Her own Way by Eglanton Thorne

"I AM going shopping this afternoon," said Juliet. "I have heard of the prettiest cotton dresses, and so cheap that it is really economy to buy them."

Like other young ladies given to extravagant expenditure, Juliet liked to maintain that she studied economy in her purchases.

"I admire your practice of economy," said Salome. "You go to the other side of London to buy a thing a few pence cheaper than you would get it here, and never take into consideration the money you spend in travelling to and fro."

"I do take it into consideration," protested Juliet, "and I am sure that I shall save my railway fare three or four times over by buying there. You need not think I am so foolish as to go all that way to buy a yard or two of ribbon. I shall make several purchases when I am there."

"Of that I have no doubt," said Salome, with a smile that provoked Juliet. "You will buy half a dozen things you do not want because they happen to be cheap, and delude yourself with the idea that that is economy."

"Oh, I hope Juliet will not buy things that she does not want," said Mrs. Tracy cheerfully, "If you would not mind waiting till to-morrow, I believe I could go with you, darling. Perhaps I might see some curtains there that would do for the drawing-room."

Juliet shook her head impatiently.

"Oh, mother, I must go to-day," she said; "I do so want to get something to wear that is not mourning."

For Juliet had not yet entirely cast off the black she had donned as mourning for her uncle. The soft greys, the dainty admixtures of black and white which she was now wearing, became her charmingly; but Juliet was wearying of these. Her mother looked at her as she spoke, and wondered a little that Juliet should be so impatient to leave off her mourning for the uncle who had been so good to her, and to whom she owed so much. Were young girls, with all their freshness and bloom, apt to be a trifle hard-hearted? But Mrs. Tracy dismissed the thought as it arose. It was not to be expected that a girl should grieve long for an elderly man. What more natural than that she should crave fresh and pretty clothes? Ralph Tracy would not have wished her to wear black for him at all.

Juliet went away to get ready to go out. Shopping she must go, whether her mother approved or not, and nothing did she less desire than that anyone should accompany her on this particular expedition, since she expected to meet Algernon in the course of her journey.

A worried, almost a careworn look, came to Juliet's young face as soon as she was alone. The burden of the secret pledge she had given weighed heavily upon her heart. Was it a pledge? She had not meant it to be; she had not actually promised to be his wife; but she knew that Algernon regarded her as betrothed to him. She hated the secrecy on which he insisted as a cruel necessity of their case. What was to come of it all? She would ask herself with a thrill of terror. If only her mother knew, she would sigh at one moment, and the next she would shiver with dread at the thought that her mother might possibly one day discover her duplicity.

When Juliet ran into the dining-room to give her mother the kiss, without bestowing which she never left her for any length of time, the result of uneasy thought was visible in the way her delicate brows were contracted. Her mother looked at her anxiously, wondering why it was that she now so often detected this expression of worry on Juliet's face. Must the girl lose the bright, open, childlike expression which had been one of her greatest charms? But as she watched her, Juliet's look changed to one of excitement and surprise. She was standing by the window, and she had caught sight of a familiar form passing the gate.

"Oh, mother! " she exclaimed. "I do believe that was Mr. Mainprice who went by! It was wonderfully like him. Whoever he is, he has gone to Mr. Ainger's," she reported, as she stretched herself on tiptoe to get a better view of the individual in question. "I really think it is Mr. Mainprice."

"Very likely," said Salome quietly; "a Mr. Mainprice is coming to conduct special services at St. Jude's next week. I wondered if he could be the one you knew. I think Mr. Hayes called him the Rev. Arthur Mainprice."

"Then it is the same," said Juliet, "and that is why he is here."

"Oh, I am very glad of that," said Mrs. Tracy brightly. "I liked him when we met him at Lynton. And you seemed to take to him, Juliet. You will like to hear him preach."

But Juliet's face had fallen. Thoughts had been awakened within her that had a bitter flavour.

"I do not know about that," she said, as she turned to go. "It does not follow because you like a man to talk to, that you will like to hear him preach."

She went hurriedly from the house, and walked at her quickest pace towards the station. She was presently aware of firm, quick steps coming behind her. Fast as she walked, they walked faster, till they slackened at her side.

"I thought I could not be mistaken," said the pleasant voice of Mr. Mainprice. "How do you do, Miss Tracy? I caught sight of you as you came from that house, and I have been hurrying since to overtake you."