rness of his
remarks, and said gently, 'Perhaps your departure is not absolutely
necessary for my happiness; and I do not wish from what you call
caprice--'

'I retract that word.'

'Well, whatever it is, I don't wish you to do anything which should
cause you real pain, or trouble, or humiliation.'

'That's very good of you.'

'But I reserve to myself the right to accept or refuse your
addresses--just as if those rash words of mine had never been spoken.'

'I must bear it all as best I can, I suppose,' said De Stancy, with
melancholy humorousness.

'And I shall treat you as your behaviour shall seem to deserve,' she
said playfully.

'Then I may stay?'

'Yes; I am willing to give you that pleasure, if it is one, in return
for the attentions you have shown, and the trouble you have taken to
make my journey pleasant.'

She walked on and discovered Mrs. Goodman near, and presently the whole
party met together. De Stancy did not find himself again at her side
till later in the afternoon, when they had left the immediate precincts
of the castle and decided on a drive to the Konigsstuhl.

The carriage, containing only Mrs. Goodman, was driven a short way up
the winding incline, Paula, her uncle, and Miss De Stancy walking behind
under the shadow of the trees. Then Mrs. Goodman called to them and
asked when they were going to join her.

'We are going to walk up,' said Mr. Power.

Paula seemed seized with a spirit of boisterousness quite unlike her
usual behaviour. 'My aunt may drive up, and you may walk up; but I
shall run up,' she said. 'See, here's a way.' She tripped towards a path
through the bushes which, instead of winding like the regular track,
made straight for the summit.

Paula had not the remotest conception of the actual distance to the top,
imagining it to be but a couple of hundred yards at the outside, whereas
it was really nearer a mile, the ascent being uniformly steep all the
way. When her uncle and De Stancy had seen her vanish they stood
still, the former evidently reluctant to forsake the easy ascent for a
difficult one, though he said, 'We can't let her go alone that way, I
suppose.'

'No, of course not,' said De Stancy.

They then followed in the direction taken by Paula, Charlotte entering
the carriage. When Power and De Stancy had ascended about fifty yards
the former looked back, and dropped off from the pursuit, to return to
the easy route, giving his companion a parting hint con