that Somerset, Dare's enemy, whom he had intercepted
in placing Dare's portrait into the hands of the chief constable, was a
man beloved by his sister Charlotte. This novel circumstance might lead
to a curious complication. But he was to hear more.

'He may be very nice,' replied Charlotte, with an effort, after this
silence. 'But he is nothing to me, more than a very good friend.'

'There's no engagement, or thought of one between you?'

'Certainly there's not!' said Charlotte, with brave emphasis. 'It is
more likely to be between Paula and him than me and him.'

De Stancy's bare military ears and closely cropped poll flushed hot.
'Miss Power and him?'

'I don't mean to say there is, because Paula denies it; but I mean that
he loves Paula. That I do know.'

De Stancy was dumb. This item of news which Dare had kept from him, not
knowing how far De Stancy's sense of honour might extend, was decidedly
grave. Indeed, he was so greatly impressed with the fact, that he could
not help saying as much aloud: 'This is very serious!'

'Why!' she murmured tremblingly, for the first leaking out of her tender
and sworn secret had disabled her quite.

'Because I love Paula too.'

'What do you say, William, you?--a woman you have never seen?'

'I have seen her--by accident. And now, my dear little sis, you will
be my close ally, won't you? as I will be yours, as brother and sister
should be.' He placed his arm coaxingly round Charlotte's shoulder.

'O, William, how can I?' at last she stammered.

'Why, how can't you, I should say? We are both in the same ship. I love
Paula, you love Mr. Somerset; it behoves both of us to see that this
flirtation of theirs ends in nothing.'

'I don't like you to put it like that--that I love him--it frightens
me,' murmured the girl, visibly agitated. 'I don't want to divide him
from Paula; I couldn't, I wouldn't do anything to separate them. Believe
me, Will, I could not! I am sorry you love there also, though I should
be glad if it happened in the natural order of events that she should
come round to you. But I cannot do anything to part them and make Mr.
Somerset suffer. It would be TOO wrong and blamable.'

'Now, you silly Charlotte, that's just how you women fly off at a
tangent. I mean nothing dishonourable in the least. Have I ever prompted
you to do anything dishonourable? Fair fighting allies was all I thought
of.'

Miss De Stancy breathed more freely. 'Yes, we will be that, of