romise me that you
will try, dear. You are so lonely, and it would rejoice me so to feel
that you had a friend to help you and to be a comfort to you. At all
events you will judge her on her own merits, won't you, and put aside
all kind of prejudice?"

"I haven't said I shouldn't; but I suppose I must get to know her
first?"

Ominous as such a commencement would have been under any other
circumstances, Julian was so prepared for more decided hostility, that
he was even hopeful. When he met Waymark next, the change in his manner
was obvious; he was almost cheerful once more. And the improvement held
its ground as the next two or three weeks went by. Ida came to Beaufort
Street often, and Julian was able to use the freedom he thus obtained
to spend more time in Waymark's society. The latter noticed the change
in him with surprise.

"Things go well still?" he would ask, when Julian came in of an evening.

"Very well indeed. Harriet hasn't been out one night this week."

"And you think it will last?"

"I have good hope."

They did not speak much of Ida, however. It was only when three weeks
had gone by that Julian asked one night, with some hesitation in
putting the question, whether Waymark saw her often.

"Pretty often," was the reply. "I am her tutor, in a sort of way. We
read together, and that kind of thing."

"At her lodgings?"

"Yes. Does it seem a queer arrangement?"

"She seems very intelligent," said Julian, letting the question pass
by, and speaking with some constraint. "Isn't it a pity that she can't
find some employment better suited to her?"

"I don't see what is open. Could you suggest anything?"

Julian was silent.

"In any case, it won't last very long, I suppose?" he said, looking up
with a smile which was rather a trembling of the lip.

"Why?"

They gazed at each other for a moment.

"No," said Waymark, shaking his head and smiling. "It isn't as you
think. It is perfectly understood between us that we are to be
agreeable company to each other, and absolutely nothing beyond that. I
have no motive for leading you astray in the matter. However things
were, I would tell you frankly."

There was another silence.

"Do you think there is anything like confidence between your wife and
her?" Waymark asked.

"That I hardly know. When I am present, of course they only talk about
ordinary women's interests, household affairs, and so on."

"Then you have no means of--well, of knowing whet