chambermaid, but that
she knew nothing about Violet's movements.

"She may have gone out for a walk--to get the air," the wretched
groom-elect remarked, but he was white to his lips as he said it.

"Gone out for a walk on her wedding-morning, when there was scarcely
time to prepare for the ceremony! I wish I could even believe it
possible that she would do such an unheard-of thing," said Mrs. Mencke,
in a tone of despair, and feeling nearly paralyzed by this sudden and
inexplicable absence.

Nevertheless they exerted themselves to ascertain if the missing
bride-elect was anywhere about the premises, Lord Cameron, with the
proprietor of the hotel, to whom alone he confided his trouble, going
out in search of her.

Meantime Mrs. Mencke went back to Violet's rooms to ascertain if
anything was missing, but everything appeared to be in its accustomed
place. Every drawer was daintily arranged, as she was in the habit of
keeping them; all her jewels, laces, and ribbons were in their
respective boxes; even the rings, which she usually wore, lay upon her
pincushion, where she always put them before taking a bath.

Her dresses hung in her wardrobe--all but the traveling dress which she
had worn when she came to Mentone. It was a dark-gray cloth, trimmed
with narrow bands of blue silk. The hat to match, with its bows of blue
velvet, and a single gray wing, together with a thick blue vail, were
also missing, and a pair of thick walking-boots, together with a light
traveling shawl.

Beyond these few things nothing, as far as she could ascertain upon so
hasty an examination, was gone; not even a change of clothing, toilet
articles, or a traveling-bag, things which Violet would be sure to need
if she had contemplated flight.

Mrs. Mencke was somewhat reassured after these investigations, and tried
to think that her sister had gone out for a walk--possibly to the town
to post the letter she had been writing the previous night, rather than
to wait for it to go later with the hotel mail.

Still, she was terribly anxious, and her face was pallid with fear and
anxiety.

She had staked so much--far more than any one save herself knew--to
achieve this brilliant marriage for Violet, and it seemed more than she
could bear to have it fail at the last moment, and after all the heavy
expense of the beautiful trousseau from Worth's.

She wandered restlessly from room to room in an agony of suspense, Lady
Cameron following her and vain