When Power and De Stancy had ascended about fifty yards the former looked back, and dropped off from the pursuit, to return to the easy route, giving his companion a parting hint concerning 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.