"This is a good thick one from home." She made no movement to open it then, thinking to read it aloud after Phil had taken his leave.

But when Mary joined them, and he seemed absorbed in the highly diverting process they made of trying on the new hat, she opened the envelope to glance over the first few pages.

She read the first paragraph with one ear directed to the amusing repartee.

Then the smile suddenly left her face, and with a startled exclamation she turned back to re-read it, hurrying on to the bottom of the page.
"Oh, what is it ?" cried Mary in alarm.

Joyce had looked up with a groan, her face white and shocked.