Meanwhile　Dare　had　come　forward　with　his　portfolio；　which
  proved　to　be　full　of　photographs。　　While　Paula　and　Charlotte
  were　examining　them　he　said　to　De　Stancy；　as　a　stranger：
  'Excuse　my　interruption；　sir；　but　if　you　should　think　of
  copying　any　of　the　portraits；　as　you　were　stating　just　now　to
  the　ladies；　my　patent　photographic　process　is　at　your　service；
  and　is；　I　believe；　the　only　one　which　would　be　effectual　in
  the　dim　indoor　lights。'
  'It　is　just　what　I　was　thinking　of；'　said　De　Stancy；　now　so
  far　cooled　down　from　his　irritation　as　to　be　quite　ready　to
  accept　Dare's　adroitly　suggested　scheme。
  On　application　to　Paula　she　immediately　gave　De　Stancy
  permission　to　photograph　to　any　extent；　and　told　Dare　he　might
  bring　his　instruments　as　soon　as　Captain　De　Stancy　required
  them。
  'Don't　stare　at　her　in　such　a　brazen　way！'　whispered　the
  latter　to　the　young　man；　when　Paula　had　withdrawn　a　few　steps。
  'Say；　〃I　shall　highly　value　the　privilege　of　assisting　Captain
  De　Stancy　in　such　a　work。〃'
  Dare　obeyed；　and　before　leaving　De　Stancy　arranged　to　begin
  performing　on　his　venerated　forefathers　the　next　morning；　the
  youth　so　accidentally　engaged　agreeing　to　be　there　at　the　same
  time　to　assist　in　the　technical　operations。
  III。
  As　he　had　promised；　De　Stancy　made　use　the　next　day　of　the
  coveted　permission　that　had　been　brought　about　by　the
  ingenious　Dare。　　Dare's　timely　suggestion　of　tendering
  assistance　had　the　practical　result　of　relieving　the　other　of
  all　necessity　for　occupying　his　time　with　the　proceeding；
  further　than　to　bestow　a　perfunctory　superintendence　now　and
  then；　to　give　a　colour　to　his　regular　presence　in　the
  fortress；　the　actual　work　of　taking　copies　being　carried　on　by
  the　younger　man。
  The　weather　was　frequently　wet　during　these　operations；　and
  Paula；　Miss　De　Stancy；　and　her　brother；　were　often　in　the
  house　whole　mornings　together。　　By　constant　urging　and　coaxing
  the　latter　would　induce　his　gentle　sister；　much　against　her
  conscience；　to　leave　him　opportunities　for　speaking　to　Paula
  alone。　　It　was　mostly　before　some　print　or　painting　that　these
  conversations　occurred；　while　De　Stancy　was　ostensibly
  occupied　with　its　merits；　or　in　giving　directions　to　his
  photographer　how　to　proceed。　　As　soon　as　the　dialogue　began；
  the　latter　would　withdraw　out　of　earshot；　leaving　Paula　to
  imagine　him　the　most　deferential　young　artist　in　the　world。
  'You　will　soon　possess　duplicates　of　the　whole　gallery；'　she
  said　on　one　of　these　occasions；　examining　some　curled　sheets
  which　Dare　had　printed　off　from　the　negatives。
  'No；'　said　the　soldier。　　'I　shall　not　have　patience　to　go　on。
  I　get　ill…humoured　and　indifferent；　and　then　leave　off。'
  'Why　ill…humoured？'
  'I　scarcely　knowmore　than　that　I　acquire　a　general　sense　of
  my　own　family's　want　of　merit　through　seeing　how　meritorious
  the　people　are　around　me。　　I　see　them　happy　and　thriving
  without　any　necessity　for　me　at　all；　and　then　I　regard　these
  canvas　grandfathers　and　grandmothers；　and　ask；　〃Why　was　a　line
  so　antiquated　and　out　of　date　prolonged　till　now？〃'
  She　chid　him　good…naturedly　for　such　views。　　'They　will　do　you
  an　injury；'　she　declared。　　'Do　spare　yourself；　Captain　De
  Stancy！'
  De　Stancy　shook　his　head　as　he　turned　the　painting　before　him
  a　little　further　to　the　light。
  'But；　do　you　know；'　said　Paula；　'that　notion　of　yours　of　being
  a　family　out　of　date　is　delightful　to　some　people。　　I　talk　to
  Charlotte　about　it　often。　　I　am　never　weary　of　examining　those
  canopied　effigies　in　the　church；　and　almost　wish　they　were
  those　of　my　relations。'
  'I　will　try　to　see　things　in　the　same　light　for　your　sake；'
  said　De　Stancy　fervently。
  'Not　for　my　sake；　for　your　own　was　what　I　meant；　of　course；'
  she　replied　with　a　repressive　air。
  Captain　De　Stancy　bowed。
  'What　are　you　going　to　do　with　your　photographs　when　you　have
  them？'　she　asked；　as　if　still　anxious　to　obliterate　the
  previous　sentimental　lapse。
  'I　shall　put　them　into　a　large　album；　and　carry　them　with　me
  in　my　campaigns；　and　may　I　ask；　now　I　have　an　opportunity；
  that　you　would　extend　your　permission　to　copy　a　little
  further；　and　let　me　photograph　one　other　painting　that　hangs
  in　the　castle；　to　fittingly　complete　my　set？'
  'Which？'
  'That　half…length　of　a　lady　which　hangs　in　the　morning…room。
  I　remember　seeing　it　in　the　Academy　last　year。'
  Paula　involuntarily　closed　herself　up。　　The　picture　was　her
  own　portrait。　　'It　does　not　belong　to　your　series；'　she　said
  somewhat　coldly。
  De　Stancy's　secret　thought　was；　I　hope　from　my　soul　it　will
  belong　some　day！　　He　answered　with　mildness：　　'There　is　a　sort
  of　connectionyou　are　my　sister's　friend。'
  Paula　assented。
  'And　hence；　might　not　your　friend's　brother　photograph　your
  picture？'
  Paula　demurred。
  A　gentle　sigh　rose　from　the　bosom　of　De　Stancy。　　'What　is　to
  become　of　me？'　he　said；　with　a　light　distressed　laugh。　　'I　am
  always　inconsiderate　and　inclined　to　ask　too　much。　　Forgive
  me！　　What　was　in　my　mind　when　I　asked　I　dare　not　say。'
  'I　quite　understand　your　interest　in　your　family　picturesand
  all　of　it；'　she　remarked　more　gently；　willing　not　to　hurt　the
  sensitive　feelings　of　a　man　so　full　of　romance。
  'And　in　that　ONE！'　he　said；　looking　devotedly　at　her。　　'If　I
  had　only　been　fortunate　enough　to　include　it　with　the　rest；　my
  album　would　indeed　have　been　a　treasure　to　pore　over　by　the
  bivouac　fire！'
  'O；　Captain　De　Stancy；　this　is　provoking　perseverance！'　cried
  Paula；　laughing　half　crossly。　　'I　expected　that　after
  expressing　my　decision　so　plainly　the　first　time　I　should　not
  have　been　further　urged　upon　the　subject。'　　Saying　which　she
  turned　and　moved　decisively　away。
  It　had　not　been　a　productive　meeting；　thus　far。　　'One　word！'
  said　De　Stancy；　following　and　almost　clasping　her　hand。　　'I
  have　given　offence；　I　know：　　but　do　let　it　all　fall　on　my　own
  headdon't　tell　my　sister　of　my　misbehaviour！　　She　loves　you
  deeply；　and　it　would　wound　her　to　the　heart。'
  'You　deserve　to　be　told　upon；'　said　Paula　as　she　withdrew；
  with　just　enough　playfulness　to　show　that　her　anger　was　not
  too　serious。
  Charlotte　looked　at　Paula　uneasily　when　the　latter　joined　her
  in　the　drawing…room。　　She　wanted　to　say；　'What　is　the　matter？'
  but　guessing　that　her　brother　had　something　to　do　with　it；
  forbore　to　speak　at　first。　　She　could　not　contain　her　anxiety
  long。　　'Were　you　talking　with　my　brother？'　she　said。
  'Yes；'　returned　Paula；　with　reservation。　　However；　she　soon
  added；　'He　not　only　wants　to　photograph　his　ancestors；　but　MY
  portrait　too。　　They　are　a　dreadfully　encroaching　sex；　and
  perhaps　being　in　the　army　makes　them　worse！'
  'I'll　give　him　a　hint；　and　tell　him　to　be　careful。'
  'Don't　say　I　have　definitely　complained　of　him；　it　is　not
  worth　while　to　do　that；　the　matter　is　too　trifling　for
  repetition。　　Upon　the　whole；　Charlotte；　I　would　rather　you
  said　nothing　at　all。'
  De　Stancy's　hobby　of　photographing　his　ancestors　seemed　to
  become　a　perfect　mania　with　him。　　Almost　every　morning
  discovered　him　in　the　larger　apartments　of　the　castle；　taking
  down　and　rehanging　the　dilapidated　pictures；　with　the
  assistance　of　the　indispensable　Dare；　his　fingers　stained
  black　with　dust；　and　his　face　expressing　a　busy　attention　to
  the　work　in　hand；　though　always　reserving　a　look　askance　for
  the　presence　of　Paula。
  Though　there　was　something　of　subterfuge；　there　was　no　deep
  and　double　subterfuge　in　all　this。　　De　Stancy　took　no
  particular　interest　in　his　ancestral　portraits；　but　he　was
  enamoured　of　Paula　to　weakness。　　Perhaps　the　composition　of
  his　love　would　hardly　bear　looking　into；　but　it　was　recklessly
  frank　and　not　quite　mercenary。　　His　photographic　scheme　was
  nothing　worse　than　a　lover's　not　too　scrupulous　contrivance。
  After　the　refusal　of　his　request　to　copy　her　picture　he　fumed
  and　fretted　at　the　prospect　of　Somerset's　return　before　any
  impression　had　been　made　on　her　heart　by　himself；　he　swore　at
  Dare；　and　asked　him　hotly　why　he　had　dragged　him　into　such　a
  hopeless　dilemma　as　this。
  'Hopeless？　　Somerset　must　still　be　kept　away；　so　that　it　is
  not　hopeless。　　I　will　consider　how　to　prolong　his　stay。'
  Thereupon　Dare　considered。
  The　time　was　cominghad　indeed　comewhen　it　was　necessary
  for　Paula　to　make　up　her　mind　about　her　architect；　if　she
  meant　to　begin　building　in　the　spring。　　The　two　sets　of　plans；
  Somerset's　and　Havill's；　were　hanging　on　the　walls　of　the　room
  that　had　been　used　by　Somerset　as　his　studio；　and　were
  accessible　by　anybody。　　Dare　took　occasion　to　go　and　study
  both　sets；　with　a　view　to　finding　a　flaw　in　Somerset's　which
  might　have　been　passed　over　unnoticed　by　the　committee　of
  architects；　owing　to　their　absence　from　the　actual　site。　　But
  not　a　blunder　could　he　find。
  He　next　went　to　Havill；　and　here　he　was　met　by　an　amazing
  state　of　affairs。　　Havill's　creditors；　at　last　suspecting
  something　mythical　in　Havill's　assurance　that　the　grand
  commission　was　his；　had　lost　all　patience；　his　house　was
  turned　upside…down；　and　a　poster　gleamed　on　the　front　wall；
  stating　that　the　excellent　modern　household　furniture　was　to
  be　sold　by　auction　on　Friday　next。　　Troubles　had　apparently
  come　in　battalions；　for　Dare　was　informed　by　a　bystander　th