“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。“