softer appeals have been in vain."

"While not a party to the plot, the duke, I find is something of a
philosopher; I do not look for any resistance on his part. If he
does resist, so much the worse for him."

"Your affectionate son, BLAKELY PORTER."

"P. S. Please do not think that Miss Middleton has any knowledge of
this plan. She has not."

"P. S. Remember! We leave Ventura for Los Angeles at 4:50 p.m.
sharp."

"Mrs. Porter," I said when I had finished reading the letter, "I am
deeply humiliated that Blakely should have done this."

"Still, I suppose you would marry him if I gave my consent."

"I would not," I replied hotly. "I might marry him without your
consent, for I love him dearly; but I would never consider you had
given your consent if it were forced from you by trickery."

"You wouldn't?"

"I would not."

"But if he doesn't bring the duke back my dinner will be ruined."

"I will telegraph him myself," I said.

"Supposing he won't come?"

"Blakely will come if I ask him to."

"And you will do this for me?"

"No; I am not doing it for you."

"Then why--"

"Because I cannot bear to have Blakely act so ungenerously toward
his mother."

"He has but used my own weapons against me," she remarked
thoughtfully.

"Your weapons are quite unworthy of him, Mrs. Porter." "The telegram
must be dispatched at once," she announced, glancing impatiently at
her watch.

"If you will call the office and ask them to send up a boy with some
forms, I will think over what I wish to say," I said.

When the boy arrived I had decided upon my message. It was:

"BLAKELY PORTER, Ventura."

"If you do not return at once with your captive I shall consider
that we have never met."

"ELIZABETH."

I wrote it out on a form and handed it to Mrs. Porter. "Will that
do?" I asked.

She read it at a glance. "Yes," she said, "it will do. Here, boy,
see that this is rushed."

"I'm glad it was satisfactory," I said. "Good afternoon, Mrs.
Porter."

"My dear girl....."

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Porter."

Still she did not go. I realized her predicament, and was childish
enough to enjoy it, for Blakely's mother could not bear to accept a
favor from a social inferior. Had I been a child, she would have
patted me on the head and presented me with a sugar plum. As matters
stood she was quite at sea; she wished to do something gracious--she
didn't know how.

To make her position more impossible, who should come