Blanchesaidit。Anne’seyesfastenedonherface，withonelong，yearninglook，andthenAnne’shandsuddenlydroppedhers。
Sheranoutoftheroom，moreagitated，moreuneasy，thanshelikedtoconfesstoherself。NeverhadshefeltsocertainoftheurgentnecessityofappealingtoSirPatrick’sadviceasshefeltatthatmoment。
Theguestswerestillsafeattheluncheon-tablewhenBlancheenteredthedining-room。
LadyLundieexpressedthenecessarysurprise，intheproperlygraduatedtoneofreproof，atherstep-daughter’swantofpunctuality。Blanchemadeherapologieswiththemostexemplaryhumility。Sheglidedintoherchairbyheruncle’sside，andtookthefirstthingthatwasofferedtoher。SirPatricklookedathisniece，andfoundhimselfinthecompanyofamodelyoungEnglishMiss——andmarveledinwardlywhatitmightmean。
Thetalk，interruptedforthemomenttopics，PoliticsandSport——andthen，whenachangewaswanted，SportandPolitics，wasresumedagainallroundthetable。Undercoveroftheconversation，andintheintervalsofreceivingtheattentionsofthegentlemen，BlanchewhisperedtoSirPatrick，“Don’tstart，uncle。Anneisinthelibrary。“PoliteMr。Smithofferedsomeham。Gratefullydeclined。“Pray，pray，praygotoher；sheiswaitingtoseeyou——sheisindreadfultrouble。“GallantMr。
Jonesproposedfruittartandcream。Acceptedwiththanks。“Takehertothesummer-house：I’llfollowyouwhenIgetthechance。
Andmanageitatonce，uncle，ifyouloveme，oryouwillbetoolate。“
BeforeSirPatrickcouldwhisperbackawordinreply，LadyLundie，cuttingacakeoftherichestScottishcomposition，attheotherendofthetable，publiclyproclaimedittobeher“owncake，“and，assuch，offeredherbrother-in-lawaslice。Thesliceexhibitedaneruptionofplumsandsweetmeats，overlaidbyaperspirationofbutter。IthasbeensaidthatSirPatrickhadreachedtheageofseventy——itis，therefore，needlesstoaddthathepolitelydeclinedtocommitanunprovokedoutrageonhisownstomach。
“MYcake!“persistedLadyLundie，elevatingthehorriblecompositiononafork。“Won’tthattemptyou？“
SirPatricksawhiswaytoslippingoutoftheroomundercoverofacomplimenttohissister-in-law。Hesummonedhiscourtlysmile，andlaidhishandonhisheart。
“Afalliblemortal，“hesaid，“ismetbyatemptationwhichhecannotpossiblyresist。Ifheisawisemortal，also，whatdoeshedo？“
“HeeatssomeofMycake，“saidtheprosaicLadyLundie。
“No!“saidSirPatrick，withalookofunutterabledevotiondirectedathissister-in-law。
“Hefliestemptation，dearlady——asIdonow。“Hebowed，andescaped，unsuspected，fromtheroom。
LadyLundiecastdownhereyes，withanexpressionofvirtuousindulgenceforhumanfrailty，anddividedSirPatrick’scomplimentmodestlybetweenherselfandhercake。
Wellawarethathisowndeparturefromthetablewouldbefollowedinafewminutesbytherisingoftheladyofthehouse，SirPatrickhurriedtothelibraryasfastashislamefootwouldlethim。Nowthathewasalone，hismannerbecameanxious，andhisfacelookedgrave。Heenteredtheroom。
NotasignofAnneSilvesterwastobeseenanywhere。Thelibrarywasaperfectsolitude。
“Gone!“saidSirPatrick。“Thislooksbad。“
Afteramoment’sreflectionhewentbackintothehalltogethishat。Itwaspossiblethatshemighthavebeenafraidofdiscoveryifshestaidinthelibrary，andthatshemighthavegoneontothesummer-housebyherself。
Ifshewasnottobefoundinthesummer-house，thequietingofBlanche’smindandtheclearingupofheruncle’ssuspicionsalikedependedondiscoveringtheplaceinwhichMissSilvesterhadtakenrefuge。Inthiscasetimewouldbeofimportance，andthecapacityofmakingthemostofitwouldbeapreciouscapacityatstarting。Arrivingrapidlyattheseconclusions，SirPatrickrangthebellinthehallwhichcommunicatedwiththeservants’offices，andsummonedhisownvalet——apersonoftrieddiscretionandfidelity，nearlyasoldashimself。
“Getyourhat，Duncan，“hesaid，whenthevaletappeared，“andcomeoutwithme。“
Masterandservantsetforthtogethersilentlyontheirwaythroughthegrounds。Arrivedwithinsightofthesummer-house，SirPatrickorderedDuncantowait，andwentonbyhimself。
Therewasnottheleastneedfortheprecautionthathehadtaken。Thesummer-housewasasemptyasthelibrary。Hesteppedoutagainandlookedabouthim。Notalivingcreaturewasvisible。SirPatricksummonedhisservanttojoinhim。
“Gobacktothestables，Duncan，“hesaid，“andsaythatMissLundielendsmeherpony-carriageto-day。Letitbegotreadyatonceandkeptinthestable-yard。Iwanttoattractaslittlenoticeaspossible。Youaretogowithme，andnobodyelse。
Provideyourselfwitharailwaytime-table。Haveyougotanymoney？“
“Yes，SirPatrick。“
“DidyouhappentoseethegovernessMissSilvesteronthedaywhenwecamehere——thedayofthelawn-party？“
“Idid，SirPatrick。“
“Shouldyouknowheragain？“
“Ithoughtheraverydistinguished-lookingperson，SirPatrick。
Ishouldcertainlyknowheragain。“
“Haveyouanyreasontothinkshenoticedyou？“
“Sheneverevenlookedatme，SirPatrick。“
“Verygood。Putachangeoflinenintoyourbag，Duncan——Imaypossiblywantyoutotakeajourneybyrailway。Waitformeinthestable-yard。Thisisamatterinwhicheverythingistrustedtomydiscretion，andtoyours。“
“Thankyou，SirPatrick。“
Withthatacknowledgmentofthecomplimentwhichhadbeenjustpaidtohim，Duncangravelywenthiswaytothestables；andDuncan’smasterreturnedtothesummer-house，towaitthereuntilhewasjoinedbyBlanche。
SirPatrickshowedsignsoffailingpatienceduringtheintervalofexpectationthroughwhichhewasnowcondemnedtopass。Heappliedperpetuallytothesnuff-boxintheknobofhiscane。Hefidgetedincessantlyinandoutofthesummer-house。Anne’sdisappearancehadplacedaseriousobstacleinthewayoffurtherdiscovery；andtherewasnoattackingthatobstacle，untilprecioustimehadbeenwastedinwaitingtoseeBlanche。
Atlastsheappearedinview，fromthestepsofthesummer-house；
breathlessandeager，hastingtotheplaceofmeetingasfastasherfeetwouldtakehertoit。
SirPatrickconsideratelyadvanced，tosparehertheshockofmakingtheinevitablediscovery。“Blanche，“hesaid。“Trytoprepareyourself，mydear，foradisappointment。Iamalone。“
“Youdon’tmeanthatyouhavelethergo？“
“Mypoorchild!Ihaveneverseenheratall。“
Blanchepushedbyhim，andranintothesummer-house。SirPatrickfollowedher。Shecameoutagaintomeethim，withalookofblankdespair。“Oh，uncle!Ididsotrulypityher!Andseehowlittlepityshehasfor_me!_“
SirPatrickputhisarmroundhisniece，andsoftlypattedthefairyoungheadthatdroppedonhisshoulder。
“Don’tletusjudgeherharshly，mydear：wedon’tknowwhatseriousnecessitymaynotpleadherexcuse。Itisplainthatshecantrustnobody——andthatsheonlyconsentedtoseemetogetyououtoftheroomandspareyouthepainofparting。Composeyourself，Blanche。Idon’tdespairofdiscoveringwhereshehasgone，ifyouwillhelpme。“
Blancheliftedherhead，anddriedhertearsbravely。
“Myfatherhimselfwasn’tkindertomethanyouare，“shesaid。
“Onlytellme，uncle，whatIcando!“
“Iwanttohearexactlywhathappenedinthelibrary，“saidSirPatrick。“Forgetnothing，mydearchild，nomatterhowtriflingitmaybe。Triflesareprecioustous，andminutesareprecioustous，now。“
Blanchefollowedherinstructionstotheletter，herunclelisteningwiththeclosestattention。Whenshehadcompletedhernarrative，SirPatricksuggestedleavingthesummer-house。“I
haveorderedyourchaise，“hesaid；“andIcantellyouwhatI
proposedoingonourwaytothestable-yard。“
“Letmedriveyou，uncle!“
“Forgiveme，mydear，forsayingNotothat。Yourstep-mother’ssuspicionsareveryeasilyexcited——andyouhadbetternotbeseenwithmeifmyinquiriestakemetotheCraigFernieinn。I
promise，ifyouwillremainhere，totellyoueverythingwhenI
comeback。Jointheothersinanyplantheyhavefortheafternoon——andyouwillpreventmyabsencefromexcitinganythingmorethanapassingremark。YouwilldoasItellyou？