old as spring came
to dazzling flower.

"My clever, sweet, little dignified girl!" said Jim. "Julia, do you know
that you are the most fascinating woman in the world? I never saw any
one like you!"

"I--Oh, Jim!" was all that Julia said, but her dimples and the nearness
of the blue eyes helped the stammered words.

"Among all the chattering, vapid girls I know," pursued Jim, "you stand
utterly alone, you with your ambitions, and your _wiseness_! By George!
when I think what you have made of yourself, I could get down and
worship you. I feel like a big spoiled kid beside you! I've always had
all the money I could spend, and you, you game little thing, you've
grubbed and worked and made things do!"

"I never had any ambition as high as marrying _you_," Julia said, with the
mysterious little smile that at once baffled and enchanted him. "When I
think of it, it makes me feel giddy, like a person walking in a valley
who found himself set down on top of a mountain! I never thought of
marriage at all!"

"But you are going to marry me, sweet, aren't you?" Jim asked anxiously.
"And you _are_ happy, dear? For I feel as if I would die of joy and
pride!"

"Oh, I'm happy!" Julia said, and instantly her lip quivered, and her
eyes brimmed with tears. She jumped to her feet, and caught him by the
hand. "Come on!" she said. "We _mustn't_ be so long!"

"But darling," said Jim, infinitely tender, "why the tears?"

For answer she caught his coat in her shabbily gloved little hands.

"Because I love you so, Jim," she faltered, trying to smile. "You don't
know how much!" Her voice had dropped to a whisper, and for a moment her
eyes looked far beyond him, down into the valley, and at the iron-cold
bay with its racing whitecaps. Then she took his hand, and they began to
descend the steps.

"I may tell my mother, Julie?" Jim asked joyously. "And Aunt Sanna? And
do you know that Julia is one of my favourite names--"

"No, I want you not to tell any one," Julia decided quickly. "You must
promise me that. Nobody." Something in her tone surprised, a little
chilled, him.

"Julie--but why?"

"Well, because we want to be _sure_--"

"Oh, sure! Why, but, dearest, _aren't_ you--"

"No, but wait a moment," Julia interrupted, and Jim, turning toward her,
saw a real trouble reflected in her face. "I want you to meet my mother,
and my own people," she said, scarlet cheeked. Jim's grave,
comprehensive look met hers.

"And I want to, dea