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