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in　this　lonely　district；　had　found　sweet　communion　a　necessity
of　life；　and　by　pure　and　instinctive　good　sense　had　broken
down　a　barrier　which　men　thrice　their　age　and　repute　would
probably　have　felt　it　imperative　to　maintain。　　But　perhaps
this　was　premature：　　the　omnipotent　Miss　Power's　character
practical　or　ideal；　politic　or　impulsivehe　as　yet　knew
nothing　of；　and　giving　over　reasoning　from　insufficient　data
he　lapsed　into　mere　conjecture。



V。

The　next　morning　Somerset　was　again　at　the　castle。　　He　passed
some　interval　on　the　walls　before　encountering　Miss　De　Stancy；
whom　at　last　he　observed　going　towards　a　pony…carriage　that
waited　near　the　door。

A　smile　gained　strength　upon　her　face　at　his　approach；　and　she
was　the　first　to　speak。　　'I　am　sorry　Miss　Power　has　not
returned；'　she　said；　and　accounted　for　that　lady's　absence　by
her　distress　at　the　event　of　two　evenings　earlier。

'But　I　have　driven　over　to　my　father'sSir　William　De
Stancy'shouse　this　morning；'　she　went　on。　　'And　on
mentioning　your　name　to　him；　I　found　he　knew　it　quite　well。
You　will；　will　you　not；　forgive　my　ignorance　in　having　no
better　knowledge　of　the　elder　Mr。　Somerset's　works　than　a　dim
sense　of　his　fame　as　a　painter？　　But　I　was　going　to　say　that
my　father　would　much　like　to　include　you　in　his　personal
acquaintance；　and　wishes　me　to　ask　if　you　will　give　him　the
pleasure　of　lunching　with　him　to…day。　　My　cousin　John；　whom
you　once　knew；　was　a　great　favourite　of　his；　and　used　to　speak
of　you　sometimes。　　It　will　be　so　kind　if　you　can　come。　　My
father　is　an　old　man；　out　of　society；　and　he　would　be　glad　to
hear　the　news　of　town。'

Somerset　said　he　was　glad　to　find　himself　among　friends　where
he　had　only　expected　strangers；　and　promised　to　come　that　day；
if　she　would　tell　him　the　way。

That　she　could　easily　do。　　The　short　way　was　across　that　glade
he　saw　therethen　over　the　stile　into　the　wood；　following　the
path　till　it　came　out　upon　the　turnpike…road。　　He　would　then
be　almost　close　to　the　house。　　The　distance　was　about　two
miles　and　a　half。　　But　if　he　thought　it　too　far　for　a　walk；
she　would　drive　on　to　the　town；　where　she　had　been　going　when
he　came；　and　instead　of　returning　straight　to　her　father's
would　come　back　and　pick　him　up。

It　was　not　at　all　necessary；　he　thought。　　He　was　a　walker；　and
could　find　the　path。

At　this　moment　a　servant　came　to　tell　Miss　De　Stancy　that　the
telegraph　was　calling　her。

'Ahit　is　lucky　that　I　was　not　gone　again！'　she　exclaimed。
'John　seldom　reads　it　right　if　I　am　away。'

It　now　seemed　quite　in　the　ordinary　course　that；　as　a　friend
of　her　father's；　he　should　accompany　her　to　the　instrument。
So　up　they　went　together；　and　immediately　on　reaching　it　she
applied　her　ear　to　the　instrument；　and　began　to　gather　the
message。　　Somerset　fancied　himself　like　a　person　overlooking
another's　letter；　and　moved　aside。

'It　is　no　secret；'　she　said；　smiling。　　'〃Paula　to　Charlotte；〃
it　begins。'

'That's　very　pretty。'

'Oand　it　is　aboutyou；'　murmured　Miss　De　Stancy。

'Me？'　　The　architect　blushed　a　little。

She　made　no　answer；　and　the　machine　went　on　with　its　story。
There　was　something　curious　in　watching　this　utterance　about
himself；　under　his　very　nose；　in　language　unintelligible　to
him。　　He　conjectured　whether　it　were　inquiry；　praise；　or
blame；　with　a　sense　that　it　might　reasonably　be　the　latter；　as
the　result　of　his　surreptitious　look　into　that　blue　bedroom；
possibly　observed　and　reported　by　some　servant　of　the　house。

'〃Direct　that　every　facility　be　given　to　Mr。　Somerset　to　visit
any　part　of　the　castle　he　may　wish　to　see。　　On　my　return　I
shall　be　glad　to　welcome　him　as　the　acquaintance　of　your
relatives。　　I　have　two　of　his　father's　pictures。〃'

'Dear　me；　the　plot　thickens；'　he　said；　as　Miss　De　Stancy
announced　the　words。　　'How　could　she　know　about　me？'

'I　sent　a　message　to　her　this　morning　when　I　saw　you　crossing
the　park　on　your　way　heretelling　her　that　Mr。　Somerset；　son
of　the　Academician；　was　making　sketches　of　the　castle；　and
that　my　father　knew　something　of　you。　　That's　her　answer。'

'Where　are　the　pictures　by　my　father　that　she　has　purchased？'

'O；　not　hereat　least；　not　unpacked。'

Miss　de　Stancy　then　left　him　to　proceed　on　her　journey　to
Markton　（so　the　nearest　little　town　was　called）；　informing　him
that　she　would　be　at　her　father's　house　to　receive　him　at　two
o'clock。　　Just　about　one　he　closed　his　sketch…book；　and　set
out　in　the　direction　she　had　indicated。　　At　the　entrance　to
the　wood　a　man　was　at　work　pulling　down　a　rotten　gate　that
bore　on　its　battered　lock　the　initials　'W。　De　S。'　and　erecting
a　new　one　whose　ironmongery　exhibited　　the　letters　'P。　P。'

The　warmth　of　the　summer　noon　did　not　inconveniently　penetrate
the　dense　masses　of　foliage　which　now　began　to　overhang　the
path；　except　in　spots　where　a　ruthless　timber…felling　had
taken　place　in　previous　years　for　the　purpose　of　sale。　　It　was
that　particular　half…hour　of　the　day　in　which　the　birds　of　the
forest　prefer　walking　to　flying；　and　there　being　no　wind；　the
hopping　of　the　smallest　songster　over　the　dead　leaves　reached
his　ear　from　behind　the　undergrowth。　　The　track　had　originally
been　a　well…kept　winding　drive；　but　a　deep　carpet　of　moss　and
leaves　overlaid　it　now；　though　the　general　outline　still
remained　to　show　that　its　curves　had　been　set　out　with　as　much
care　as　those　of　a　lawn　walk；　and　the　gradient　made　easy　for
carriages　where　the　natural　slopes　were　great。　　Felled　trunks
occasionally　lay　across　it；　and　alongside　were　the　hollow　and
fungous　boles　of　trees　sawn　down　in　long　past　years。

After　a　walk　of　three…quarters　of　an　hour　he　came　to　another
gate；　where　the　letters　'P。　P。'　again　supplanted　the
historical　'W。　De　S。'　　Climbing　over　this；　he　found　himself　on
a　highway　which　presently　dipped　down　towards　the　town　of
Markton；　a　place　he　had　never　yet　seen。　　It　appeared　in　the
distance　as　a　quiet　little　borough　of　a　few　thousand
inhabitants；　and；　without　the　town　boundary　on　the　side　he　was
approaching；　stood　half…a…dozen　genteel　and　modern　houses；　of
the　detached　kind　usually　found　in　such　suburbs。　　On　inquiry；
Sir　William　De　Stancy's　residence　was　indicated　as　one　of
these。

It　was　almost　new；　of　streaked　brick；　having　a　central　door；
and　a　small　bay　window　on　each　side　to　light　the　two　front
parlours。　　A　little　lawn　spread　its　green　surface　in　front；
divided　from　the　road　by　iron　railings；　the　low　line　of　shrubs
immediately　within　them　being　coated　with　pallid　dust　from　the
highway。　　On　the　neat　piers　of　the　neat　entrance　gate　were
chiselled　the　words　'Myrtle　Villa。'　　Genuine　roadside
respectability　sat　smiling　on　every　brick　of　the　eligible
dwelling。

Perhaps　that　which　impressed　Somerset　more　than　the　mushroom
modernism　of　Sir　William　De　Stancy's　house　was　the　air　of
healthful　cheerfulness　which　pervaded　it。　　He　was　shown　in　by
a　neat　maidservant　in　black　gown　and　white　apron；　a　canary
singing　a　welcome　from　a　cage　in　the　shadow　of　the　window；　the
voices　of　crowing　cocks　coming　over　the　chimneys　from
somewhere　behind；　and　the　sun　and　air　riddling　the　house
everywhere。

A　dwelling　of　those　well…known　and　popular　dimensions　which
allow　the　proceedings　in　the　kitchen　to　be　distinctly　heard　in
the　parlours；　it　was　so　planned　that　a　raking　view　might　be
obtained　through　it　from　the　front　door　to　the　end　of　the　back
garden。　　The　drawing…room　furniture　was　comfortable；　in　the
walnut…and…green…rep　style　of　some　years　ago。　　Somerset　had
expected　to　find　his　friends　living　in　an　old　house　with
remnants　of　their　own　antique　furniture；　and　he　hardly　knew
whether　he　ought　to　meet　them　with　a　smile　or　a　gaze　of
condolence。　　His　doubt　was　terminated；　however；　by　the
cheerful　and　tripping　entry　of　Miss　De　Stancy；　who　had
returned　from　her　drive　to　Markton；　and　in　a　few　more　moments
Sir　William　came　in　from　the　garden。

He　was　an　old　man　of　tall　and　spare　build；　with　a　considerable
stoop；　his　glasses　dangling　against　his　waistcoat…buttons；　and
the　front　corners　of　his　coat…tails　hanging　lower　than　the
hinderparts；　so　that　they　swayed　right　and　left　as　he　walked。
He　nervously　apologized　to　his　visitor　for　having　kept　him
waiting。

'I　am　so　glad　to　see　you；'　he　said；　with　a　mild　benevolence　of
tone；　as　he　retained　Somerset's　hand　for　a　moment　or　two；
'partly　for　your　father's　sake；　whom　I　met　more　than　once　in
my　younger　days；　before　he　became　so　well…known；　and　also
because　I　learn　that　you　were　a　friend　of　my　poor　nephew　John
Ravensbury。'　　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　to　see　if　his
daughter　were　within　hearing；　and；　with　the　impulse　of　the
solitary　to　make　a　confidence；　continued　in　a　low　tone：　　'She；
poor　girl；　was　to　have　married　John：　　his　death　was　a　sad　blow
to　her　and　to　all　of　us。Pray　take　a　seat；　Mr。　Somerset。'

The　reverses　of　fortune　which　had　brought　Sir　William　De
Stancy　to　this　comfortable　cottage　awakened　in　Somerset　a
warmer　emotion　than　curiosity；　and　he　sat　down　with　a　heart　as
responsive　to　each　speech　uttered　as　if　it　had　seriously
concerned　himself；　while　his　host　gave　some　words　of
information　to　his　daughter　on　the　trifling　events　that　had
marked　the　morning　just　passed；　such　as　t