id Havill apprehensively.

Dare felt secure of him at those words. Havill had much at stake; the
slightest rumour of his trick in bringing about the competition, would
be fatal to Havill's reputation.

'The permanent absence of Somerset then is desirable architecturally on
your account, matrimonially on mine.'

'Matrimonially? By the way--who was that captain you pointed out to me
when the artillery entered the town?'

'Captain De Stancy--son of Sir William De Stancy. He's the husband.
O, you needn't look incredulous: it is practicable; but we won't argue
that. In the first place I want him to see her, and to see her in the
most love-kindling, passion-begetting circumstances that can be thought
of. And he must see her surreptitiously, for he refuses to meet her.'

'Let him see her going to church or chapel?'

Dare shook his head.

'Driving out?'

'Common-place!'

'Walking in the gardens?'

'Ditto.'

'At her toilet?'

'Ah--if it were possible!'

'Which it hardly is. Well, you had better think it over and make
inquiries about her habits, and as to when she is in a favourable aspect
for observation, as the almanacs say.'

Shortly afterwards Dare took his leave. In the evening he made it his
business to sit smoking on the bole of a tree which commanded a view
of the upper ward of the castle, and also of the old postern-gate,
now enlarged and used as a tradesmen's entrance. It was half-past six
o'clock; the dressing-bell rang, and Dare saw a light-footed young woman
hasten at the sound across the ward from the servants' quarter. A light
appeared in a chamber which he knew to be Paula's dressing-room; and
there it remained half-an-hour, a shadow passing and repassing on the
blind in the style of head-dress worn by the girl he had previously
seen. The dinner-bell sounded and the light went out.

As yet it was scarcely dark out of doors, and in a few minutes Dare had
the satisfaction of seeing the same woman cross the ward and emerge
upon the slope without. This time she was bonneted, and carried a little
basket in her hand. A nearer view showed her to be, as he had expected,
Milly Birch, Paula's maid, who had friends living in Markton, whom she
was in the habit of visiting almost every evening during the three
hours of leisure which intervened between Paula's retirement from the
dressing-room and return thither at ten o'clock. When the young woman
had descended the road and passed into the large drive, Dare