cerning Paula.
Whereupon De Stancy went on alone. He soon saw Paula above him in the
path, which ascended skyward straight as Jacob's Ladder, but was so
overhung by the brushwood as to be quite shut out from the sun. When he
reached her side she was moving easily upward, apparently enjoying the
seclusion which the place afforded.

'Is not my uncle with you?' she said, on turning and seeing him.

'He went back,' said De Stancy.

She replied that it was of no consequence; that she should meet him at
the top, she supposed.

Paula looked up amid the green light which filtered through the leafage
as far as her eyes could stretch. But the top did not appear, and she
allowed De Stancy to get in front. 'It did not seem such a long way as
this, to look at,' she presently said.

He explained that the trees had deceived her as to the real height, by
reason of her seeing the slope foreshortened when she looked up from the
castle. 'Allow me to help you,' he added.

'No, thank you,' said Paula lightly; 'we must be near the top.'

They went on again; but no Konigsstuhl. When next De Stancy turned he
found that she was sitting down; immediately going back he offered his
arm. She took it in silence, declaring that it was no wonder her uncle
did not come that wearisome way, if he had ever been there before.

De Stancy did not explain that Mr. Power had said to him at parting,
'There's a chance for you, if you want one,' but at once went on with
the subject begun on the terrace. 'If my behaviour is good, you will
reaffirm the statement made at Carlsruhe?'

'It is not fair to begin that now!' expostulated Paula; 'I can only
think of getting to the top.'

Her colour deepening by the exertion, he suggested that she should sit
down again on one of the mossy boulders by the wayside. Nothing loth she
did, De Stancy standing by, and with his cane scratching the moss from
the stone.

'This is rather awkward,' said Paula, in her usual circumspect way. 'My
relatives and your sister will be sure to suspect me of having arranged
this scramble with you.'

'But I know better,' sighed De Stancy. 'I wish to Heaven you had
arranged it!'

She was not at the top, but she took advantage of the halt to answer his
previous question. 'There are many points on which I must be satisfied
before I can reaffirm anything. Do you not see that you are mistaken
in clinging to this idea?--that you are laying up mortification and
disappointment for yourse