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However；　I　was　going　to　say　that　it　was　purely　from　policy
that　I　allowed　a　friendship　to　develop　between　my　daughter　and
Miss　Power；　and　now　events　are　proving　the　wisdom　of　my
course。　　Straws　show　how　the　wind　blows；　and　there　are　little
signs　that　my　son　Captain　De　Stancy　will　return　to　Stancy
Castle　by　the　fortunate　step　of　marrying　its　owner。　　I　say
nothing　to　either　of　them；　and　they　say　nothing　to　me；　but　my
wisdom　lies　in　doing　nothing　to　hinder　such　a　consummation；
despite　inherited　prejudices。'

Somerset　had　quite　time　enough　to　rein　himself　in　during　the
old　gentleman's　locution；　and　the　voice　in　which　he　answered
was　so　cold　and　reckless　that　it　did　not　seem　his　own：　　'But
how　will　they　live　happily　together　when　she　is　a　Dissenter；
and　a　Radical；　and　a　New…light；　and　a　Neo…Greek；　and　a　person
of　red　blood；　while　Captain　De　Stancy　is　the　reverse　of　them
all！'

'I　anticipate　no　difficulty　on　that　score；'　said　the　baronet。
'My　son's　star　lies　in　that　direction；　and；　like　the　Magi；　he
is　following　it　without　trifling　with　his　opportunity。　　You
have　skill　in　architecture；　therefore　you　follow　it。　　My　son
has　skill　in　gallantry；　and　now　he　is　about　to　exercise　it
profitably。'

'May　nobody　wish　him　more　harm　in　that　exercise　than　I　do！'
said　Somerset　fervently。

A　stagnant　moodiness　of　several　hours　which　followed　his　visit
to　Myrtle　Villa　resulted　in　a　resolve　to　journey　over　to　Paula
the　very　next　day。　　He　now　felt　perfectly　convinced　that　the
inviting　of　Captain　De　Stancy　to　visit　them　at　Nice　was　a
second　stage　in　the　scheme　of　Paula's　uncle；　the　premature
announcement　of　her　marriage　having　been　the　first。　　The
roundness　and　neatness　of　the　whole　plan　could　not　fail　to
recommend　it　to　the　mind　which　delighted　in　putting　involved
things　straight；　and　such　a　mind　Abner　Power's　seemed　to　be。
In　fact；　the　felicity；　in　a　politic　sense；　of　pairing　the
captain　with　the　heiress　furnished　no　little　excuse　for
manoeuvring　to　bring　it　about；　so　long　as　that　manoeuvring
fell　short　of　unfairness；　which　Mr。　Power's　could　scarcely　be
said　to　do。

The　next　day　was　spent　in　furnishing　the　builders　with　such
instructions　as　they　might　require　for　a　coming　week　or　ten
days；　and　in　dropping　a　short　note　to　Paula；　ending　as
follows：

'I　am　coming　to　see　you。　　Possibly　you　will　refuse　me　an
interview。　　Never　mind；　I　am　comingYours；　　　　　　　　　　　G。
SOMERSET。'

The　morning　after　that　he　was　up　and　away。　　Between　him　and
Paula　stretched　nine　hundred　miles　by　the　line　of　journey　that
he　found　it　necessary　to　adopt；　namely；　the　way　of　London；　in
order　to　inform　his　father　of　his　movements　and　to　make　one　or
two　business　calls。　　The　afternoon　was　passed　in　attending　to
these　matters；　the　night　in　speeding　onward；　and　by　the　time
that　nine　o'clock　sounded　next　morning　through　the　sunless　and
leaden　air　of　the　English　Channel　coasts；　he　had　reduced　the
number　of　miles　on　his　list　by　two　hundred；　and　cut　off　the
sea　from　the　impediments　between　him　and　Paula。

On　awakening　from　a　fitful　sleep　in　the　grey　dawn　of　the
morning　following　he　looked　out　upon　Lyons；　quiet　enough　now；
the　citizens　unaroused　to　the　daily　round　of　bread…winning；
and　enveloped　in　a　haze　of　fog。

Six　hundred　and　fifty　miles　of　his　journey　had　been　got　over；
there　still　intervened　two　hundred　and　fifty　between　him　and
the　end　of　suspense。　　When　he　thought　of　that　he　was
disinclined　to　pause；　and　pressed　on　by　the　same　train；　which
set　him　down　at　Marseilles　at　mid…day。

Here　he　considered。　　By　going　on　to　Nice　that　afternoon　he
would　arrive　at　too　late　an　hour　to　call　upon　her　the　same
evening：　　it　would　therefore　be　advisable　to　sleep　in
Marseilles　and　proceed　the　next　morning　to　his　journey's　end；
so　as　to　meet　her　in　a　brighter　condition　than　he　could　boast
of　to…day。　　This　he　accordingly　did；　and　leaving　Marseilles
the　next　morning　about　eight；　found　himself　at　Nice　early　in
the　afternoon。

Now　that　he　was　actually　at　the　centre　of　his　gravitation　he
seemed　even　further　away　from　a　feasible　meeting　with　her　than
in　England。　　While　afar　off；　his　presence　at　Nice　had　appeared
to　be　the　one　thing　needful　for　the　solution　of　his　trouble；
but　the　very　house　fronts　seemed　now　to　ask　him　what　right　he
had　there。　　Unluckily；　in　writing　from　England；　he　had　not
allowed　her　time　to　reply　before　his　departure；　so　that　he　did
not　know　what　difficulties　might　lie　in　the　way　of　her　seeing
him　privately。　　Before　deciding　what　to　do；　he　walked　down　the
Avenue　de　la　Gare　to　the　promenade　between　the　shore　and　the
Jardin　Public；　and　sat　down　to　think。

The　hotel　which　she　had　given　him　as　her　address　looked　right
out　upon　him　and　the　sea　beyond；　and　he　rested　there　with　the
pleasing　hope　that　her　eyes　might　glance　from　a　window　and
discover　his　form。　　Everything　in　the　scene　was　sunny　and　gay。
Behind　him　in　the　gardens　a　band　was　playing；　before　him　was
the　sea；　the　Great　sea；　the　historical　and　original
Mediterranean；　the　sea　of　innumerable　characters　in　history
and　legend　that　arranged　themselves　before　him　in　a　long
frieze　of　memories　so　diverse　as　to　include　both　AEneas　and
St。　Paul。

Northern　eyes　are　not　prepared　on　a　sudden　for　the　impact　of
such　images　of　warmth　and　colour　as　meet　them　southward；　or
for　the　vigorous　light　that　falls　from　the　sky　of　this
favoured　shore。　　In　any　other　circumstances　the　transparency
and　serenity　of　the　air；　the　perfume　of　the　sea；　the　radiant
houses；　the　palms　and　flowers；　would　have　acted　upon　Somerset
as　an　enchantment；　and　wrapped　him　in　a　reverie；　but　at
present　he　only　saw　and　felt　these　things　as　through　a　thick
glass　which　kept　out　half　their　atmosphere。

At　last　he　made　up　his　mind。　　He　would　take　up　his　quarters　at
her　hotel；　and　catch　echoes　of　her　and　her　people；　to　learn
somehow　if　their　attitude　towards　him　as　a　lover　were　actually
hostile；　before　formally　encountering　them。　　Under　this
crystalline　light；　full　of　gaieties；　sentiment；　languor；
seductiveness；　and　ready…made　romance；　the　memory　of　a
solitary　unimportant　man　in　the　lugubrious　North　might　have
faded　from　her　mind。　　He　was　only　her　hired　designer。　　He　was
an　artist；　but　he　had　been　engaged　by　her；　and　was　not　a
volunteer；　and　she　did　not　as　yet　know　that　he　meant　to　accept
no　return　for　his　labours　but　the　pleasure　of　presenting　them
to　her　as　a　love…offering。

So　off　he　went　at　once　towards　the　imposing　building　whither
his　letters　had　preceded　him。　　Owing　to　a　press　of　visitors
there　was　a　moment's　delay　before　he　could　be　attended　to　at
the　bureau；　and　he　turned　to　the　large　staircase　that
confronted　him；　momentarily　hoping　that　her　figure　might
descend。　　Her　skirts　must　indeed　have　brushed　the　carpeting　of
those　steps　scores　of　times。　　He　engaged　his　room；　ordered　his
luggage　to　be　sent　for；　and　finally　inquired　for　the　party　he
sought。

'They　left　Nice　yesterday；　monsieur；'　replied　madame。

Was　she　quite　sure；　Somerset　asked　her？

Yes；　she　was　quite　sure。　　Two　of　the　hotel　carriages　had
driven　them　to　the　station。

Did　she　know　where　they　had　gone　to？

This　and　other　inquiries　resulted　in　the　information　that　they
had　gone　to　the　hotel　at　Monte　Carlo；　that　how　long　they　were
going　to　stay　there；　and　whether　they　were　coming　back　again；
was　not　known。　　His　final　question　whether　Miss　Power　had
received　a　letter　from　England　which　must　have　arrived　the　day
previous　was　answered　in　the　affirmative。

Somerset's　first　and　sudden　resolve　was　to　follow　on　after
them　to　the　hotel　named；　but　he　finally　decided　to　make　his
immediate　visit　to　Monte　Carlo　only　a　cautious　reconnoitre；
returning　to　Nice　to　sleep。

Accordingly；　after　an　early　dinner；　he　again　set　forth　through
the　broad　Avenue　de　la　Gare；　and　an　hour　on　the　coast　railway
brought　him　to　the　beautiful　and　sinister　little　spot　to　which
the　Power　and　De　Stancy　party　had　strayed　in　common　with　the
rest　of　the　frivolous　throng。

He　assumed　that　their　visit　thither　would　be　chiefly　one　of
curiosity；　and　therefore　not　prolonged。　　This　proved　to　be　the
case　in　even　greater　measure　than　he　had　anticipated。　　On
inquiry　at　the　hotel　he　learnt　that　they　had　stayed　only　one
night；　leaving　a　short　time　before　his　arrival；　though　it　was
believed　that　some　of　the　party　were　still　in　the　town。

In　a　state　of　indecision　Somerset　strolled　into　the　gardens　of
the　Casino；　and　looked　out　upon　the　sea。　　There　it　still　lay；
calm　yet　lively；　of　an　unmixed　blue；　yet　variegated；　hushed；
but　articulate　even　to　melodiousness。　　Everything　about　and
around　this　coast　appeared　indeed　jaunty；　tuneful；　and　at
ease；　reciprocating　with　heartiness　the　rays　of　the　splendid
sun；　everything；　except　himself。　　The　palms　and　flowers　on　the
terraces　before　him　were　undisturbed　by　a　single　cold　breath。
The　marble　work　of　parapets　and　steps　was　unsplintered　by
frosts。　　The　whole　was　like　a　conservatory　with　the　sky　for
its　dome。

For　want　of　other　occupation　he　went　round　towards　the　public
entrance　to　the　Casino；　and　ascended　the　great　staircase　into
the　pillared　hall。　　It　was　possible；　after　all；　that　upon
leaving　the　hotel　and　sending　on　their　luggage　they　had　taken
another　turn　through　the　ro