jective feeling, as though it
were some other person who was really there, and she the instrument
chosen to give physical indication of that other person's presence.
Only once life seemed suddenly to thrill and burn in her veins, to shoot
through her body with startling significance, and in that brief space of
time, life itself was transformed for her. Maraton by chance found her
hand, as they sat side by side, and held it for a moment in his. There
was nothing secret about his action. The firm pressure of his fingers,
even, seemed as though they might have been the kindly, encouraging
touch of a sympathetic friend. But upon Julia his touch was magical.
The rest of the evening faded into insignificance. She understood
feelings which had come to her that afternoon in the park with absolute
completeness for the first time. From that moment she took her place
definitely amongst the women who walk through life but whose feet seldom
touch the earth.

When the performance was over, Maraton called a taxicab.

"Aaron," he directed, "you must take your sister back to her lodgings.
No, I insist," he added, as she protested. "No 'buses to-night. Go
home and sleep well and think about yourself."

She shook her head.

"I will go home in a taxi," she agreed, "if you will do one thing for
me. It won't take long. It has been in my mind ever since you said
what you did about charity. I want us all to go down to the Embankment.
It isn't late enough really, but I want you to come."

He sighed.

"You are incorrigible," he declared. "Never mind, we will go. How good
the air is! We'll walk."

They turned along the Strand and descended the narrow street which led
to the Embankment. Then they walked slowly as far as Blackfriars
Bridge. They neither of them spoke a word. From time to time they
glanced at the silent and motionless figures on the seats. For the most
part, the loiterers there were either asleep or sitting with closed
eyes. Here and there they caught a glance from some spectral face, a
glance cold and listless. The fires of life were dead amongst these
people. The animal desires alone remained; their faces were dumb.

They stood together at the corner of Blackfriars Bridge.

"Well," Maraton said, "I have done your bidding. I have been here
before many times, and I have been here in the winter."

"Tell me," she asked, "there is a girl there on that third seat, crying.
Am I doing wrong if I go to her and give her money fo