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course Charles would give her all the sympathy she needed, but it would be a terrible blow to him, after all he had loved her to distraction for twenty years, and it would be cruel to tell him that she had given to a very ordinary young man what he would gladly have sacrificed ten years of his life for. She was his ideal and it would be heartless on her part to shatter it. It certainly did her good at that moment to be assured that Charles Tamerley, so distinguished, so cultured, so elegant, loved her with an imperishable devotion. Of course Dolly would be delighted if she confided in her. They had not seen much of one another lately, but Julia knew that she had only to call up and Dolly would come running. Even though she more than suspected the truth already she'd be shocked and jealous when Julia made a clean breast of it, but she'd be so thankful that everything was over, she'd forgive. It would be a comfort to both of them to tear Tom limb from limb. Of course it wouldn't be very nice to admit that Tom had chucked her, and Dolly was so shrewd, she would never get away with the lie that she had chucked him. She wanted to have a good cry with somebody, and there didn't seem to be any reason for it if she had made the break herself. It would be a score for Dolly, and however sympathetic she was it was asking too much of human nature to expect that she would be altogether sorry that Julia had been taken down a peg or two. Dolly had always worshipped her. She wasn't going to give her a peep at her feet of clay.

"It almost looks as if the only person I can go to is Michael," she giggled. "But I suppose it wouldn't do."

She knew exactly what he would say.

"My dear girl, I'm really not the sort of feller you ought to come to with a story like that. Damn it all, you put me in a very awkward position. I flatter myself I'm pretty broad-minded, I may be an actor, but when all's said and done I am a gentleman, and well, I mean, I mean it's such damned bad form."

Michael did not get home till the afternoon, and when he came into her room she was resting. He told her about his week-end and the result of his matches. He had played very well, some of his recoveries had been marvellous, and he described them in detail.

"By the way, what about that girl you saw last night, is she any good?"

"I really think she is, you know. She's very pretty. You're sure to fall for her."

"Oh, my dear, at my time of life. Can she act?"

"She's inexperienced of course, but I think she's got it in her."

"Oh well, I'd better have her up and give her the once over. How can I get hold of her?"

"Tom's got her address."

"I'll phone him right away."

He took off the receiver and dialled Tom's number. Tom was in and Michael wrote down the address on a pad.

The conversation went on.

"Oh, my dear old chap, I'm sorry to hear that. What rotten luck!"

"What's the matter?" asked Julia.

He motioned her to be quiet.

"Oh, well, I don't want to be hard on you. Don't you worry. I'm sure we can come to some arrangement that will be satisfactory to you." He put his hand over the receiver and turned to Julia. "Shall I ask him to dinner next Sunday?"

"If you like."

"Julia says, will you come and dine on Sunday? Oh, I'm sorry. Well, so long, old man."

He put down the receiver.

"He's got a date. Is the young ruffian having an affair with this girl?"

"He assures me not. He respects her. She's a colonel's daughter."

"Oh, she's a lady."

"I don't know that that follows," said Julia acidly. "What were you talking to him about?"

"He says they've cut his salary. Bad times. He wants to give up the flat." Julia's heart gave a sudden sickening beat. "I've told him not to worry. I'll let him stay there rent free till times improve."

"I don't know why you should do that. After all, it was a purely business arrangement."

"It seems rather tough luck on a young chap like that. And you know he's very useful to us; if we want an extra man we can always call upon him,