"But how did you know I would come home on this steamer?" she persisted, eager to know how he happened to be there to meet her.
"I cabled the American Consul to search for you, and render you assistance. He replied, telling me that you had already sailed for New York," Ray explained.
"That was thoughtful of you, dear," Mona said, giving him a grateful look, "but I found friends to help me. Come and let me introduce you to them."
She led him to Mr. Cutler and his sister, who had quietly withdrawn to a little distance—for, of course, they took in the situation at once—and performed the ceremony, when, to her surprise, Mr. Cutler cordially shook her lover by the hand, remarking, with his genial smile:
"Mr. Palmer and I have met before, but my sister has not had that pleasure, I believe."
Ray greeted them both with his habitual courtesy, and then in a frank, manly way, but with slightly heightened color, remarked:
"My appearance here perhaps needs some explanation, but it will be sufficient for me to explain that Miss Montague is my promised wife."
"I surmised as much, not long after making the young lady's acquaintance," Mr. Cutler remarked, with a roguish glance at Mona's pink cheeks and downcast eyes. "But," he added, with some curiosity, "it is a puzzle to me how you should know that she would arrive in New York on this steamer to-day."
Ray explained the matter to him, and then they all left the vessel together.
Mr. and Miss Cutler were to go to the Hoffman House, and invited Mona to be their guest during their stay in the city, but thanking them for their kindness, she said she thought it would be best for her to go directly to Mr. Graves, as she had business which she wished him to attend to immediately.