"I must be dreaming," he said to himself, as he drove away. "She's
as shrewd as the deuce, and there's a motive in her sudden
friendliness. I'm beginning to wonder how far I'll drop and how hard
I'll hit when this affair explodes. Well, it's worth a mighty
strenuous effort. If I win, I'm the luckiest fool on earth; if I
lose, the surprise won't kill me." At eight he presented himself
again at the Garrison house and found that he was not the only
guest. He was introduced to a number of people, three of whom were
Americans, the others French. These were Hon. and Mrs. Horace
Knowlton and their daughter, Miss Knowlton, M. and Mme. de Cartier,
Mile. Louise Gaudelet and Count Raoul de Vincent.

"Dorothy tells me you are to be in Brussels for several weeks, and I
was sure you would be glad to know some of the people here. They can
keep you from being lonesome, and they will not permit you to feel
that you are a stranger in a strange land," said Mrs. Garrison.
Quentin bowed deeply to her, flashed a glance of understanding at
Dorothy, and then surveyed the strangers he was to meet. Quick
intelligence revealed her motive in inviting him to meet these
people, and out of sheer respect for her shrewdness he felt like
applauding. She was cleverly providing him with acquaintances that
any man might wish to possess, and she was doing it so early that
the diplomacy of her action was as plain as day to at least two
people.

"Mamma is clever, isn't she?" Dorothy said to him, merrily, as they
entered the dining-room. Neither was surprised to find that he had
been chosen to take her out. It was in the game.