Blanchesaidit。Anne’seyesfastenedonherface，withonelong，yearninglook，andthenAnne’shandsuddenlydroppedhers。
　　Sheranoutoftheroom，moreagitated，moreuneasy，thanshelikedtoconfesstoherself。NeverhadshefeltsocertainoftheurgentnecessityofappealingtoSirPatrick’sadviceasshefeltatthatmoment。
　　Theguestswerestillsafeattheluncheon-tablewhenBlancheenteredthedining-room。
　　LadyLundieexpressedthenecessarysurprise，intheproperlygraduatedtoneofreproof，atherstep-daughter’swantofpunctuality。Blanchemadeherapologieswiththemostexemplaryhumility。Sheglidedintoherchairbyheruncle’sside，andtookthefirstthingthatwasofferedtoher。SirPatricklookedathisniece，andfoundhimselfinthecompanyofamodelyoungEnglishMiss——andmarveledinwardlywhatitmightmean。
　　Thetalk，interruptedforthemomenttopics，PoliticsandSport——andthen，whenachangewaswanted，SportandPolitics，wasresumedagainallroundthetable。Undercoveroftheconversation，andintheintervalsofreceivingtheattentionsofthegentlemen，BlanchewhisperedtoSirPatrick，“Don’tstart，uncle。Anneisinthelibrary。“PoliteMr。Smithofferedsomeham。Gratefullydeclined。“Pray，pray，praygotoher；sheiswaitingtoseeyou——sheisindreadfultrouble。“GallantMr。
　　Jonesproposedfruittartandcream。Acceptedwiththanks。“Takehertothesummer-house：I’llfollowyouwhenIgetthechance。
　　Andmanageitatonce，uncle，ifyouloveme，oryouwillbetoolate。“
　　BeforeSirPatrickcouldwhisperbackawordinreply，LadyLundie，cuttingacakeoftherichestScottishcomposition，attheotherendofthetable，publiclyproclaimedittobeher“owncake，“and，assuch，offeredherbrother-in-lawaslice。Thesliceexhibitedaneruptionofplumsandsweetmeats，overlaidbyaperspirationofbutter。IthasbeensaidthatSirPatrickhadreachedtheageofseventy——itis，therefore，needlesstoaddthathepolitelydeclinedtocommitanunprovokedoutrageonhisownstomach。
　　“MYcake!“persistedLadyLundie，elevatingthehorriblecompositiononafork。“Won’tthattemptyou？“
　　SirPatricksawhiswaytoslippingoutoftheroomundercoverofacomplimenttohissister-in-law。Hesummonedhiscourtlysmile，andlaidhishandonhisheart。
　　“Afalliblemortal，“hesaid，“ismetbyatemptationwhichhecannotpossiblyresist。Ifheisawisemortal，also，whatdoeshedo？“
　　“HeeatssomeofMycake，“saidtheprosaicLadyLundie。
　　“No!“saidSirPatrick，withalookofunutterabledevotiondirectedathissister-in-law。
　　“Hefliestemptation，dearlady——asIdonow。“Hebowed，andescaped，unsuspected，fromtheroom。
　　LadyLundiecastdownhereyes，withanexpressionofvirtuousindulgenceforhumanfrailty，anddividedSirPatrick’scomplimentmodestlybetweenherselfandhercake。
　　Wellawarethathisowndeparturefromthetablewouldbefollowedinafewminutesbytherisingoftheladyofthehouse，SirPatrickhurriedtothelibraryasfastashislamefootwouldlethim。Nowthathewasalone，hismannerbecameanxious，andhisfacelookedgrave。Heenteredtheroom。
　　NotasignofAnneSilvesterwastobeseenanywhere。Thelibrarywasaperfectsolitude。
　　“Gone!“saidSirPatrick。“Thislooksbad。“
　　Afteramoment’sreflectionhewentbackintothehalltogethishat。Itwaspossiblethatshemighthavebeenafraidofdiscoveryifshestaidinthelibrary，andthatshemighthavegoneontothesummer-housebyherself。
　　Ifshewasnottobefoundinthesummer-house，thequietingofBlanche’smindandtheclearingupofheruncle’ssuspicionsalikedependedondiscoveringtheplaceinwhichMissSilvesterhadtakenrefuge。Inthiscasetimewouldbeofimportance，andthecapacityofmakingthemostofitwouldbeapreciouscapacityatstarting。Arrivingrapidlyattheseconclusions，SirPatrickrangthebellinthehallwhichcommunicatedwiththeservants’offices，andsummonedhisownvalet——apersonoftrieddiscretionandfidelity，nearlyasoldashimself。
　　“Getyourhat，Duncan，“hesaid，whenthevaletappeared，“andcomeoutwithme。“
　　Masterandservantsetforthtogethersilentlyontheirwaythroughthegrounds。Arrivedwithinsightofthesummer-house，SirPatrickorderedDuncantowait，andwentonbyhimself。
　　Therewasnottheleastneedfortheprecautionthathehadtaken。Thesummer-housewasasemptyasthelibrary。Hesteppedoutagainandlookedabouthim。Notalivingcreaturewasvisible。SirPatricksummonedhisservanttojoinhim。
　　“Gobacktothestables，Duncan，“hesaid，“andsaythatMissLundielendsmeherpony-carriageto-day。Letitbegotreadyatonceandkeptinthestable-yard。Iwanttoattractaslittlenoticeaspossible。Youaretogowithme，andnobodyelse。
　　Provideyourselfwitharailwaytime-table。Haveyougotanymoney？“
　　“Yes，SirPatrick。“
　　“DidyouhappentoseethegovernessMissSilvesteronthedaywhenwecamehere——thedayofthelawn-party？“
　　“Idid，SirPatrick。“
　　“Shouldyouknowheragain？“
　　“Ithoughtheraverydistinguished-lookingperson，SirPatrick。
　　Ishouldcertainlyknowheragain。“
　　“Haveyouanyreasontothinkshenoticedyou？“
　　“Sheneverevenlookedatme，SirPatrick。“
　　“Verygood。Putachangeoflinenintoyourbag，Duncan——Imaypossiblywantyoutotakeajourneybyrailway。Waitformeinthestable-yard。Thisisamatterinwhicheverythingistrustedtomydiscretion，andtoyours。“
　　“Thankyou，SirPatrick。“
　　Withthatacknowledgmentofthecomplimentwhichhadbeenjustpaidtohim，Duncangravelywenthiswaytothestables；andDuncan’smasterreturnedtothesummer-house，towaitthereuntilhewasjoinedbyBlanche。
　　SirPatrickshowedsignsoffailingpatienceduringtheintervalofexpectationthroughwhichhewasnowcondemnedtopass。Heappliedperpetuallytothesnuff-boxintheknobofhiscane。Hefidgetedincessantlyinandoutofthesummer-house。Anne’sdisappearancehadplacedaseriousobstacleinthewayoffurtherdiscovery；andtherewasnoattackingthatobstacle，untilprecioustimehadbeenwastedinwaitingtoseeBlanche。
　　Atlastsheappearedinview，fromthestepsofthesummer-house；
　　breathlessandeager，hastingtotheplaceofmeetingasfastasherfeetwouldtakehertoit。
　　SirPatrickconsideratelyadvanced，tosparehertheshockofmakingtheinevitablediscovery。“Blanche，“hesaid。“Trytoprepareyourself，mydear，foradisappointment。Iamalone。“
　　“Youdon’tmeanthatyouhavelethergo？“
　　“Mypoorchild!Ihaveneverseenheratall。“
　　Blanchepushedbyhim，andranintothesummer-house。SirPatrickfollowedher。Shecameoutagaintomeethim，withalookofblankdespair。“Oh，uncle!Ididsotrulypityher!Andseehowlittlepityshehasfor_me!_“
　　SirPatrickputhisarmroundhisniece，andsoftlypattedthefairyoungheadthatdroppedonhisshoulder。
　　“Don’tletusjudgeherharshly，mydear：wedon’tknowwhatseriousnecessitymaynotpleadherexcuse。Itisplainthatshecantrustnobody——andthatsheonlyconsentedtoseemetogetyououtoftheroomandspareyouthepainofparting。Composeyourself，Blanche。Idon’tdespairofdiscoveringwhereshehasgone，ifyouwillhelpme。“
　　Blancheliftedherhead，anddriedhertearsbravely。
　　“Myfatherhimselfwasn’tkindertomethanyouare，“shesaid。
　　“Onlytellme，uncle，whatIcando!“
　　“Iwanttohearexactlywhathappenedinthelibrary，“saidSirPatrick。“Forgetnothing，mydearchild，nomatterhowtriflingitmaybe。Triflesareprecioustous，andminutesareprecioustous，now。“
　　Blanchefollowedherinstructionstotheletter，herunclelisteningwiththeclosestattention。Whenshehadcompletedhernarrative，SirPatricksuggestedleavingthesummer-house。“I
　　haveorderedyourchaise，“hesaid；“andIcantellyouwhatI
　　proposedoingonourwaytothestable-yard。“
　　“Letmedriveyou，uncle!“
　　“Forgiveme，mydear，forsayingNotothat。Yourstep-mother’ssuspicionsareveryeasilyexcited——andyouhadbetternotbeseenwithmeifmyinquiriestakemetotheCraigFernieinn。I
　　promise，ifyouwillremainhere，totellyoueverythingwhenI
　　comeback。Jointheothersinanyplantheyhavefortheafternoon——andyouwillpreventmyabsencefromexcitinganythingmorethanapassingremark。YouwilldoasItellyou？