before Janet's unexpected arrival, that Mr. and Mrs. Duncan had come to
Boston after Christmas, and had taken a large house in the Back Bay in
order to be near their son at Harvard. Mrs. Duncan was, in fact, a
Bostonian, and more at home there than at any other place.

Miss Sadler observed with a great deal of astonishment the warm embrace
that Janet bestowed on Cynthia. The occurrence started in Miss Sadler a
train of thought, as a result of which she left the drawing-room where
these reunions were held, and went into her own private study to write a
note. This she addressed to Mrs. Alexander Duncan, at a certain number on
Beacon Street, and sent it out to be posted immediately. In the meantime,
Janet Duncan had seated herself on the sofa beside Cynthia, not having
for an instant ceased to talk to her. Of what use to write a romance,
when they unfolded themselves so beautifully in real life! Here was the
country girl she had seen in Washington already in a fine way to become
the princess, and in four months! Janet would not have thought it
possible for any one to change so much in such a time. Cynthia listened,
and wondered what language Miss Duncan would use if she knew how great
and how complete that change had been. Romances, Cynthia thought sadly,
were one thing to theorize about and quite another thing to endure--and
smiled at the thought. But Miss Duncan had no use for a heroine without a
heartache.

It is not improbable that Miss Janet Duncan may appear with Miss Sally
Broke in another volume. The style of her conversation is known, and
there is no room to reproduce it here. She, too, had a heart, but she was
a young woman given to infatuations, as Cynthia rightly guessed. Cynthia
must spend many afternoons at her house--lunch with her, drive with her.
For one omission Cynthia was thankful: she did not mention Bob
Worthington's name. There was the romance under Miss Duncan's nose, and