ThedinnerwasawearisomeordealtoatleasttwootherpersonspresentbesidesBlanche。Arnold，sittingoppositetoGeoffrey，withoutexchangingawordwithhim，feltthealteredrelationsbetweenhisformerfriendandhimselfverypainfully。SirPatrick，missingtheskilledhandofHesterDethridgeineverydishthatwasofferedtohim，markedthedinneramongthewastedopportunitiesofhislife，andresentedhissister-in-law’sflowofspiritsassomethingsimplyinhumanunderpresentcircumstances。BlanchefollowedLadyLundieintothedrawing-roominastateofburningimpatiencefortherisingofthegentlemenfromtheirwine。Herstep-mother——mappingoutanewantiquarianexcursionforthenextday，andfindingBlanche’searsclosedtoheroccasionalremarksonbaronialScotlandfivehundredyearssince——lamented，withsatiricalemphasis，theabsenceofanintelligentcompanionofherownsex；andstretchedhermajesticfigureonthesofatowaituntilanaudienceworthyofherflowedinfromthedining-room。Beforeverylong——sosoothingistheinfluenceofanafter-dinnerviewoffeudalantiquities，takenthroughthemediumofanapprovingconscience——LadyLundie’seyesclosed；andfromLadyLundie’snosetherepoured，atintervals，asound，deeplikeherladyship’slearning；regular，likeherladyship’shabits——asoundassociatedwithnightcapsandbedrooms，evokedalikebyNature，theleveler，fromhighandlow——thesoundoh，Truthwhatenormitiesfindpublicityinthyname!——thesoundofaSnore。
Freetodoasshepleased，Blanchelefttheechoesofthedrawing-roominundisturbedenjoymentofLadyLundie’saudiblerepose。
Shewentintothelibrary，andturnedoverthenovels。Wentoutagain，andlookedacrossthehallatthedining-roomdoor。Wouldthemenneverhavedonetalkingtheirpoliticsanddrinkingtheirwine？Shewentuptoherownroom，andchangedherear-rings，andscoldedhermaid。Descendedoncemore——andmadeanalarmingdiscoveryinadarkcornerofthehall。
Twomenwerestandingthere，hatinhandwhisperingtothebutler。Thebutler，leavingthem，wentintothedining-room——cameoutagainwithSirPatrick——andsaidtothetwomen，“Stepthisway，please。“Thetwomencameoutintothelight。Murdoch，thestation-master；andDuncan，thevalet!NewsofAnne!
“Oh，uncle，letmestay!“pleadedBlanche。
SirPatrickhesitated。Itwasimpossibletosay——asmattersstoodatthatmoment——whatdistressingintelligencethetwomenmightnothavebroughtofthemissingwoman。Duncan’sreturn，accompaniedbythestation-master，lookedserious。Blancheinstantlypenetratedthesecretofheruncle’shesitation。Sheturnedpale，andcaughthimbythearm。“Don’tsendmeaway，“shewhispered。“Icanbearanythingbutsuspense。“
“Outwithit!“saidSirPatrick，holdinghisniece’shand。“Isshefoundornot？“
“She’sgonebytheup-train，“saidthestation-master。“Andweknowwhere。“
SirPatrickbreathedfreely；Blanche’scolorcameback。Indifferentways，therelieftobothofthemwasequallygreat。
“Youhadmyorderstofollowher，“saidSirPatricktoDuncan。
“Whyhaveyoucomeback？“
“Yourmanisnottoblame，Sir，“interposedthestation-master。
“TheladytookthetrainatKirkandrew。“
SirPatrickstartedandlookedatthestation-master。“Ay？ay？
Thenextstation——themarket-town。Inexcusablystupidofme。I
neverthoughtofthat。“
“ItookthelibertyoftelegraphingyourdescriptionoftheladytoKirkandrew，SirPatrick，incaseofaccidents。“
“Istandcorrected，Mr。Murdoch。Yourhead，inthismatter，hasbeenthesharperheadofthetwo。Well？“
“There’stheanswer，Sir。“
SirPatrickandBlanchereadthetelegramtogether。
“Kirkandrew。Uptrain。7。40P。M。Ladyasdescribed。Noluggage。
Baginherhand。Travelingalone。Ticket——second-class。
Place——Edinburgh。“
“Edinburgh!“repeatedBlanche。“Oh，uncle!weshallloseherinagreatplacelikethat!“
“Weshallfindher，mydear；andyoushallseehow。Duncan，getmepen，ink，andpaper。Mr。Murdoch，youaregoingbacktothestation，Isuppose？“
“Yes，SirPatrick。“
“Iwillgiveyouatelegram，tobesentatoncetoEdinburgh。“
Hewroteacarefully-wordedtelegraphicmessage，andaddressedittoTheSheriffofMid-Lothian。
“TheSheriffisanoldfriendofmine，“heexplainedtohisniece。“AndheisnowinEdinburgh。LongbeforethetraingetstotheterminushewillreceivethispersonaldescriptionofMissSilvester，withmyrequesttohaveallhermovementscarefullywatchedtillfurthernotice。Thepoliceareentirelyathisdisposal；andthebestmenwillbeselectedforthepurpose。I
haveaskedforananswerbytelegraph。Keepaspecialmessengerreadyforitatthestation，Mr。Murdoch。Thankyou；
good-evening。Duncan，getyoursupper，andmakeyourselfcomfortable。Blanche，mydear，gobacktothedrawing-room，andexpectusintoteaimmediately。Youwillknowwhereyourfriendisbeforeyougotobedto-night。“
Withthosecomfortingwordshereturnedtothegentlemen。Intenminutesmoretheyallappearedinthedrawing-room；andLadyLundiefirmlypersuadedthatshehadneverclosedhereyeswasbackagaininbaronialScotlandfivehundredyearssince。
Blanche，watchingheropportunity，caughtherunclealone。
“Nowforyourpromise，“shesaid。“YouhavemadesomeimportantdiscoveriesatCraigFernie。Whatarethey？“
SirPatrick’seyeturnedtowardGeoffrey，dozinginanarm-chairinacorneroftheroom。Heshowedacertaindispositiontotriflewiththecuriosityofhisniece。
“Afterthediscoverywehavealreadymade，“hesaid，“can’tyouwait，mydear，tillwegetthetelegramfromEdinburgh？“
“Thatisjustwhatit’simpossibleformetodo!Thetelegramwon’tcomeforhoursyet。Iwantsomethingtogoonwithinthemeantime。“
SheseatedherselfonasofainthecorneroppositeGeoffrey，andpointedtothevacantplacebyherside。
SirPatrickhadpromised——SirPatrickhadnochoicebuttokeephisword。AfteranotherlookatGeoffrey，hetookthevacantplacebyhisniece。
“WELL？“whisperedBlanche，takingheruncleconfidentiallybythearm。
“Well，“saidSirPatrick，withasparkofhissatiricalhumorflashingoutathisniece，“Iamgoingtodoaveryrashthing。I
amgoingtoplaceaserioustrustinthehandsofagirlofeighteen。“
“Thegirl’shandswillkeepit，uncle——thoughshe_is_onlyeighteen。“
“Imustruntherisk，mydear；yourintimateknowledgeofMissSilvestermaybeofthegreatestassistancetomeinthenextstepItake。YoushallknowallthatIcantellyou，butImustwarnyoufirst。Icanonlyadmityouintomyconfidencebystartlingyouwithagreatsurprise。Doyoufollowme，sofar？“
“Yes!yes!“
“Ifyoufailtocontrolyourself，youplaceanobstacleinthewayofmybeingofsomefutureusetoMissSilvester。Rememberthat，andnowprepareforthesurprise。WhatdidItellyoubeforedinner？“
“YousaidyouhadmadediscoveriesatCraigFernie。Whathaveyoufoundout？“
“IhavefoundoutthatthereisacertainpersonwhoisinfullpossessionoftheinformationwhichMissSilvesterhasconcealedfromyouandfromme。Thepersoniswithinourreach。Thepersonisinthisneighborhood。Thepersonisinthisroom!“
HecaughtupBlanche’shand，restingonhisarm，andpresseditsignificantly。Shelookedathimwiththecryofsurprisesuspendedonherlips——waitedalittlewithhereyesfixedonFirPatrick’sface——struggledresolutely，andcomposedherself。