e the less expensive. They could not afford it; the past nine months had been very difficult, first the Captain's unfortunate misuse of the cheque, then Violet's engagement and the ne

. She had for some time ceased to be content with the position at Marbridge and the society there; she wanted to be recognised by the "county." This desire had been growing of late, for there had been a very eligible and attractive bachelor addition to that charmed circle, and he had more than once looked admiration her way. She and her mother went to work well and spared neit

ote now and then; she happened to do so on the day after the one on which she did not take the blue daffodil; and she mentioned in this letter that it was possible she should be home again soon. Seeing that sh

t to interfere with them. She would be wrong in her judgments, of course, and they right; they were sure of that, but they did not want the trouble of attempting to convert her, and anyhow, they felt they could do much better without her, and Mrs. Polkington wrote and intimated as much polite

r own service? Julia was at once uneasy and disgusted; the last alike with the proceedings themselves and the attempt to deceive her about them. And another letter she received at the same time did not make her any more satisfied; it was from Johnny Gillat, about as silly and uninforming a letter as ever man wrote, but it contained one piece of information. Mr. Gillat was going to have a great excitement in the early autumn-Captain Polkington was coming to London, perhaps for as long as

her as a present from Germany. Joost had brought several small presents besides the crochet hook, a pipe for his father, and two other trifles-a small vase and a photograph of a plant which was the pride of the Berlin gardens that year-an aloe, no yucca, but one of the true rare blooming sort, in full flower. Julia was asked to take her choice of these two; she chose the photograph because it seemed to her much more characteristic of

edly as one might express a desire for a bear from the Rocky Mountains, or a ruby from Burmah; she could hardly have received one of those with more enthusiasm than she did the vase. She

ed suspiciously. "W

little elation as possible. Denah did not admire it

d, and Julia began tactfully to talk about the beauties of

and truly, would you not rathe

ngtons were all good at saying things to be interpreted according

ferred the photograph;

it was absurd that she should be; but absurdity never prevents such things, and would not now, nor would it make her pleasanter if she were once fai

ay; he would do his best to fulfil her requests, she was sure, even to going down to Marbridge and establishing himself there about the time of her father's intended departure. But with regard to the rest of her mother's plans, or Chèrie's, whichever it might be, there seemed nothing to be done. To write would be useless; to go home, even if she swallowed her pride and did so, very little better; of course she had not anything very definite to go upon, only a hint here and there, yet she guessed pretty well what they were doing, what spending, and what they thought to get by it. The old, long-headed Julia feared for the result; Mrs. Polkington, clever though she undo

eminded of it; she felt so ashamed of herself and her people, so conscious of the gulf between them and him. So

e crochet progressed this week und

d; "there are enough mistakes in it

different; how he would act, say, in her circumstances. If they could change bodies, now, and he be Julia Polkington, with her relations, needs and opportunities, what w

should like to ask y

he in

rouble to you

e. "That," he said, "I expect rather depends on what you mean by honest. I imagine you don't ref

gentlemanly?"

said; "or, indeed, any way. One does not think about t

ronoun, which in a way included her

f-truths," she inquir

ed, rather amused; "there does not seem any need at my age. One does thin

, like your dinner, as a matter of course; it's always there; you don't have

ghting him up to himself; this was one of the occasions. "Possibly you are right," he said, with faint amus

variety in it," she

half-truths?" he inquired,

ruth, howe

han no trut

d; it takes no ingenuity, no brains, no courage, no acting, no feeling the pulse of your people, no bolstering up or watching or remembering. If I wanted to teach the beauty of truth, I would set my pupils to

usual opinion; fools and cowards are generally suppo

f pretending and shamming and double-dealing, of saying one thing and implying another, and meaning another still-you don't know what it feel

ok at her; he had an idea she would rather not. "What is it?" he as

very; "too much humbug, too much self. I have seen

t agree

having a lot

like yo

she was pleased, but she only said,

I do

mired honesty, she said, "I will tell you, though. You remember my father? You may have politely forgotte

unfastened; may I tie it for you? The question is," he went on, as he stooped to her shoe, "what did

her time she might have minded about it, and even refused to have it fastened on that account; to-night she did not care, which was perhaps

you have forgotten, I will remind you. You did not think him an

at he was not anxious to be reminded of things he had forgotten. "You began

my father," she said, "

l and my experience much as other men's. You see, I, too, have graduated in the study of humanity in the university of cosmopolis; I don't think my degree is as high as yours, and I certainly did not take it so young, but I bel

. "I have not lost my heart; t

, you have not lost it, and could not easily. I did not mean that; I o

sick of deception, that is why I am telling you the truth. And as for the other thing-the daffodil"-she f

terest in other people's business, it bores me. But, you see, you bear out what I say; you are of those strong who are merciful; you would make no success as an adv

at is only when I retire," she said. "

w finished for her, with a smile in his eyes. "No doub

ther different-there had crept a note of warmth and personality into their acquaintance which had not been there before. Julia had pleasant thoughts for company on her homeward walk, in spite of the worry of the letters she carried with her; she even for a moment had an idea of putting the matter they contained before

said-it upset business very much. After inquiry as to how this came about, Julia learnt that it was found necessary to give the workmen a holiday on the principal day. They got so drunk the night before, that most of them were unf

have a holiday

ide on my wheel; I must row in my boat; I must play my piano; let us put the work away as soon as we can, and forget it.' It was no

this; she only said, "It is a real holid

English bank holiday?" He called to his wife: "See here," he said, "here is an English miss who w

ng. "But what will you

answered; "if it is fine

. "You would not like that al

try," Julia said. "I should ma

n fun was really determined upon; Julia, so Mijnheer promised, should

fair and eat pooferchjes. It is only once in a year one can eat pooferchj

lia asked. "I have

o and eat them on the first day of the fair, when everything is nice and clean, and there are not too many people about. I will find a nice quiet place, and w

Julia readily agreed. "I sh

be better than that the parties should join? Mijnheer quite approved of this, so did Julia; and she, on hearing Denah's proposal, at once saw that Joost was included as he had not been before. Joost did not like fairs; he o

the Van Heigens-a slight alteration there had been in her plans; she was not, as she had first intended, going alone. It had somehow come about that Rawson-Clew was going with her; he had never seen the Dunes, and he had nothing to do that day, and he was not going to Herr Van de Greutz in the evening, it seemed rather a good idea that he should go for a holiday too; Julia saw no objection to it, but also she saw that it would not do to tell her Dutch employers. She had never

everal times when she was marketing, and was on speaking terms with her now, so she had to stop and listen to her troubles. They were only the same old tale; her newest young cook had left suddenly, and she had come to the town to see if she could get another from among the girls who had come in f

was not slow to discern the result when she and her father and sister met the Van Heigen party that evening. She smoothed the bow at the neck of her best dress, and looked at her gloves discontentedly; she did not altogether admire Julia's clothes, they were not at all Dutch; but she had an intuitive idea that they came nearer to Paris, the sartorial ideal of the nations, than her own did. She looked suspiciously at the English girl, her eyes were shining and sparkling like stars; they were full of alert interest and half-suppressed mischief. She looked at everything, and overlooked nothing, though she was talking to Mijnheer in a soft,

oman made them, beating the batter till it frothed, and dropping it by the spoonful into the little hollows in the great sheet of iron that glowed on the stove without. The glow of the fire was on her too, on her short skirt and her fine arms, and the flaring light, that flickered in the breeze, danced on her strong, brown face, with its resolute lines, and splendid gold-ringed head-dress. People kept passing to and fro all the time, or stopping sometimes to look in; solemnly

opposite side of the table, a gardener of another bulb grower, and his two daughters. He raised his hat to the Van Heigen party, and received a similar salutation in return, though he and they were careful to put their hats on again, a dr

ulia's interest and gaiety seemed to have infected the others-all except Denah, and they walked for a little while among the booths of toys, and sweets, and peepshows, and entertainments. And as they went, Denah grew more and more silent, watching Julia, who was walking with Joost; th

the girls would like to try a ride on the machine, and then befel the crowning mischief of the evening. Julia and Anna accepted the proposal readily. Denah declined; she felt in no humour for it; also she thought a refusal showed a superior mind-one likely to appeal to a serious young man, who had no taste for the gaudy, gay, or fast, and