During the run of "Ours", Robertson, Gilbert, Scott and others contributed short stories to a collection edited by Tom Hood. Robertson's, "The Poor-Rate Unfolds a Tale", formed the basis for his next play at the Prince of Wales's, but before that he had two plays staged at other London theatres: "Shadow-Tree Shaft", a drama, at the Princess's, and "A Rapid Thaw", an adaptation of a Sardou comedy, at the St James's. In April 1867 his stage version of the short story opened at the Prince of Wales's under the title "Caste". In this piece Robertson developed the naturalistic, unexaggerated style for which he was becoming famous. Both as author and director he avoided the over-theatrical bombast of the early Victorian theatre. After the first night of "Caste" one critic wrote: