won all eyes, from the old waiter who hovered over their happiness, to
the little baby in the street car who would sit in Julia's lap and
nowhere else. Jim presently left Julia to her Girls' Club, consoling
himself with the thought that on the following night they were to make
their first trip to the theatre together.

But when, at half-past seven the next evening, Jim presented himself at
the settlement house, he found Julia alone, and obviously not dressed
for the theatre. She admitted him with a kiss that to his lover's
enthusiasm was strangely cool, and drew him into the reception hall.

"Your aunt had to go out with Miss Parker," said Julia. "But she'll
positively be here a little after eight."

"My darling, I didn't come to see Aunt Sanna!" Jim caught her to him.
"But, sweetheart," he said, "how hot your face is, and your poor little
hands are icy! Aren't you well?"

"No, I don't believe I'm very well!" Julia admitted restlessly, lighting
the shaded lamp on the centre table, and snapping off the side lights
that so mercilessly revealed her pale face and burning eyes.

"Not well enough for the theatre? Well, but darling, I don't care one
snap for the theatre," Jim assured her eagerly. "Only I hate to see you
so nervous and tired. Has it been a hard day? Aunt Sanna--?"

"No, your aunt's an angel to me--no, it's been an easy day," Julia said,
dropping into a chair, and pushing her hair back from her face with a
feverish gesture. A second later she sprang up and disappeared into the
assembly hall. "I thought I mightn't have locked the door," she said,
returning.

"Why, sweetheart," Jim said, in great distress, "what is it? You're not
one bit like yourself!"

"No, I know I'm not," Julia said wildly. She sat down again. "I've been
thinking and thinking all day, until I feel as if I must go _crazy_!" she
said with a desperate gesture. "And it's come to this, Jim--Don't think
I'm excited--I mean it. I--we can't be married, Jim. That's all.
Don't--don't look so amazed. People break engagements all the time,
don't they? And we aren't really engaged, Jim; nobody knows it. And--and
so it's _all_ right!"

Anything less right than Julia's ashen face and blazing eyes, and the
touch of her cold wet little hands, Jim thought he had never seen. He
stepped into the bathroom, and ran his eye along the trim row of
labelled bottles on the shelf.

"Here, drink this, dear," he said, coming back to her with something
clear an