Consequently Joe accepted the attentions of Pocock Vancouver with a certain amount of satisfaction, and she had not been displeased that he should come to Miss Schenectady's house for tea. The evening passed quickly, and Vancouver took his leave. As he opened the front door to let himself out he nearly fell over a small telegraph messenger. "Thorn here?" inquired the boy, laconically. "Yes, I'll take it in," said Vancouver quickly. He went back with the telegram, and the boy stood inside the door waiting for the receipt. He noticed the stamp of the Cable Office on the envelope. "Miss Thorn," said Vancouver, entering the drawing-room again, hat in hand, "I just met this telegram on the steps, so I brought it in. It may need an answer, you know." "Thanks, so much," said Joe, tearing open the pale yellow cover. She was startled, not being accustomed to receive telegrams. Her brow contracted as she read the contents, and she tapped her small foot on the carpet impatiently. THORN, care Schenectady, Beacon, Boston. Sailed to-day. RONALD. Josephine crushed the paper in her hand and signed the receipt with the pencil Vancouver offered her. "Thanks, so much," she said again, but in a different tone of voice. "Any answer?" suggested Vancouver. "Thanks, no," answered Joe. "Good-night again." "Good-night." And Vancouver departed, wondering what the message could have been. Miss Schenectady had looked on calmly throughout the little scene, and nodded to Pocock as he left the room; her peculiarities were chiefly those of diction; she was a well-bred old lady, not without wisdom. "Nothing wrong, Joe?" she inquired, when alone with her niece. "I hardly know," answered Joe. "Ronald has just sailed from England. I suppose he will be here in ten days." "Business here?" asked Miss Schenectady. "Oh dear, no! He knows nothing about business. I wish he would stay at home. What a bore!" It was evident that Joe had changed her mind since she had written to Ronald a fortnight before. It seemed to her now, when she looked forward to Surbiton's coming, that he would not find his place in Boston society so easily as she had done. Of course he would expect to see her every day, and to spend all his leisure hours at Miss Schenectady's house. Whatever she happened to be doing, it would always be necessary to take Ronald into consideration, and the prospect did not please her at all.