Blanche's penetration was not to be deceived on such easy terms as
these. "Why not say at once that you won't tell me?" she rejoined.
"_You_ shutting yourself up with Mr. Delamayn to talk law! _You_ looking
absent and anxious about it afterward! I am a very unhappy girl!" said
Blanche, with a little, bitter sigh. "There is something in me that
seems to repel the people I love. Not a word in confidence can I get
from Anne. And not a word in confidence can I get from you. And I do so
long to sympathize! It's very hard. I think I shall go to Arnold."

Sir Patrick took his niece's hand.

"Stop a minute, Blanche. About Miss Silvester? Have you heard from her
to-day?"

"No. I am more unhappy about her than words can say."

"Suppose somebody went to Craig Fernie and tried to find out the cause
of Miss Silvester's silence? Would you believe that somebody sympathized
with you then?"

Blanche's face flushed brightly with pleasure and surprise. She raised
Sir Patrick's hand gratefully to her lips.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "You don't mean that _you_ would do that?"

"I am certainly the last person who ought to do it--seeing that you went
to the inn in flat rebellion against my orders, and that I only forgave
you, on your own promise of amendment, the other day. It is a miserably
weak proceeding on the part of 'the head of the family' to be turning
his back on his own principles, because his niece happens to be anxious