ey
whiskers, with a dry, solemn face; not carrying in his outward gait
much of the customary jollity for Christmas. He took his hat off to
Grace, and said some word to her as to hoping to have the pleasure
of seeing her at dinner. It sounded very cold to her, and she became
at once afraid of him. "I wish I was not going," she said to Lily,
again. "I know he thinks I ought not to go. I shall be so thankful if
you will but let me stay."

[Illustration: Grace Crawley is introduced to Squire Dale.]

"Don't be so foolish, Grace. It all comes from your not knowing him,
or understanding him. And how should you understand him? I give you
my word that I would tell you if I did not know that he wishes you to
go."

She had to go. "Of course I haven't a dress fit. How should I?" she
said to Lily. "How wrong it is of me to put myself up to such a thing
as this."

"Your dress is beautiful, child. We are none of us going in evening
dresses. Pray believe that I will not make you do wrong. If you won't
trust me, can't you trust mamma?"

Of course she went. When the three ladies entered the drawing-room of
the Great House, they found that Lady Julia had arrived just before
them. Lady Julia immediately took hold of Lily, and led her apart,
having a word or two to say about the clerk in the Income-tax Office.
I am not sure but what the dear old woman sometimes said a few more
words than were expedient, with a view to the object which she had so
closely at heart. "John is to be with us the first week in February,"
she said. "I suppose you'll see him before that, as he'll probably be
with his mother a few days before he comes to me."

"I daresay we shall see him quite in time, Lady Julia," said Lily.

"Now, Lily, don't be ill-natured."

"I'm the most good-natured young woman alive, Lady Julia; and as for
Johnny, he is always as welcome at the Small House as violets in
March. Mamma purrs about him when he comes, asking all manner of
flattering questions as though he were a cabinet minister at least,
and I always admire some little knickknack that he has got, a new
ring, or a stud, or a button. There isn't another man in all the
world whose buttons I'd look at."

"It isn't his buttons, Lily."

"Ah, that's just it. I can go as far as his buttons. But, come, Lady
Julia, this is Christmas-time, and Christmas should be a holiday."

In the meantime Mrs. Dale was occupied with her married daughter and
her son-in-law, and the squire ha