astic probation and be happy."

"Leave me now--come back to-morrow. I'll write to you." She had the air
of pleading with him at present, pleading as he pleaded.

"You can't resign yourself to the idea of one's looking 'out of it'!"
Nick laughed.

"Come to-morrow, before lunch," she went on.

"To be told I must wait six months more and then be sent about my
business? Ah, Julia, Julia!" the young man groaned.

Something in this simple lament--it sounded natural and perfectly
unstudied--seemed straightway to make a great impression on her. "You
shall wait no longer," she said after a short silence.

"What do you mean by no longer?"

"Give me about five weeks--say till the Whitsuntide recess."

"Five weeks are a great deal," smiled Nick.

"There are things to be done--you ought to understand."

"I only understand how I love you."

She let herself go--"Dearest Nick!"--and he caught her and kept her in
his arms.

"I've your promise then for five weeks hence to a day?" he demanded as
she at last released herself.

"We'll settle that--the exact day; there are things to consider and to
arrange. Come to luncheon to-morrow."

"I'll come early--I'll come at one," he said; and for a moment they
stood all deeply and intimately taking each other in.

"Do you think I _want_ to wait, any more than you?" she asked in
congruity with this.

"I don't feel so much out of it now!" he declared by way of answer.
"You'll stay of course now--you'll give up your visits?"

She had hold of the lappet of his coat; she had kept it in her hand even
while she detached herself from his embrace. There was a white flower in
his buttonhole that she looked at and played with a moment before she
said; "I've a better idea--you needn't come to Griffin. Stay in your
studio--do as you like--paint dozens of pictures."

"Dozens? Barbarian!" Nick wailed.

The epithet apparently had an endearing suggestion for her; it at any
rate led her to let him possess himself of her head and, so holding it,
kiss her--led her to say: "What on earth do I want but that you should
do absolutely as you please and be as happy as you can?"

He kissed her in another place at this; but he put it to her; "What
dreadful proposition is coming now?"

"I'll go off and do up my visits and come back."

"And leave me alone?"

"Don't be affected! You know you'll work much better without me. You'll
live in your studio--I shall be well out of the way."

"That's not wh