Here she busied herself with writing some letters, till in less than an hour the telegraph instrument showed signs of life, and she hastened back to its side.

The reply received from the agent was as follows:-- 'Miss Barbara Bell of the Regent's Theatre could come.

Quite competent.
Her terms would be about twenty-five guineas.' Without a moment's pause Paula returned for answer:-- 'The terms are quite satisfactory.' Presently she heard the instrument again, and emerging from the next room in which she had passed the intervening time as before, she read:-- 'Miss Barbara Bell's terms were accidentally understated.

They would be forty guineas, in consequence of the distance.

Am waiting at the office for a reply.' Paula set to work as before and replied:-- 'Quite satisfactory; only let her come at once.' She did not leave the room this time, but went to an arrow-slit hard by and gazed out at the trees till the instrument began to speak again.
Returning to it with a leisurely manner, implying a full persuasion that the matter was settled, she was somewhat surprised to learn that, 'Miss Bell, in stating her terms, understands that she will not be required to leave London till the middle of the afternoon.