The President took in Iris and the Dona Pondillo.

They were the only ladies present.

The three sailors, some staff officers, and a few local celebrities, made up the rest of the company.
Hozier, though by no means indifferent to the good fare provided, was wondering how many hours would elapse before Iris's cablegram reached Verity's office, when some words caught his ear that drove all other considerations from his mind.
"I am sorry to say that, in my opinion, there is not the slightest chance of your message reaching England to-day, Miss Yorke," the President was saying.
"But why not ?" she asked, with an astonishment that was not wholly the outcome of regret.
"The cable does not land here, and the transmitting stations will be closely watched, now that my arrival in Brazil is known.

Even the simplest form of words will be twisted into a political significance.
No, I think it best to be quite candid.

Until I control Pernambuco, which should be within a week or ten days, you may rest assured that no private cablegrams will be forwarded." "Oh, dear, I fully expected a reply to-day," she said, and now that she realized the effect of a further period of anxiety on the Bootle partnership she was genuinely dismayed.
"You may be sure it will not come," said Dom Corria.