"But of course, if you do not love him, you must not think of marrying him," said Sybil, simply. "I won't," answered Joe, with sudden emphasis. "But I shall have to tell him, you know," she added despondently. "It is very hard to say those things," said Sybil, in a tone of reflection. "But of course it must be done--if you were really engaged, that is." "Yes, almost really," said Joe. "Not quite?" suggested Sybil. "I think not quite; but I know he thinks it is quite quite, you know." "Well, but perhaps he is not so certain, after all. Do you know, I do not think men really care so much; do you?" "Oh, of course not," said Joe scornfully. "But it does not seem quite honest to let a man think you are going to marry him if you do not mean to." "But you did mean to, dear, until you found out you did not care for him enough. And just think how dreadful it would be to be married if you did not care enough!" "Yes, that is true," answered Joe. "It would be dreadful for him too." "When is he coming?" asked Sybil. "I think next week. He sailed the day before yesterday." "Then there is plenty of time to settle on what you want to say," said Sybil. "If you make up your mind just how to put it, you know, it will be ever so much easier." "Oh no!" cried Joe. "I will trust to luck. I always do; it is much easier." "Excuse me, Miss Brandon," said the voice of Vancouver, who came up behind them at a great pace, and holding his feet together let himself slide rapidly along beside the two girls,--"excuse me, but do you not think you are very unsociable, going off in this way?" "May I give you my arm, Miss Thorn?" asked Harrington, coming up on the other side. Without leaving each other Joe and Sybil took the proffered arms of the two men, and the four skated smoothly out into the middle of the ice, that rang again in the frosty air under their joint weight. Mrs. Wyndham had insisted that Vancouver and Harrington should leave her and follow the young girls, and they had obeyed in mutual understanding. "Which do you like better, Miss Brandon, boating in Newport or skating on Jamaica Pond?" asked Vancouver. "This is better than the Music Hall, is it not?" remarked John to Miss Thorn. "Oh, Jamaica Pond, by far," Sybil answered, and her hold on Joe's arm relaxed a very little. "Oh no! I would a thousand times rather be in the Music Hall!" exclaimed Joe, and her hand slipped away from Sybil's white fur. And so the four were separated into couples, and went their ways swiftly under the glorious moonlight. As they parted Sybil turned her head and looked after Joe, but Joe did not see her. "I would rather be here," said John quietly. "Why?" asked Joe. "There is enough fighting in life to make peace a very desirable thing sometimes," John answered. "A man cannot be always swinging his battle-axe." There was a very slight shade of despondency in the tone of his voice. Joe noticed it at once.