That’sagoodgirl!NowyoushallhearhowIproposetosearchforthispoorlady，andhowyourlittlestoryhashelpedme。“
Hepaused，consideringwithhimselfwhetherheshouldbeginbytellingBlancheofhisconsultationwithGeoffrey。Oncemore，hedecidedthatquestioninthenegative。Bettertostilldefertakingherintohisconfidenceuntilhehadperformedtheerrandofinvestigationonwhichhewasnowsettingforth。
“Whatyouhavetoldme，Blanche，dividesitself，inmymind，intotwoheads，“beganSirPatrick。“Thereiswhathappenedinthelibrarybeforeyourowneyes；andthereiswhatMissSilvestertoldyouhadhappenedattheinn。Astotheeventinthelibraryinthefirstplace，itistoolatenowtoinquirewhetherthatfainting-fitwastheresult，asyousay，ofmereexhaustion——orwhetheritwastheresultofsomethingthatoccurredwhileyouwereoutoftheroom。“
“WhatcouldhavehappenedwhileIwasoutoftheroom？“
“Iknownomorethanyoudo，mydear。Itissimplyoneofthepossibilitiesinthecase，and，assuch，Inoticeit。Togetontowhatpracticallyconcernsus；ifMissSilvesterisindelicatehealthitisimpossiblethatshecouldget，unassisted，toanygreatdistancefromWindygates。Shemayhavetakenrefugeinoneofthecottagesinourimmediateneighborhood。Orshemayhavemetwithsomepassingvehiclefromoneofthefarmsonitswaytothestation，andmayhaveaskedthepersondrivingtogiveheraseatinit。Orshemayhavewalkedasfarasshecan，andmayhavestoppedtorestinsomeshelteredplace，amongthelanestothesouthofthishouse。“
“I’llinquireatthecottages，uncle，whileyouaregone。“
“Mydearchild，theremustbeadozencottages，atleast，withinacircleofonemilefromWindygates!Yourinquirieswouldprobablyoccupyyouforthewholeafternoon。Iwon’taskwhatLadyLundiewouldthinkofyourbeingawayallthattimebyyourself。Iwillonlyremindyouoftwothings。Youwouldbemakingapublicmatterofaninvestigationwhichitisessentialtopursueasprivatelyaspossible；and，evenifyouhappenedtohitontherightcottageyourinquirieswouldbecompletelybaffled，andyouwoulddiscovernothing。“
“Whynot？“
“IknowtheScottishpeasantbetterthanyoudo，Blanche。Inhisintelligenceandhissenseofself-respectheisaverydifferentbeingfromtheEnglishpeasant。Hewouldreceiveyoucivilly，becauseyouareayounglady；buthewouldletyousee，atthesametime，thatheconsideredyouhadtakenadvantageofthedifferencebetweenyourpositionandhispositiontocommitanintrusion。AndifMissSilvesterhadappealed，inconfidence，tohishospitality，andifhehadgrantedit，nopoweronearthwouldinducehimtotellanypersonlivingthatshewasunderhisroof——withoutherexpresspermission。“
“But，uncle，ifit’sofnousemakinginquiriesofanybody，howarewetofindher？“
“Idon’tsaythatnobodywillanswerourinquiries，mydear——I
onlysaythepeasantrywon’tanswerthem，ifyourfriendhastrustedherselftotheirprotection。Thewaytofindheristolookon，beyondwhatMissSilvestermaybedoingatthepresentmoment，towhatMissSilvestercontemplatesdoing——letussay，beforethedayisout。Wemayassume，Ithinkafterwhathashappened，that，assoonasshecanleavethisneighborhood，sheassuredlywillleaveit。Doyouagree，sofar？“
“Yes!yes!Goon。“
“Verywell。Sheisawoman，andsheistosaytheleastofit
notstrong。Shecanonlyleavethisneighborhoodeitherbyhiringavehicleorbytravelingontherailway。Iproposegoingfirsttothestation。Attherateatwhichyourponygetsovertheground，thereisafairchance，inspiteofthetimewehavelost，ofmybeingthereassoonassheis——assumingthatsheleavesbythefirsttrain，upordown，thatpasses。“
“Thereisatraininhalfanhour，uncle。Shecannevergetthereintimeforthat。“
“Shemaybelessexhaustedthanwethink；orshemaygetalift；
orshemaynotbealone。Howdoweknowbutsomebodymayhavebeenwaitinginthelane——herhusband，ifthereissuchaperson——tohelpher？No!Ishallassumesheisnowonherwaytothestation；andIshallgetthereasfastaspossible——“
“Andstopher，ifyoufindherthere？“
“WhatIdo，Blanche，mustbelefttomydiscretion。IfIfindherthere，Imustactforthebest。IfIdon’tfindherthere，I
shallleaveDuncanwhogoeswithmeonthewatchfortheremainingtrains，untilthelastto-night。HeknowsMissSilvesterbysight，andheissurethat_she_hasnevernoticed_him。_Whethershegoesnorthorsouth，earlyorlate，Duncanwillhavemyorderstofollowher。Heisthoroughlytobereliedon。Ifshetakestherailway，Ianswerforitweshallknowwhereshegoes。“
“HowcleverofyoutothinkofDuncan!“
“Notintheleast，mydear。Duncanismyfactotum；andthecourseIamtakingistheobviouscoursewhichwouldhaveoccurredtoanybody。Letusgettothereallydifficultpartofitnow。
Supposeshehiresacarriage？“
“Therearenonetobehad，exceptatthestation。“
“Therearefarmersabouthere-andfarmershavelightcarts，orchaises，orsomethingofthesort。Itisinthelastdegreeunlikelythattheywouldconsenttoletherhavethem。Still，womenbreakthroughdifficultieswhichstopmen。Andthisisacleverwoman，Blanche——awoman，youmaydependonit，whoisbentonpreventingyoufromtracingher。IconfessIwishwehadsomebodywecouldtrustloungingaboutwherethosetworoadsbranchofffromtheroadthatleadstotherailway。Imustgoinanotherdirection；_I_can’tdoit。“
“Arnoldcandoit!“
SirPatricklookedalittledoubtful。“Arnoldisanexcellentfellow，“hesaid。“Butcanwetrusttohisdiscretion？“
“Heis，nexttoyou，themostperfectlydiscreetpersonIknow，“
rejoinedBlanche，inaverypositivemanner；“and，whatismore，IhavetoldhimeverythingaboutAnne，exceptwhathashappenedto-day。IamafraidIshalltellhim_that，_whenIfeellonelyandmiserable，afteryouhavegone。ThereissomethinginArnold——Idon’tknowwhatitis——thatcomfortsme。Besides，doyouthinkhewouldbetrayasecretthatIgavehimtokeep？Youdon’tknowhowdevotedheistome!“
“MydearBlanche，Iamnotthecherishedobjectofhisdevotion；
ofcourseIdon’tknow!Youaretheonlyauthorityonthatpoint。
Istandcorrected。LetushaveArnold，byallmeans。Cautionhimtobecareful；andsendhimoutbyhimself，wheretheroadsmeet。
Wehavenowonlyoneotherplaceleftinwhichthereisachanceoffindingatraceofher。IundertaketomakethenecessaryinvestigationattheCraigFernieinn。“
“TheCraigFernieinn？Uncle!youhaveforgottenwhatItoldyou。“
“Waitalittle，mydear。MissSilvesterherselfhaslefttheinn，Igrantyou。ButifweshouldunhappilyfailinfindingherbyanyothermeansMissSilvesterhasleftatracetoguideusatCraigFernie。Thattracemustbepickedupatonce，incaseofaccidents。Youdon’tseemtofollowme？Iamgettingoverthegroundasfastastheponygetsoverit。Ihavearrivedatthesecondofthosetwoheadsintowhichyourstorydividesitselfinmymind。WhatdidMissSilvestertellyouhadhappenedattheinn？“
“Shelostaletterattheinn。“
“Exactly。Shelostaletterattheinn；thatisoneevent。AndBishopriggs，thewaiter，hasquarreledwithMrs。Inchbare，andhaslefthissituation；thatisanotherevent。Astotheletterfirst。Itiseitherreallylost，orithasbeenstolen。Ineithercase，ifwecanlayourhandsonit，thereisatleastachanceofitshelpingustodiscoversomething。AstoBishopriggs，next——“
“You’renotgoingtotalkaboutthewaiter，surely？“
“Iam!Bishopriggspossessestwoimportantmerits。Heisalinkinmychainofreasoning；andheisanoldfriendofmine。“
“Afriendofyours？“
“Weliveindays，mydear，whenoneworkmantalksofanotherworkmanas’thatgentleman。’——Imarchwiththeage，andfeelboundtomentionmyclerkasmyfriend。AfewyearssinceBishopriggswasemployedintheclerks’roomatmychambers。HeisoneofthemostintelligentandmostunscrupulousoldvagabondsinScotland；perfectlyhonestastoallaveragemattersinvolvingpounds，shillings，andpence；perfectlyunprincipledinthepursuitofhisowninterests，wheretheviolationofatrustliesontheboundary-linewhichmarksthelimitofthelaw。I
madetwounpleasantdiscoverieswhenIhadhiminmyemployment。
Ifoundthathehadcontrivedtosupplyhimselfwithaduplicateofmyseal；andIhadthestrongestreasontosuspecthimoftamperingwithsomepapersbelongingtotwoofmyclients。Hehaddonenoactualmischief，sofar；andIhadnotimetowasteinmakingoutthenecessarycaseagainsthim。Hewasdismissedfrommyservice，asamanwhowasnottobetrustedtorespectanylettersorpapersthathappenedtopassthroughhishands。“
“Isee，uncle!Isee!“
“Plainenoughnow——isn’tit？IfthatmissingletterofMissSilvester’sisaletterofnoimportance，Iaminclinedtobelievethatitismerelylost，andmaybefoundagain。If，ontheotherhand，thereisanythinginitthatcouldpromisethemostremoteadvantagetoanypersoninpossessionofit，then，intheexecrableslangoftheday，Iwilllayanyodds，Blanche，thatBishopriggshasgottheletter!“
“Andhehaslefttheinn!Howunfortunate!“
“Unfortunateascausingdelay——nothingworsethanthat。UnlessI