He even hinted at attractions in another quarter.

He did not tell the Senator of his recent interview with his son when the latter made it very plain that the marriage could never take place.

Ryder, Sr., had his own reasons for wishing to temporize.
It was quite possible that Jefferson might change his mind and abandon his idea of going abroad and he suggested to the Senator that perhaps if he, the Senator, made the engagement public through the newspapers it might have the salutary effect of forcing his son's hand.
So a few mornings later there appeared among the society notes in several of the New York papers this paragraph: "The engagement is announced of Miss Katherine Roberts, only daughter of senator Roberts of Wisconsin, to Jefferson Ryder, son of Mr.John Burkett Ryder." Two persons in New York happened to see the item about the same time and both were equally interested, although it affected them in a different manner.

One was Shirley Rossmore, who had chanced to pick up the newspaper at the breakfast table in her boarding house.
"So soon ?" she murmured to herself.

Well, why not?
She could not blame Jefferson.