s odd to have chosen Holland in
preference to France or Germany, she replied truthfully that the one
was possible to her, the others were not.

Mrs. Polkington, who quite approved of the plan, saw no objection to
Holland, adding as a recommendation, "It is so much more original to
go there." She did not fail to remark on the originality when she
embroidered Julia's going to her friends and acquaintances.

Captain Polkington was the only member of the family who regretted
this going. He had always regarded Julia as something between an ally
and a tolerant go-between; and since she had wrung from him the
confession of his difficulties, and helped in the arrangement of them,
his feeling for her had leaned more and more towards the former. He
had even come to feel a certain protectiveness in her presence, which
made him really sorry she was going. Johnny Gillat was sorrier still.

Johnny had gone back to dismal lodgings in town now; he only heard of
the plan by letter, and the Captain's letters were very prolix, and
not informing. Mr. Gillat's own letters were even worse, for if they
lacked the prolixity, they lacked the little information also. On
receipt of the Captain's information he merely wrote to ask when Julia
was going, and what time she would be in London, as he would like to
give himself the pleasure of meeting her train.

He did give himself that pleasure; he was at the station half an hour
and ten minutes before the train, so as to be sure of being in time.
He was on the platform when the train came in; Julia saw him, a rather
ridiculous figure, his shabby coat tremendously brushed and tightly
buttoned, a gay tie displayed to the uttermost to hide a ragged shirt
front, his round, pink face, with its little grizzled moustache,
wearing a look of melancholy which made it appear more than ordinarily
foolish. He was standing where the part of the train which came from
Marbridge could not possibly stop, much in the way of porters and
trucks; Julia had to find him and find her luggage too, but he seemed
to think he was of much service. Julia's hard young heart smote her
when he gave twopence to her porter.

"Johnny," she said, as he took her ticket on the District Railway, "I
am going to pay for my ticket."

It was only threepence, but there are people who have to consider the
threepences; if Julia was one, she knew that Mr. Gillat was another,
and she had allowed for this threepence, and he probably had not. He