The Good Comrade

, had been invited to share that meal with them. They took tea, the daintiest, pleasantest, most charming of teas, as t

se they were "one of us." But some humbler folk were of opinion that they only dined once a week, and that after morning service on Sundays; but even this

late of the --th Bengal Lancers. He was well connected, though not quite so much so as his wife; still-well, but he was not very presentable. If only he had been dead he would have been a valuable asset, but living, he was decidedly rather a drawba

autiful Queen Anne windows, and a white door with six panels. The rest of the house did not matter. On the whole the drawing-room did not so very much matter, because visitors seldom went into it whe

nd fitments. Julia was not pretty, therefore she was seldom to be found in the drawing-room alone; she knew better than to attempt to occupy that stage by herself. But it was now almost seven o'clock, too la

-room fire, was in a position to review at least some points of the case dispassionately. Violet was two and twenty, tall, and of a fine presence, like her mother, but handsomer than the elder woman could ever have been. She had undoubted abilities, principally of a social order, but not a penny apiece to her dower. She had this afternoon accepted Richard Frazer, though he was only a curate-an arist

average woman does out of two skirts. An imposing woman she was, with an eye that had once been described as "eagle," though, for that, it was a little inquiring and eager now

ying as she came in. "Is that whe

ome dissatisfaction, "I suppose he must see fa

ur father does not have good health, or trouble himself to mix much in society here-it is not likely that an old military man should, but in a case

t seem exactly convinced, and Ju

with father, five minutes-no, ten-with you, half an hour

a good many of their farces in private life; most of them found it easier, as well as pleasanter, to do so. "The cold beef," Mrs. Polkington said, mentally reviewing her larder, "can b

ulia interrupted, thinking of Johnny Gillat, who

d, and turned to the discussion of other matters. She had carried these as far as the probable date of marriag

ce. "Is he in the dining-room?" she said

o her interesting subject, only pausing to remark

the three girls mov

other asked. "There really is no necessit

rning one; he did not make extravagant demands on fa

s much out of place as on a twelve-year-old school-boy. There was something of the school-boy in his look and in his deprecating manner, especially to Mrs. Polkington; he had always been a little deprecating to her even when he had first known her, a bride, while he himself was the wealthy bachelor friend of her husband. He was still a bachelor, and still her husband's friend, but the wealth had gone long ago. He had now only just enough to keep him, fortunately so secured that he could not touch the principal. It was a mercy he had it, for there was no known work at which he could have earned sixpence, unless perhaps

much his friend as her father; a composite creature, and a necessary

in, I hear

wered. "What a

thing gone wrong with Bouquet," he s

patented; it did not seem quite honest to speak of it

id, and turned it up, and turn it down, and altered

r's having larks," Joh

ulia answered; "he has got to se

ho

ergyman who wants

of the circumstances, he added softly, "A wonderful woman! I always had a great respect for your mother."

afford to marry sooner and do it properly,

at observed; "they go fast, years; one alm

have to get married without waiting for the y

he always did when scarcity of money was brough

eve; we could catch up then. That is one reason, but the chief is that a long engagement is expensive; you see, we should have to have meals different, and fires different, and all manner of extras if Mr. F

f they can't afford it? You sai

t for him. Oh, no, we have no Church influence, and we don't know any bishops; but one

st estate from which he and the Captain had fallen. Julia had never been that, never aspired to it; she was no success at all; content to come and sit in the dining-room with him and Bouquet; she could not really be clever, or else s

oo, then she rose to her feet. "That's f

aid, as he saw the Captain coming in slowly, with a

ather," Julia said.

n reserved for the Captain's special use. A paraffin stove stood in the fire-place also, own bro

voice of hopelessness

fully put down the hat and stick he had brought with him, the one on the edge of th

ow," he said, with mild repr

Captain cri

rimming the stove-lamp. "Have five whiskeys and

rge; Julia's observatio

ve?" he demande

ny for you,"

asked. "Johnny," he turned pathetically to his friend

ot agree with you, and it doesn't-you know

asked. "Is that what you meant? That I-I should c

hiskey," Johnny said apolog

But she had no doubt that he defended the attacked point to his own satisfaction, as he always had done-cards,

too much, and an expensive kind of play. That he drank too much was not said; of course, the Indian climate and life tempted to whiskey pegs, and nature had not fitted him for them in large quantities; still that was never cast up against him. Enough was, however, to bring things to an end; he resigned, r

submission, and always prone to slip back into his old ways. But she had won through somehow, and time had given her the compensations possible to her nature. She was, by her own untiring efforts, a social factor now, even a social success; her eldest daughter was engaged to a clergyman of sufficient, if s

t is easier to acquiesce than to assert one's rights, and, as Johnny pointed out, it was on the whole more comfortable, in spite of horse-hair chairs, down in the basement than up in the drawing-room. There

on the other hand, appeared to be very gloomy and unhappy; he sat silent all the time his daughter was present. As she was leaving the ro

t I can call my own," Captain Po

n pockets surreptitiously. "We

able; she was surprised not to hear the sound, but she imagined the game must have been put off a little so that her fat