“Now tell me about things,” Julia said.

Johnny’s face fell a little.  During supper they had talked about her affairs and experiences, none of the unpleasant ones; she was determined not to have the supper spoiled by anything.  Now, however, she felt that the time had come to hear the other side of things.

“I suppose father has been to town?” she remarked; she knew only too well that nothing else could account for Mr. Gillat’s reduced circumstances.  “When did he go?”

“He has not been gone much more than a week,” Johnny said; “think of that now!  If he’d stayed only a fortnight more he’d have been here to-night; it is a pity!”

“I don’t think it is at all,” Julia said frankly; “the pity is he ever came.”

Johnny rubbed his hand along his chair.  “Well, well,” he said, “your mother wished it; she knows what she is about; she is a wonderful woman, a wonderful woman.  I did what you told me, I really did.”

Julia was sure of that, but she was also sure now that he had not been a match for her mother.

“I went down to Marbridge a week before your father was supposed to be coming to town; I warned him very likely I should have to go away, just as you said—­and the very day I went to Marbridge he came to town, the very day—­a week earlier than was talked of.”

Julia could not repress an inclination to smile, not only at the neat way in which her mother had checkmated her, but also at the thought of that lady’s face when Mr. Gillat presented himself at Marbridge, just as she was congratulating herself on being rid of the Captain.

“What happened?” she asked.  “Did mother send you back to town again?”

“She did not send me,” Mr. Gillat answered; “but, of course, I had to go, as she said; there was your father all alone here; it would be very dull for him; I couldn’t leave him.  Besides, he is not—­not a strong man, it would be better—­she would feel more easy if she thought he had his old friend with him, to see he didn’t get into—­you know.”

“I know,” Julia answered; “mother told you all this, then she paid your fare back again.”

“Not paid my fare,” Mr. Gillat corrected; “a lady could not offer to do such a thing; do you think I would ever have allowed it?  I couldn’t you know.”

Julia’s lips set straight; she had something of a man’s contempt for small meannesses, and it is possible her judgment on this economy of her mother’s was harder than any she had for the unjustifiable extravagances at which she guessed.  She did not say anything of it to Mr. Gillat, she was too ashamed; not that he saw it in that light; he didn’t think he had been in any way badly used, he never did.

“Well,” she said, “then you came back to town and looked after father to the best of your abilities?  I suppose you could not do much good?”

Johnny rubbed his hand along his chair again for a little.  “You see,” he said hesitatingly, “it was very dull for him; of course he wanted amusement.”