rew
up to the platform the first person to jump out was Captain De Stancy in
sportsman's attire and with a gun in his hand. Somerset nodded, and De
Stancy spoke, informing the architect that he had been ten miles up the
line shooting waterfowl. 'That's Miss Power's carriage, I think,' he
added.

'Yes,' said Somerset carelessly. 'She expects a friend, I believe. We
shall see you at the castle again to-night?'

De Stancy assured him that they would, and the two men parted, Captain
De Stancy, when he had glanced to see that the carriage was empty, going
on to where a porter stood with a couple of spaniels.

Somerset now looked again to the train. While his back had been turned
to converse with the captain, a lady of five-and-thirty had alighted
from the identical compartment occupied by De Stancy. She made an
inquiry about getting to Stancy Castle, upon which Somerset, who had not
till now observed her, went forward, and introducing himself assisted
her to the carriage and saw her safely off.

De Stancy had by this time disappeared, and Somerset walked on to his
rooms at the Lord-Quantock-Arms, where he remained till he had dined,
picturing the discomfiture of his alert rival when there should enter to
him as Princess, not Paula Power, but Miss Bell of the Regent's Theatre,
London. Thus the hour passed, till he found that if he meant to see the
issue of the plot it was time to be off.

On arriving at the castle, Somerset entered by the public door from the
hall as before, a natural delicacy leading him to feel that though he
might be welcomed as an ally at the stage-door--in other words, the door
from the corridor--it was advisable not to take too ready an advantage
of a privilege which, in the existing secrecy of his understanding with
Paula, might lead to an overthrow of her plans on that point.

Not intending to sit out the whole performance, Somerset contented
himself with standing in a window recess near the proscenium, whence he
could observe both the stage and the front rows of spectators. He was
quite uncertain whether Paula would appear among the audience to-night,
and resolved to wait events. Just before the rise of the curtain the
young lady in question entered and sat down. When the scenery was
disclosed and the King of Navarre appeared, what was Somerset's surprise
to find that, though the part was the part taken by De Stancy on the
previous night, the voice was that of Mr. Mild; to him, at the appointed