thought it so nice of them to come so soon, she told them so severally; she knew that they-"you all," "you, at least," "you, my oldest friend," according to circumstances-would be pleased to

me of the year; and, after all, Bath is not very far off; some of Richard's people live there, too. I should not be surprised if the young people contrive to see a good deal of each ot

broad, and heard of a delightful prospect of several months to be spent

Chèrie to refuse this invitation for Violet's sake? I am very glad you think so. I had quite a difficulty in persuading her; but, as I told her, it was not a chance she was

hat the Polkingtons were without a servant. Mrs. Polkington made inquiries among her friends, but could not hear of any one suitable; she said it

nd screwing and retrenching which went on indoors at No. 27. One or two tradesmen could have told of long accounts unpaid, and some relations living

rhaps only just; and Johnny Gillat suffered with him, which was not just, though that did not seem to occur to him. As for Julia, she minded least of any one, though in some wa

arge sum for a girl to earn, and any sum was impossible to her; she had no gifts to take to market, no ability for any of the arts, not enough education for teaching, no training for commerce. The only field open to her was that of a nursery-governess or companion; neither was likely to enable her to pay this debt of honour quic

ays. It may have been that these qualities made her more attractive to the old Dutchman than the purely English game-expert daughters of the house. Or it may have been her admirable cooking; the cook was ill during the greater part of her visit, and her offer to help was gladly accepted and duly appreciated. Something, at all events, pleased the old man, so that before he

lady a thorough huisvrouw, nothing more probably. Still that did not matter; such things need not be considered if the end could be attained that way. But unfortunately it did not look very likely; the Van Heigens would pay less to a c

d down upon him; Julia recognised that he barely came up to her mother's standard of a gentleman. He seemed to be a keen business man of the energetic new sort; he also seemed to deal in most things, flowers among them. He told Julia something about that part of his business, for he and it interested her so much that s

of it. But I can't; the old fool that's got it won't sell it for any price, and he can't half work it himself. It's a blue daffodil-Narcissus Triandrus Azureu

was the old Dutchman of her acquaintance. "Is he a bulb grower?

e might; he comes of generations of growers, and they venerate their bulbs. He has

odil? Do you think it is re

ve he grew the first, as he says, in his own garden. It's my opinion that one of his collectors

ng to do with i

u don't know what that is. Cross-breed with it; use the blue with the old yellow daffodil as parents to new varieties. That's ticklish work

o tell the truth, the money value of the t

l any of his blue

ed; "but not while they are wort

ean, what would it be wor

say I could get ￡400

not be worth so much? If there we

lb. Van Heigen would give a written guarantee wit

having it too. Tell me," she said, feeling she was imitating the Patriarch when he was

egin to sell them-when they are worth very little to the growers-he will sell to collectors, cranky old connoisseurs, from choice. That's what I mean when I say he doesn't understand business as business; he wou

ed. "If I were a connoisseur and bought one when the

m of parting with your bulb. You wouldn't have the slightest wish to make a hundre

y n

have my name mixed u

uld afford that the business should be

seller, did such an impossible pers

of hers which gave the feeling of a joke only half

k to my fingers," Cross answere

e girls he met that evening; afterwards he forgot her, for two days later he left the

she carried with her a book she had borrowed, a Dutch version of Gil Blas, which she remembered to have once seen tucked away in a corner. Shortly afterwards, as soon as the dictionary came, she set to reading the edifying wo

came back to Marbridge, Julia

you are quite sure of carrying them out, and you are never sure of that long before starting; at least, that was Julia's opinion. It was also her opinion that it was quite unnecessary to tell all details. She said she was tired of being at Marbridge, and wanted a complete change; also that

a recommendation, "It is so much more original to go there." She did not fail to remar

een; and since she had wrung from him the confession of his difficulties, and helped in the arrangement of them, his feeling for her had leaned more and more t

Mr. Gillat's own letters were even worse, for if they lacked the prolixity, they lacked the little information also. On receipt of the Captain's informat

d and tightly buttoned, a gay tie displayed to the uttermost to hide a ragged shirt front, his round, pink face, with its little grizzled moustache, wearing a look of melancholy which made it appear more than ordinarily foolish. He was standing where the part of t

r ticket on the District Railway,

one, she knew that Mr. Gillat was another, and she had allowed for this threepence, and he proba

shouted above the rattle of the train som

r and the girls think it i

I will miss you,"

ou

d when I wait in the dining-room when your father's not at home, I'll remember how you used to come down there and chat. We had many a chat, didn't we

tons' feelings were so much guided by what was advisable, or expedient, that there was not usually much room for simple emotions. She felt someh

rful woman, a wonderful woman, and Miss Violet's a fine girl, so's the other, handsome bot

t he meant. Just then the train stopped at a station, an

Johnny Gillat arrived at the Tower Stairs they saw the steamer lying in the river, a small Dutch boat, still taking in cargo from loaded lighters alongside. A waterman put them on board, or, rather, took them to the nearest waiting lighter

es; there is no passenger but one, a Holland gentleman;

quite follow what was said. Then Julia told him he

his pocket, from whence he pulled

ut waiting to say good-bye, he scrambled over the side in su

a third something less complimentary. Then a man laid hold of Mr. Gillat's legs and guided him safely o

ye," he

answered. "Oh,

ace was suffused with smiles; he waved his hat once more just as he reached the stairs. He slipped

e hoot of a steamer and the escape of steam, and under all, the restless lapping of the water. But through it all she now heard a much smaller sound quite close, a regular tick, tick. She glanced at the p

stared up at her, reminding her in some grotesque way of Johnny; poor, generous, honest, foolish old Johnny! She looked away quickly, a su

, there was no wrong in that. She must go; she must do it; the thing was so necessary as to be unavoidable, and not open to question. She looked down, and her eye fell on the watch again; it stared up at her in the same vacant way as Johnny had done that day when he wanted to sell it and his other things to help them out of their justly earned, sordid difficulties. With shame she had prevented that, feeling the cause unworthy of the sacrifice. But this sacrifice, for a still more unwo