberts was in the house an hour after you were employed."
"Oh!" A great white light illumined Jack's mind. He turned to the woman eagerly. "Do you know what Roberts told her?"
"Why, everything, I imagine," said Miss Hatch, laughing.
"Everything! But what?" Armitage gestured impatiently. "Please don't think me inquisitive, but I must know—it will depend upon what our loquacious chief said, whether I stay here one more minute."
"The chief was not loquacious," smiled Miss Hatch. "He was quite the reverse. You would have enjoyed the grilling Mrs. Wellington gave him. He was no willing witness, but finally admitted you were a naval officer, a son of Senator Armitage, and that you were here to observe the actions of one of the grooms, formerly in the Navy, whom the Government thought needed watching."