think of going tonight----'

'We not go! Eh, _pardieu!_ why not?' said the Count.

'The Colonel below-stairs begs to say that he will call somewhat later,'
said the _femme de chambre_ at this juncture.

'The Colonel! Whom does she mean?'

'Oh, my friend O'Grady. Poor fellow! I have been forgetting him all this
while. So allow me to join him, and well wait for your appearance in the
drawing-room.'

'I remember him perfectly,' said my mother--'an agreeable person, I
think. So take Julia and the Count with you, and I'll follow as soon as
I can.'

Julia blushed deeply, and as suddenly grew pale again as my mother
spoke. I knew that she had always treated my friend with hauteur and
reserve, without any assignable reason, and had long determined that
when an opportunity arose I would endeavour to get rid of the unjust
impression she had somehow conceived of my warmest, truest friend. This
was not, however, the time for explanations; and I merely said, as I
offered my arm--

'Poor O'Grady has been badly wounded; but I think he's now getting on
favourably.'

She said something in reply, but the words were lost in the noise of
descending the stairs. Just as we reached the landing I caught a glimpse
of my friend issuing from the _porte cochere_, and only in time to call
him by his name--

'Holloa, Phil! Don't go away.'

As he turned back towards the drawing-room, he cried out--

'It's only this instant, Jack, I remembered how very awkward it was of
me to come here with you at this hour. You have, of course, so much to
say and hear after your absence--'

The sight of my fair cousin cut short his speech, as she stood near the
door with her hand out to receive him. As O'Grady took her taper fingers
within his own, there was an air of cold distance in his manner that
actually offended me. Bowing deeply, he said a few brief words in a tone
of gravity and stiffness quite unusual with him; and then, turning to
Grammont, he shook the Count's hand with a warmth and cordiality most
markedly different. I only dared to glance at Julia; but as I did so
I could mark an expression of haughty displeasure that settled on her
brow, while her heightened colour made her turn away towards the window.

I was myself so much annoyed by the manner in which O'Grady had received
advances which I had never seen made to any one before, that I was
silent. Even Grammont saw the awkwardness of all parties so much in need
of his intervention th