"Perhaps so."
"In that case can you solve it?"
[Illustration.]
"No; and that is one reason why I have thought of you. Have you ever tried any thing of the kind?"
[Illustration: "'What Is It All?' He Asked.">[
"No; never. And I don't see how you have learned any thing about it, or how you have been able to arrive at any principle of action."
"Oh, as to that," returned Hilda, "the principle upon which I work is very simple; but I wish you to try the solution with your own unaided ingenuity. So, simple as my plan is, I will not tell you any thing about it just now."
Gualtier looked again at the paper with an expression of deep perplexity.