llowed the example of the mistress of the
house but Arnold. He left the billiard-room with the certainty that it
was all over now between Geoffrey and himself. Not even the attraction
of Blanche proved strong enough to detain him that night. He went his
way to bed.

It was past one o'clock. The final rubber was at an end, the accounts
were settled at the card-table; the surgeon had strolled into the
billiard-room, and Smith and Jones had followed him, when Duncan came
in, at last, with the telegram in his hand.

Blanche turned from the broad, calm autumn moonlight which had drawn her
to the window, and looked over her uncle's shoulder while he opened the
telegram.

She read the first line--and that was enough. The whole scaffolding of
hope built round that morsel of paper fell to the ground in an instant.
The train from Kirkandrew had reached Edinburgh at the usual time. Every
passenger in it had passed under the eyes of the police, and nothing had
been seen of any person who answered the description given of Anne!

Sir Patrick pointed to the two last sentences in the telegram:
"Inquiries telegraphed to Falkirk. If with any result, you shall know."

"We must hope for the best, Blanche. They evidently suspect her of
having got out at the junction of the two railways for the purpose
of giving the telegraph the slip. There is no help for it. Go to bed,
child--go to bed."

Blanche kissed her uncle in silence and went away. The bright young face
was sad with the first hopeless sorrow which the old man had yet seen in
it. His niece's parting look dwelt painfully on his mind when he was up
in his room, with the faithful Duncan getting him ready for his bed.

"This is a bad business, Duncan. I don't like to say so to Miss Lundie;
but I greatly fear the governess has baffled us."

"It seems likely, Sir Patrick. The poor young lady looks quite
heart-broken about it."

"You noticed that too, did you? She has lived all her life, you see,
with Miss Silvester; and there is a very strong attachment between them.
I am uneasy about my niece, Duncan. I am afraid this disappointment will
have a serious effect on her."

"She's young, Sir Patrick."

"Yes, my friend, she's young; but the young (when they are good for any
thing) have warm hearts. Winter hasn't stolen on _them,_ Duncan! And
they feel keenly."

"I think there's reason to hope, Sir, that Miss Lundie may get over it
more easily than you suppose."

"What reason, p