wiser. Julia said she had
left one situation (reason not even suggested), and had got another.
That she did not wish to give her new address, or to hear from Mr.
Gillat, or her family, at this new place, as it might spoil her
arrangements. Rawson-Clew recognised the last word as a favourite of
Julia's; with her it was elastic, and could mean anything, from a
piece of lace arranged to fill up the neck of a dress, to a complex
and far-reaching scheme arranged to bring about some desired end. What
it meant in the present instance was not indicated, but clearly she
did not wish for interference, and, with some wisdom, took the surest
way to prevent it by making it well-nigh impossible. She had left one
means of communication, however, though apparently that was for Johnny
only. "If you and father get into any very great muddle," she wrote,
"you must let me know. Put an advertisement--one word, 'Johnny,' will
do--in a paper; I shall understand, and, if I can, I will try to do
something." A paper was suggested; it was a cheap weekly. Rawson-Clew
remembered to have seen it once in the small Dutch town that summer,
so it was to be got there. Unfortunately, as he also remembered, it
was to be got in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and Paris and Berlin too.

He folded the letter, and returned it to Mr. Gillat. "Thank you," he
said; "evidently, as you say, she does not wish to be found, and it
would seem she has got some sort of employment, although I am afraid
it cannot be of an easy or pleasant sort."

He did not explain the reason he had for thinking so, and Mr. Gillat
never thought of asking. Soon after he went away.

Clearly there was nothing to be done. Julia did not mean to have his
help and protection; and, with a decision and completeness which, now
he came to think of it, did not altogether surprise him, she has taken
care to avoid them. That absurd refusal of hers was, after all, a
reprieve, although until now he had not looked upon it in that light.
No doubt it was a good thing affairs had turned out as they had; the
marriage would have been in many ways disadvantageous. Yet he
certainly would have insisted on it, and taken trouble to do so, if
she had not put it altogether out of his power. All the same, he did
not feel as gratified as he ought, perhaps because the arrogance of
man is not pleased to have woman arbitrator of his fate, and the
instinct of gentleman is not satisfied to have her bear his burden,
perhaps for