hile Esther, whose fears had all
flown to the winds now that something practical was to be done, dashed
some brandy into a tumbler and brought it to him. The stimulant had a
marvellous effect upon him, for the colour began to come back into his
pale cheeks and the light of recognition in his eyes.

He sat up and took Esther's hand in both of his, like a man who is
waking out of some bad dream and wishes to assure himself that he is
really in safety.

"Your father?" I asked. "What of him?"

"He is gone."

"Gone!"

"Yes; he is gone; and so is Corporal Rufus Smith. We shall never set
eyes upon them again."

"But where have they gone?" I cried. "This is unworthy of you, Mordaunt.
What right have we to sit here, allowing our private feelings to
overcome us, while there is a possibility of succouring your father? Up,
man! Let us follow him. Tell me only what direction he took."

"It's no use," young Heatherstone answered, burying his face in
his hands. "Don't reproach me, West, for you don't know all the
circumstances. What can we do to reverse the tremendous and unknown laws
which are acting against us? The blow has long been hanging over us, and
now it has fallen. God help us!"

"In Heaven's name tell me what has happened?" said I excitedly. "We must
not yield to despair."

"We can do nothing until daybreak," he answered. "We shall then
endeavour to obtain some trace of them. It is hopeless at present."

"And how about Gabriel and Mrs. Heatherstone?" I asked. "Can we
not bring them down from the Hall at once? Your poor sister must be
distracted with terror."

"She knows nothing of it," Mordaunt answered. "She sleeps at the other
side of the house, and has not heard or seen anything. As to my poor
mother, she has expected some such event for so long a time that it has
not come upon her as a surprise. She is, of course, overwhelmed with
grief, but would, I think, prefer to be left to herself for the
present. Her firmness and composure should be a lesson to me, but I am
constitutionally excitable, and this catastrophe coming after our long
period of suspense deprived me of my very reason for a time."

"If we can do nothing until the morning," I said, "you have time to tell
us all that has occurred."

"I will do so," he answered, rising and holding his shaking hands to the
fire. "You know already that we have had reason for some time--for many
years in fact--to fear that a terrible retribution was hanging over