“No, no, you will do nothing of the sort. I will ask a girl specially to meet him. I know the very one to suit him. What do you say to Julia Barker?” “Oh,” doubtfully, “I don’t think she would be his style at all--no--not one little bit.” “Why not? She is handsome, agreeable, well connected--the Hollington-Barkers you know.” “Yes, but I don’t admire her; she’s too stout and full-blown; too loud, and _I_ should say, had the devil of a temper.” “It is not necessary for _you_ to admire her, Johnny. Poor Ju has led a life to try the temper of a saint. A spendthrift old father, and since his death she is a sort of wanderer, and wants a home of her own so badly; her life is spent in visits--and she lives in her boxes. Now the Barre girls are growing up she cannot be there so much, and she hates being paying guest.” “Miss Barker has no money,” objected Major Sutton. “But Colonel Doran has, and Ju is wonderful, she can make one penny go as far as two! She will be a capital wife for him, lively, energetic, and managing--and _so_ well connected.” “I don’t think she will suit, Maudie. He is a quiet, reserved sort of chap, and would like some one of his own caste.” “Not a bit of it: silent men always take talkative wives--every one chooses their opposite--I believe Ju and the Colonel will be an exact match--and here we are!” CHAPTER II Julia Barker was the youngest daughter of a needy gentleman of good family who for many years had roamed about the cheaper continental resorts, bearing in his train two dashing good-looking girls--and leaving in his track a considerable number of bad debts. Occasionally, his rich relations came to his assistance; for instance, when Fanny succeeded in capturing the affection of a wealthy baronet, Sir Herbert Barre, the connection provided a suitable wedding and trousseau, and hinted that they looked to Fanny to help her sister in the like manner. It was really discreditable, the way in which old Fitzroy dragged their name about in the dust of Europe; they were constantly encountering people who said, “Oh--we met your cousins the Hollington-Barkers at Spa or Monte Carlo--they _are_ your cousins, are they not? Rather a handsome girl, and a thin old gentleman, who gambles a good deal.” Sometimes it appeared that the thin old gentleman had borrowed money from these too confiding travellers. However, at last Captain Fitzroy Hollington-Barker’s wanderings came to an end; he was accorded (for the sake of the connection) a decent funeral, buried in the ancestral vault; and Julia his daughter had her liberty, the world before her, and one hundred and fifty pounds a year. Lady Barre had exerted herself in every way to “help off poor Ju” as she termed it; but so far her anxious efforts had proved of no avail: on the contrary, poor Ju had sustained several crushing disappointments. Yet Julia Barker was a handsome woman, in a showy dark style; she had bright eyes, a bright,