l
intercourse with them had been broken off. So he looked round
hesitatingly as he marked their salutation, and they noticed it. Again
they neared one another, and this time the young men smiled, and Walter
returned the smile. Then the two stopped, and Gregson said, "Come, old
fellow, shake hands; you've treated us rather shabbily to cut us as you
have done, but we cannot bear the thought of our old friendship being so
easily broken up. We've had many a jolly day together, and why should
it not be so again?" He held out his hand, and Walter could not, or did
not, resist the impulse to grasp it warmly. Then Saunders must have a
similar grip, and Walter could not bring himself to refuse it. After
this Julia was introduced, and the four went about amicably together,
the two young men warming up, as they saw Walter's resolution melting
away, and rattling on with all sorts of light and frivolous talk, which
grated sadly on the ear and heart of Julia Vivian.

It was now one o'clock, when Gregson exclaimed, "You must all come to
the Ship, and dine at my expense. Nay, my dear old fellow"--addressing
Walter--"I'll not hear of a refusal. You know how I let you in for that
second sovereign at the match, when Jim Jarrocks won so cleverly. I
didn't mean it, of course, but you must allow me the pleasure of making
some little amends by having you and your sister as my guests to-day."
Julia tried, by a gentle pressure of her brother's arm, to dissuade him
from accepting the invitation, but without avail. Walter felt that he
was now "in for it," and must go through with it. So the four
companions walked to the Ship Hotel, and partook of an excellent dinner
ordered by Gregson, in a private room which commanded a full view of the
sea and the crowds of pleasure-seekers who were swarming along the
sands. Both the young host and his friend Saunders drank wine and beer
freely. Walter, who had never been given to excess, was more cautious;
but partly from the excitement of the occasion, and partly, it may be,
to drown some uncomfortable whisperings of conscience, he took more of
these stimulating drinks than he would have thought of doing under
ordinary circumstances, and the result was that he was prepared, when
the meal was over, to take his part in any scheme of fun or frolic that
his new companions might propose. Julia saw this with deep shame and
regret, but she also saw that now was not the time to remonstrate. She
did sp