CHAPTER XXII.
IDA’S TRIUMPH.
The servant led Ida up the stairs to the second floor and into a room in the front of the house, furnished most luxuriously as a sitting-room.
A young woman, rather under-sized, but well proportioned, and with some claims to beauty, stood in the center of this room.
Ida regarded the young woman intently. She saw that, though the features of the young lady were somewhat hard, and the expression of her face not wholly agreeable, yet she was one who would be attractive to the other sex. Her eyes were dark, and there was in them a rather steely gleam as she turned them keenly on Ida.
“I don’t know you,” was her salutation.
Looking about the room, Ida saw there were two doors therein, both open. Without replying to the abrupt and ungracious greeting of the young lady, Ida went to the one which seemed to lead into an inner apartment, and, closing it, shot the bolt she found on it.
“You are impertinent,” said Miss Rainforth.
Nor to this remark did Ida reply, but went to the door leading to the hall, closed that, and turned the key in the lock.
“What do you mean to do?” asked Miss Rainforth, so much astonished that she had not as yet interfered.
“I mean,” said Ida, “that we shall not be interrupted during our interview.”