back, then?" exclaimed Sir Murray; and then, clapping
spurs to his horse, he made it dash forward; but only to check it the
next instant, rein back, and descend, beckoning up the groom, and then
slowly mounting the steps.

"You have not said a word of all this?" said the baronet, in a low tone.

"Not a word, Sir Murray!" exclaimed the man, with an injured air. "You
can trust me, sir."

Sir Murray Gernon smiled bitterly, as he threw his hat and gloves to the
man, and entered his library, leaving the door open, and watching for
Lady Gernon's return.

An hour elapsed, and then he rang.

"No, Sir Murray; her ladyship has not returned."

Another hour passed, and the storm prophesied of by Alexander McCray was
at hand. First came a deep gloom; then the sighing of the wind in faint
puffs, as it swept round the house; then there was a flash or two of
lightning, and the muttering of thunder; then flash after flash lighting
up the heavens, succeeded by a darkness as of the blackest night. A few
minutes seemed to elapse, as if Nature was preparing herself for a grand
effort; and then, with a mighty, rushing crash, down came the main body
of the storm, of which the previous mutterings had been but the
_avant-garde_. The rain seemed to fall in one vast sheet, through which
the blue lightning cut and flickered; while, with a deafening roar, peal
after peal of thunder seemed to burst over the mansion, threatening it
with destruction.

"Should the pony-carriage be brought round, sir?" asked the footman,
shouting to make himself heard.

"Yes," said Sir Murray, "and my horse. Send McCray, the gardener, here,
too."

McCray, who had been trying to console Jane, who was greatly agitated,
soon made his appearance before Sir Murray.

"McCray, take one of the horses, and go round from cottage to cottage
till you find where her ladyship has taken refuge. Williams, you go
south with the pony-carriage, and I shall ride east."

The gardener saluted, and ten minutes after, heedless of the storm--
though he had hard work with his frightened beast--he was mounted,
amidst the sneers of the grooms, who looked upon such missions as within
their province, and resented the coming of the interloper accordingly.

"The puir weak body! But I'll soon find her," muttered McCray, as he
cantered on out at the park gates; and then going from cottage to
cottage, and at last entering the forest, and riding between the
dripping trees, and along