"Oh, I am sure you never did anything bad in your life," said Joe affectionately. "Nothing half so bad as this--my dear Snow Angel!" And so they kissed again and went to lunch. "I suppose you went to walk," remarked Miss Schenectady, when they met at table. "Yes," said Joe, "we walked a little." "Well, all Englishmen walk, of course," continued her aunt. "Most of them can," said Joe, smiling. "I mean, it is a great deal the right thing there. Perhaps you might pass me the pepper." Before they had finished their meal the door opened, and Ronald Surbiton entered the room. "Oh--excuse me," he began, "I did not know"-- "Oh, I am so glad you have come, Ronald," cried Joe, rising to greet him, and taking his hand. "Sybil, let me introduce Mr. Surbiton--Miss Brandon." Sybil smiled and bent her head slightly. Ronald bowed and sat down between Sybil and Miss Schenectady. CHAPTER IX. Josephine Thorn never read newspapers, partly because she did not care for the style of literature known as journalistic, and partly, too, because the papers always came at such exceedingly inconvenient hours. If she had possessed and practiced the estimable habit of "keeping up with the times," she would have observed an article which appeared on the morning after the skating party, and which dealt with the speech John Harrington had made in the Music Hall two days previous. Miss Schenectady had read it, but she did not mention it to Joe, because she believed in John Harrington, and wished Joe to do likewise, wherefore she avoided the subject; for the article treated him roughly. Nevertheless, some unknown person sent Joe a copy of the paper through the post some days later, with a bright red pencil mark at the place, and Joe, seeing what the subject was, read it with avidity. As she read, her cheek flushed, her small mouth closed like a vise, and she stamped her little foot upon the floor.