“And I do dread this call,” Julia said nervously.  “I came down here yesterday, just to say we were coming, and it all struck me as being—­However, there’s the house, and you’ll soon see for yourself!”

The house itself was something of a shock to Jim, but if Julia guessed it, he gave her no evidence of his feeling, and was presently taken into the stifling parlour, and introduced to Julia’s mother, a little gray now, but hard lipped and bright eyed as ever, and to Mrs. Cox, who had been widowed for some years, and was a genial, toothless, talkative old woman, much increased in her own esteem and her children’s as the actual owner of the old house.

“Mother, we want some air in here!” Julia said, going to a window.

“Julia’s a great girl for fresh air,” said Emeline.  “Sit down, Doctor, and don’t mind Ma!” Mrs. Cox, perhaps slightly self-conscious, was wandering about the room picking threads from the carpet, straightening the pictures on the walls, and dubiously poking a small stopped clock on the mantel.

“How’s your arm to-day?” Julia asked, stopping behind her mother’s chair, and laying two firm young hands on her shoulders.

“What do you think of a girl that runs off and doesn’t see her mother for weeks at a time, Doctor?” Mrs. Page demanded a little tartly.  “Her papa and I was devoted to her, too!  But I suppose if she marries, she’ll be too grand for us altogether!”

“Now, Mother!” said Julia pleadingly, half vexed, half indulgent.

“I had an elegant little place myself when I was first married,” Mrs. Page continued, in a sort of discontented sing-song.  “Julia must have told you about her papa—­”

Julia’s serious eyes flashed a look to Jim, and he saw something almost like humour in their blue deeps.

“That’s a crayon enlargement of my youngest son,” the old woman was presently saying, “Chess.  A better boy never lived, but he got in with bad companions and they got him in jail.  Yes, indeed they did!  On’y the governor let him out again—­”

The call was not long.  Doctor Studdiford shook hands with both the ladies, in departing, and Julia kissed her mother and grandmother dutifully.  The two walked almost in silence to the car.

“Downtown?” asked Julia, in surprise.

“Downtown, for tea,” Jim said.  And when they were comfortably established in a secluded corner of the Golden Pheasant, he expelled a long breath from his lungs, and sent Julia his sunniest smile as he said: 

“Well, you’re a wonder!”

“I?” Julia touched her heart with her fingers, and raised her eyebrows.

“Oh, yes, you are!” Jim repeated.  “You’re a little wonder!  To make yourself so sweet and fine and dear, it shows that you’re one of the big people of the world, Julie!  Some one of the writers, Emerson I guess it was, says that when you find a young person who is willing to accept the wisdom of older people, and abide by it, why, you may watch that young person for great things.  And you see, I propose to!”