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station。 'I believe he has arrived；' resumed Miss De Stancy；
'I see something that looks like his portmanteau on the top of
the omnibus。 。 。 。 Yes； it is his baggage。 I'll run down to
him。'
De Stancy had obtained six weeks' additional leave on account
of his health； which had somewhat suffered in India。 The
first use he made of his extra time was in hastening back to
meet the travelling ladies here at Strassburg。 Mr。 Power and
Mrs。 Goodman were also at the hotel； and when Charlotte got
downstairs； the former was welcoming De Stancy at the door。
Paula had not seen him since he set out from Genoa for Nice；
commissioned by her to deliver the hundred pounds to Somerset。
His note； stating that he had failed to meet Somerset；
contained no details； and she guessed that he would soon
appear before her now to answer any question about that
peculiar errand。
Her anticipations were justified by the event； she had no
sooner gone into the next sitting…room than Charlotte De
Stancy appeared and asked if her brother might come up。 The
closest observer would have been in doubt whether Paula's
ready reply in the affirmative was prompted by personal
consideration for De Stancy； or by a hope to hear more of his
mission to Nice。 As soon as she had welcomed him she reverted
at once to the subject。
'Yes； as I told you； he was not at the place of meeting；' De
Stancy replied。 And taking from his pocket the bag of ready
money he placed it intact upon the table。
De Stancy did this with a hand that shook somewhat more than a
long railway journey was adequate to account for； and in truth
it was the vision of Dare's position which agitated the
unhappy captain： for had that young man； as De Stancy feared；
been tampering with Somerset's name； his fate now trembled in
the balance； Paula would unquestionably and naturally invoke
the aid of the law against him if she discovered such an
imposition。
'Were you punctual to the time mentioned？' she asked
curiously。
De Stancy replied in the affirmative。
'Did you wait long？' she continued。
'Not very long；' he answered； his instinct to screen the
possibly guilty one confining him to guarded statements； while
still adhering to the literal truth。
'Why was that？'
'Somebody came and told me that he would not appear。'
'Who？'
'A young man who has been acting as his clerk。 His name is
Dare。 He informed me that Mr。 Somerset could not keep the
appointment。'
'Why？'
'He had gone on to San Remo。'
'Has he been travelling with Mr。 Somerset？'
'He had been with him。 They know each other very well。 But
as you commissioned me to deliver the money into no hands but
Mr。 Somerset's； I adhered strictly to your instructions。'
'But perhaps my instructions were not wise。 Should it in your
opinion have been sent by this young man？ Was he commissioned
to ask you for it？'
De Stancy murmured that Dare was not commissioned to ask for
it； that upon the whole he deemed her instructions wise； and
was still of opinion that the best thing had been done。
Although De Stancy was distracted between his desire to
preserve Dare from the consequences of folly； and a
gentlemanly wish to keep as close to the truth as was
compatible with that condition； his answers had not appeared
to Paula to be particularly evasive； the conjuncture being one
in which a handsome heiress's shrewdness was prone to overleap
itself by setting down embarrassment on the part of the man
she questioned to a mere lover's difficulty in steering
between honour and rivalry。
She put but one other question。 'Did it appear as if he； Mr。
Somerset； after telegraphing； hadhadregretted doing so；
and evaded the result by not keeping the appointment？'
'That's just how it appears。' The words； which saved Dare
from ignominy； cost De Stancy a good deal。 He was sorry for
Somerset； sorry for himself； and very sorry for Paula。 But
Dare was to De Stancy what Somerset could never be： and 'for
his kin that is near unto him shall a man be defiled。'
After that interview Charlotte saw with warring impulses that
Somerset slowly diminished in Paula's estimate； slowly as the
moon wanes； but as certainly。 Charlotte's own love was of a
clinging； uncritical sort； and though the shadowy intelligence
of Somerset's doings weighed down her soul with regret； it
seemed to make not the least difference in her affection for
him。
In the afternoon the whole party； including De Stancy； drove
about the streets。 Here they looked at the house in which
Goethe had lived； and afterwards entered the cathedral。
Observing in the south transept a crowd of people waiting
patiently； they were reminded that they unwittingly stood in
the presence of the popular clock…work of Schwilgue。
Mr。 Power and Mrs。 Goodman decided that they would wait with
the rest of the idlers and see the puppets perform at the
striking。 Charlotte also waited with them； but as it wanted
eight minutes to the hour； and as Paula had seen the show
before； she moved on into the nave。
Presently she found that De Stancy had followed。 He did not
come close till she； seeing him stand silent； said； 'If it
were not for this cathedral； I should not like the city at
all； and I have even seen cathedrals I like better。 Luckily
we are going on to Baden to…morrow。'
'Your uncle has just told me。 He has asked me to keep you
company。'
'Are you intending to？' said Paula； probing the base…moulding
of a pier with her parasol。
'I have nothing better to do； nor indeed half so good；' said
De Stancy。 'I am abroad for my health； you know； and what's
like the Rhine and its neighbourhood in early summer； before
the crowd comes？ It is delightful to wander about there； or
anywhere； like a child； influenced by no fixed motive more
than that of keeping near some friend； or friends； including
the one we most admire in the world。'
'That sounds perilously like love…making。'
''Tis love indeed。'
'Well； love is natural to men； I suppose；' rejoined the young
lady。 'But you must love within bounds； or you will be
enervated； and cease to be useful as a heavy arm of the
service。'
'My dear Miss Power； your didactic and respectable rules won't
do for me。 If you expect straws to stop currents； you are
sadly mistaken！ But nolet matters be： I am a happy
contented mortal at present； say what you will。 。 。 。 You
don't ask why？ Perhaps you know。 It is because all I care
for in the world is near me； and that I shall never be more
than a hundred yards from her as long as the present
arrangement continues。'
'We are in a cathedral； remember； Captain De Stancy； and
should not keep up a secular conversation。'
'If I had never said worse in a cathedral than what I have
said here； I should be content to meet my eternal judge
without absolution。 Your uncle asked me this morning how I
liked you。'
'Well； there was no harm in that。'
'How I like you！ Harm； no； but you should have seen how silly
I looked。 Fancy the inadequacy of the expression when my
whole sense is absorbed by you。'
'Men allow themselves to be made ridiculous by their own
feelings in an inconceivable way。'
'True； I am a