Ah, Master Scott--Master Scott--may the saints help us! She's gone!
She's gone! And meself sleeping like a hog the whole afternoon through!
I'll never forgive meself, Master Scott,--never, never! Oh, what'll I do?
I pray the Almighty will take my life before any harm comes to her!"

She reached Scott at the foot of the stairs and caught his hand
hysterically between her own.

Sir Eustace strode forward, white to the lips. "Stop your clatter, woman,
and answer me! How did Miss Isabel get away? Is she dressed?"

The old woman cowered back from the blazing wrath in his eyes. "Yes, your
honour! No, your honour! I mean--Yes, your honour!" she stammered, still
clinging pathetically to Scott. "I was asleep, ye see. I never knew--I
never knew!"

"How long did you sleep?" demanded Sir Eustace.

"And how am I to tell at all?" wailed Biddy. "It didn't seem like five
minutes, and I opened me eyes, and she was all quiet in the dark. And
I said to meself, 'I won't disturb the dear lamb,' and I crept into me
room and tidied meself, and made a cup o' tay. And still she kept so
quiet; so I drank me tay and did a bit of work. And then--just a minute
ago it was--I crept in and went to her thinking it was time she woke
up,--and--and--and she wasn't there, your honour. The bed was laid up,
and she was gone! Oh, what'll I do at all? What'll I do?" She burst into
wild sobs, and hid her face in her apron.

Two or three people were standing about in the vestibule. They looked at
the agitated group with interest, and in a moment a young man who had
just entered came up to Scott.

"I believe I saw your sister in the verandah this afternoon," he said.

"That's just what Rose said," broke in the Colonel. "And you wouldn't
believe me. She came out, and Dinah went to speak to her. And now the two
of them are missing. It's obvious. They must have gone off together
somewhere."

"Not up the mountain. I hope," the young man said.

"That is probably where they have gone," Scott said, speaking for the
first time. He was patting Biddy's shoulder with compassionate kindness.
"Why do you say that?"

"It's just begun to snow," the other answered. "And the mist up the
mountain path is thick."

"Damnation!" exclaimed Sir Eustace furiously. "And she may have been gone
for hours!"

"Miss Bathurst was with her," said Scott. "She would keep her head. I am
certain of that." He turned to the Colonel who stood fuming by. "Hadn't
we better organize a sea