The next day Walter called on Percy, and played the traitor.

“Give a ball,” said he.

Miss Fitzroy and her brother gave a ball.  Percy, duly instructed by his sister, wrote to Julia as meek as Moses, and said he was in a great difficulty.  If he invited her, it would, of course, seem presumptuous, considering the poor opinion she had of him; if he passed her over, and invited Walter Clifford and Mrs. Clifford, he should be unjust to his own feelings, and seem disrespectful.

Julia’s reply: 

“DEAR MR. FITZROY,—­I am not at all fond of jealousy, but I am very fond of dancing.  I shall come.

“Yours sincerely,

“JULIA CLIFFORD.”

And she did come with a vengeance.  She showed them what a dark beauty can do in a blaze of light with a red rose, and a few thousand pounds’ worth of diamonds artfully placed.

She danced with several partners, and took Percy in his turn.  She was gracious to him, but nothing more.

Percy asked leave to call next day.

She assented, rather coldly.

His sister prepared Percy for the call.  The first thing he did was to stammer intolerably.

“Oh,” said Julia, “if you have nothing more to say than that, I have—­Where is my bracelet?”

“It’s here,” said Percy, producing it eagerly.  Julia smiled.

“My necklace?”

“Here!”

“My charms?”

“Here!”

“My specimens of your spelling?  Love spells, eh?”

“Here—­all here.”

“No, they are not,” said Julia, snatching them, “they are here.”  And she stuffed both her pockets with them.

“And the engaged ring,” said Percy, radiant now, and producing it, “d-d-don’t forget that.”

Julia began to hesitate.  “If I put that on, it will be for life.”

“Yes, it will,” said Percy.

“Then give me a moment to think.”

After due consideration she said what she had made up her mind to say long before.

“Percy, you’re a man of honor.  I’ll be yours upon one solemn condition—­that from this hour till death parts us, you promise to give your faith where you give your love.”

“I’ll give my faith where I give my love,” said Percy, solemnly.

Next month they were married, and he gave his confidence where he gave his love, and he never had reason to regret it.

* * * * *

“John Baker.”

“Sir.”

“You had better mind what you are about, or you’ll get fonder of her than of Walter himself.”

“Never, Colonel, never!  And so will you.”