About ten o'clock
She _ may _ be the woman who called upon Doctor Wesselhoff to arrange for my imprisonment , '' he said to himself , after he had left her . `` At all events , '' he added , resolutely , `` I am going to lay the matter before Detective Rider , and see what he thinks about it . '' He was more strongly confirmed in his suspicions a few minutes later , when he saw Mrs. Vanderheck bidding her host and hostess good-night , and then withdraw from the company . About ten o'clock supper was served , and , strangely enough , after the company was seated , Ray found that his left-hand neighbor was no other than the fascinating Mrs. Montague , while , glancing beyond her , he saw that his father had acted as her escort to the table . It annoyed him exceedingly to see them together , and to observe the gallantry with which his father was attending to the fair widow 's wants . During all the years that had elapsed since the death of his mother , Mr. Palmer had not manifested the slightest desire for the society of ladies , and Ray had never thought of such a thing as his marrying again . But now it suddenly flashed across him : `` What if this gay woman of the world , with her beauty and powers of fascination , should tempt him to make her the mistress of his home and wealth ? ''