me and
speaking through his set teeth. "Go down stairs!" and he pushed me from
him violently.

I suppose his physical power and angry mood awed me, for I forgot my
determination to solve the mystery--forgot my own rights, and hurried
precipitately down the stairs.

CHAPTER XVII.

With my mind filled with dreadful forebodings, I reached my own private
chamber, entered it, and bolted the door, that I might consider,
undisturbed, the best course of action to pursue under these fearful
suspicions that haunted me. Hour after hour passed as I sat thus absorbed
in thought which seemed to turn my very hair gray from its intensity.

I heard Richard descend the stairs and go out into the street. Not long;
after this the door-bell rang violently and the servant knocked at my
door to say that a gentleman in the drawing-room wished to see me.
Smoothing my hair and arranging my toilet, I obeyed the summons, but
started back on discovering the stranger to be no other than Mr. Bristed.
He pressed my hands and said:

"Agnes, can I converse with you in private here a few moments?"

My first surprise over, I answered, "Come with me; we will not be
disturbed here." Withdrawing to a small room adjoining, he drew forward
an ottoman and seating himself beside me, said:

"Agnes, Herbert is missing; can you tell me where I can find him?"

"Herbert missing!" said I with a shudder.

"Yes," said he, "I have heard, Agnes, that a gentleman visits you whom I
surmise to be my brother, and, if so, I thought perhaps you would know
through him of Herbert's place of hiding."

"Has Herbert left you?" said I. "Tell me--what do you mean, Mr. Bristed?"

"Yes," said he; "some few weeks since, I left the Hall to visit an old
friend. I expected to be absent a fortnight. While I was gone Herbert
disappeared, the servants knew not how nor where. At first, hoping to
discover that he had strayed off of his own accord and would soon be
found, they searched the country in every direction, but in vain. They
were at last obliged to send me word of his disappearance. You can
imagine my sensations on arriving at the Hall and finding the dear
child's room vacant. I made inquiries in every quarter, sent couriers out
in all parts of the neighboring country, but no trace of him could be
found.

"I at length thought of you, that you might have seen or heard of my
brother. He is the one person likely to be concerned in the singular
disappearance of Herbe