novel,
prepared to spend the rest of the afternoon alone.

The novel wasn't half as silly as some I've read--the hero reminded
me of Blakely--and the chocolates were unusually good; I was having
a much better time than I had expected. Then some one knocked at the
door.

"Bother!" I thought. "It can't be anybody I wish to see; I'll not
let them in."

The knock, was repeated. It suddenly occurred to me that maybe
Blakely had changed his plans and had come for tea after all.

"Come in," I called.

The door opened slowly, and there, standing on the threshold,
was-- Had I gone quite mad? I rose from my chair and stared
unbelievingly--at Blakely's mother.

"May I come in?" she asked in her even, well-bred voice.

"Why--yes," I faltered.

Closing the door behind her, she walked over to the fireplace.

"Won't you sit down?" I asked. "No, I thank you. This is not an
afternoon call, Miss Middleton, it is--But of course you
understand."

I didn't understand at all, and her manner of saying I did made me
furious.

"Perhaps I am very stupid," I said, "but I cannot imagine why you
are here."

"Do you know where my son is?"

"I do not."

"You have no idea?"

"I have no idea where your son is, nor why you are here."

She eyed me intently. How cold and determined she looked and how
handsome she was.

"If I thought you were telling the truth--"

"Mrs. Porter!"

She handed me a letter. "Please read that," she said.

"I will not read it," I replied. "I must beg that you leave me."

"There, there, child, I did not mean to be rude."

"You are more than rude, you are insolent."

"I am distracted, child. Please read the letter."

"Very well," I said, "I'll read it."

This was the letter:

"MY DEAR MOTHER: This will be handed to you at four o'clock. At
that hour I shall be in Ventura, accompanied by the Grand Duke
Alexander, and, as we are making the trip by automobile, it may be
that we shall neither of us return in time for your dinner this
evening."

"If, however, on reading this you will wire me at Ventura your full
consent to my marriage with Miss Middleton, I think I can guarantee
that your dinner party will be a success."

"I shall be in Ventura till half past four. Should I fail to hear
from you by that time, we shall continue our journey toward Los
Angeles as fast as our six-cylinders will take us."

"It grieves me more than I can tell you to employ this cavalier
method against you, but my