Alton saw it all, and did not for a moment turn aside so long as the smiles and whispers were directed at him, but he stopped and waited, leaning on a chair some distance behind the spot where Forel’s party were until the curtain rose again.  The next act commenced, as he knew, with a night scene, and while most of the audience had no eyes for any one but the great tragedian, he moved forward quickly, and Alice Deringham turned her head a trifle as a shadowy form slipped into the vacant place beside her.  She could scarcely see the man, and was not certain that she desired to, but she would have known who he was had he been wholly invisible.

“It is you,” she said softly.  “I knew that you would come.”

“Yes,” said Alton.  “You asked me to, but now I know that I should not have done so.”

“And that I should not have asked you?” said Alice Deringham.  “You should have been on your journey already.”

Alton laughed a little.  “That was not what I meant—­as of course you know,” he said.  “Still, I wanted to see you—­and I had to come.”

“Why?”

Alton was silent a little.  “It may be the last time.”

Alice Deringham shivered.  “But there is no reason?”

“No—­and yes,” said Alton grimly.  “I—­and it is due to you and another to tell you this—­have done no wrong, but there are reasons why I should not intrude myself into your company, and I am going back up there into the snow to-morrow.”

“But,” said the girl, feeling horribly guilty, “there are times when one’s friends can do a good deal for one.”

Alton seemed to laugh a trifle bitterly.  “Yes,” he said.  “Still, I do not care to trouble mine in that direction.  One must stand alone now and then, and things have not been going well with me lately.  I had another blow to-day.  I asked Miss Townshead to marry me—­and she would not.”

Alice Deringham said nothing for a space, and then her voice was different.  There was no shade of expression in it.  “And you are going back to look for the silver tomorrow?  I hope you will be successful.”

“Thank you,” said Alton.  “It would mean a good deal to everybody—­and now I think I have already stayed too long.”

Alice Deringham heard the creaking of a chair, and when she looked round he had gone, but she said very little to any one when the curtain came down again, while Alton, turning in a doorway for a moment, set his lips as he caught the gleam of her hair.

“I think I have done the right thing all round, but it was condemnably hard,” he said as he went down the corridor.

By chance he came face to face with Forel a few moments later, and both men stopped.  “I am glad I found you,” said Alton.  “It is only fitting to tell you that for a minute or two I joined your party.”

Forel looked uncomfortable.  “To be frank, there are unpleasant tales about you, and while they needn’t interfere with business one has to——­” he said, and stopped.