." He bowed, and escaped,
unsuspected, from the room.

Lady Lundie cast down her eyes, with an expression of virtuous
indulgence for human frailty, and divided Sir Patrick's compliment
modestly between herself and her cake.

Well aware that his own departure from the table would be followed in a
few minutes by the rising of the lady of the house, Sir Patrick hurried
to the library as fast as his lame foot would let him. Now that he was
alone, his manner became anxious, and his face looked grave. He entered
the room.

Not a sign of Anne Silvester was to be seen any where. The library was a
perfect solitude.

"Gone!" said Sir Patrick. "This looks bad."

After a moment's reflection he went back into the hall to get his hat.
It was possible that she might have been afraid of discovery if
she staid in the library, and that she might have gone on to the
summer-house by herself.

If she was not to be found in the summer-house, the quieting of
Blanche's mind and the clearing up of her uncle's suspicions alike
depended on discovering the place in which Miss Silvester had taken
refuge. In this case time would be of importance, and the capacity of
making the most of it would be a precious capacity at starting. Arriving
rapidly at these conclusions, Sir Patrick rang the bell in the hall
which communicated with the servants' offices, and summoned his own
valet--a person of tried discretion and fidelity, nearly as old as
himself.

"Get your hat, Duncan," he said, when the valet appeared, "and come out
with me."

Master and servant set forth together silently on their way through the
grounds. Arrived within sight of the summer-house, Sir Patrick ordered
Duncan to wait, and went on by himself.

There was not the least need for the precaution that he had taken.
The summer-house was as empty as the library. He stepped out again
and looked about him. Not a living creature was visible. Sir Patrick
summoned his servant to join him.

"Go back to the stables, Duncan," he said, "and say that Miss Lundie
lends me her pony-carriage to-day. Let it be got ready at once and kept
in the stable-yard. I want to attract as little notice as possible.
You are to go with me, and nobody else. Provide yourself with a railway
time-table. Have you got any money?"

"Yes, Sir Patrick."

"Did you happen to see the governess (Miss Silvester) on the day when we
came here--the day of the lawn-party?"

"I did, Sir Patrick."

"Should you know