“Inthatcase，“rejoinedSirPatrick，“Ihadbettergoonatoncewiththematterinhand——leavingyoutoseeforyourselftheconnectionbetweenwhatIamabouttosay，andthequestionthatIhavejustput。WhenIhavedone，youshallthenreplytomeornot，exactlyasyouthinkright。Mydearboy，thesubjectonwhichIwanttospeaktoyouis——MissSilvester。“
Arnoldstarted。SirPatricklookedathimwithamoment’sattention，andwenton：
“Myniecehasherfaultsoftemperandherfailingsofjudgment，“
hesaid。“Butshehasoneatoningqualityamongmanyothers
whichoughttomake——andwhichIbelievewillmake——thehappinessofyourmarriedlife。Inthepopularphrase，Blancheisastrueassteel。Onceherfriend，alwaysherfriend。DoyouseewhatI
amcomingto？Shehassaidnothingaboutit，Arnold；butshehasnotyieldedoneinchinherresolutiontoreuniteherselftoMissSilvester。Oneofthefirstquestionsyouwillhavetodetermine，afterto-morrow，willbethequestionofwhetheryoudo，ornot，sanctionyourwifeinattemptingtocommunicatewithherlostfriend。“
Arnoldansweredwithouttheslightestreserve“IamheartilysorryforBlanche’slostfriend，SirPatrick。MywifewillhavemyfullapprovalifshetriestobringMissSilvesterback——andmybesthelptoo，ifIcangiveit。“
Thosewordswereearnestlyspoken。Itwasplainthattheycamefromhisheart。
“Ithinkyouarewrong，“saidSirPatrick。“I，too，amsorryforMissSilvester。ButIamconvincedthatshehasnotleftBlanchewithoutaseriousreasonforit。AndIbelieveyouwillbeencouragingyourwifeinahopelesseffort，ifyouencouragehertopersistinthesearchforherlostfriend。However，itisyouraffair，andnotmine。DoyouwishmetoofferyouanyfacilitiesfortracingMissSilvesterwhichImayhappentopossess？“
“Ifyou_can_helpusoveranyobstaclesatstarting，SirPatrick，itwillbeakindnesstoBlanche，andakindnesstome。“
“Verygood。IsupposeyourememberwhatIsaidtoyou，onemorning，whenweweretalkingofMissSilvesteratWindygates？“
“Yousaidyouhaddeterminedtolethergoherownway。“
“Quiteright!OntheeveningofthedaywhenIsaidthatI
receivedinformationthatMissSilvesterhadbeentracedtoGlasgow。Youwon’trequiremetoexplainwhyInevermentionedthistoyouortoBlanche。Inmentioningitnow，Icommunicatetoyoutheonlypositiveinformation，onthesubjectofthemissingwoman，whichIpossess。Therearetwootherchancesoffindingherofamorespeculativekindwhichcanonlybetestedbyinducingtwomenbothequallydifficulttodealwithtoconfesswhattheyknow。Oneofthosetwomenis——apersonnamedBishopriggs，formerlywaiterattheCraigFernieinn。“
Arnoldstarted，andchangedcolor。SirPatricksilentlynoticinghimstatedthecircumstancesrelatingtoAnne’slostletter，andtotheconclusioninhisownmindwhichpointedtoBishopriggsasthepersoninpossessionofit。
“Ihavetoadd，“heproceeded，“thatBlanche，unfortunately，foundanopportunityofspeakingtoBishopriggsatSwanhaven。
WhensheandLadyLundiejoinedusatEdinburghsheshowedmeprivatelyacardwhichhadbeengiventoherbyBishopriggs。Hehaddescribeditastheaddressatwhichhemightbeheardof——andBlancheentreatedme，beforewestartedforLondon，toputthereferencetothetest。ItoldherthatshehadcommittedaseriousmistakeinattemptingtodealwithBishopriggsonherownresponsibility；andIwarnedheroftheresultinwhichIwasfirmlypersuadedtheinquirywouldend。ShedeclinedtobelievethatBishopriggshaddeceivedher。IsawthatshewouldtakethematterintoherownhandsagainunlessIinterfered；andIwenttotheplace。ExactlyasIhadanticipated，thepersontowhomthecardreferredmehadnotheardofBishopriggsforyears，andknewnothingwhateverabouthispresentmovements。Blanchehadsimplyputhimonhisguard，andshownhimtheproprietyofkeepingoutoftheway。Ifyoushouldevermeetwithhiminthefuture——saynothingtoyourwife，andcommunicatewithme。I
declinetoassistyouinsearchingforMissSilvester；butIhavenoobjectiontoassistinrecoveringastolenletterfromathief。SomuchforBishopriggs——Nowastotheotherman。“
“Whoishe？“
“Yourfriend，Mr。GeoffreyDelamayn。“
Arnoldsprangtohisfeetinungovernablesurprise。
“Iappeartoastonishyou，“remarkedSirPatrick。
Arnoldsatdownagain，andwaited，inspeechlesssuspense，tohearwhatwascomingnext。
“Ihavereasontoknow，“saidSirPatrick，“thatMr。DelamaynisthoroughlywellacquaintedwiththenatureofMissSilvester’spresenttroubles。Whathisactualconnectioniswiththem，andhowhecameintopossessionofhisinformation，Ihavenotfoundout。Mydiscoverybeginsandendswiththesimplefactthathehastheinformation。“
“MayIaskonequestion，SirPatrick？“
“Whatisit？“
“HowdidyoufindoutaboutGeoffreyDelamayn？“
“Itwouldoccupyalongtime，“answeredSirPatrick，“totellyouhow——anditisnotatallnecessarytoourpurposethatyoushouldknow。Mypresentobligationmerelybindsmetotellyou——instrictconfidence，mind!——thatMissSilvester’ssecretsarenosecretstoMr。Delamayn。Ileavetoyourdiscretiontheuseyoumaymakeofthatinformation。YouarenowentirelyonaparwithmeinrelationtoyourknowledgeofthecaseofMissSilvester。LetusreturntothequestionwhichIaskedyouwhenwefirstcameintotheroom。Doyouseetheconnection，now，betweenthatquestion，andwhatIhavesaidsince？“
Arnoldwasslowtoseetheconnection。HismindwasrunningonSirPatrick’sdiscovery。LittledreamingthathewasindebtedtoMrs。Inchbare’sincompletedescriptionofhimforhisownescapefromdetection，hewaswonderinghowithadhappenedthat_he_
hadremainedunsuspected，whileGeoffrey’spositionhadbeeninpartatleastrevealedtoview。
“Iaskedyou，“resumedSirPatrick，attemptingtohelphim，“whythemerereportthatyourfriendwaslikelytomarryMrs。Glenarmrousedyourindignation，andyouhesitatedatgivingananswer。
Doyouhesitatestill？“
“It’snoteasytogiveananswer，SirPatrick。“
“Letusputitinanotherway。Iassumethatyourviewofthereporttakesitsriseinsomeknowledge，onyourpart，ofMr。
Delamayn’sprivateaffairs，whichtherestofusdon’tpossess——Isthatconclusioncorrect？“
“Quitecorrect。“
“IswhatyouknowaboutMr。DelamaynconnectedwithanythingthatyouknowaboutMissSilvester？“
IfArnoldhadfelthimselfatlibertytoanswerthatquestion，SirPatrick’ssuspicionswouldhavebeenaroused，andSirPatrick’sresolutionwouldhaveforcedafulldisclosurefromhimbeforeheleftthehouse。
Itwasgettingontomidnight。Thefirsthourofthewedding-daywasathand，astheTruthmadeitsfinalefforttostruggleintolight。ThedarkPhantomsofTroubleandTerrortocomewerewaitingnearthembothatthatmoment。Arnoldhesitatedagain——hesitatedpainfully。SirPatrickpausedforhisanswer。
Theclockinthehallstruckthequartertotwelve。
“Ican’ttellyou!“saidArnold。
“Isitasecret？“
“Yes。“
“Committedtoyourhonor？“
“Doublycommittedtomyhonor。“
“Whatdoyoumean？“
“ImeanthatGeoffreyandIhavequarreledsincehetookmeintohisconfidence。Iamdoublyboundtorespecthisconfidenceafterthat。“
“Isthecauseofyourquarrelasecretalso？“
“Yes。“
SirPatricklookedArnoldsteadilyintheface。
“IhavefeltaninveteratedistrustofMr。Delamaynfromthefirst，“hesaid。“Answermethis。Haveyouanyreasontothink——sincewefirsttalkedaboutyourfriendinthesummer-houseatWindygates——thatmyopinionofhimmighthavebeentherightoneafterall？“
“Hehasbitterlydisappointedme，“answeredArnold。“Icansaynomore。“