Blanche. An invaluable faculty! You will govern the future domestic
kingdom. Arnold will be nothing but a constitutional husband. Those are
the only husbands who are thoroughly happy. You shall hear every
thing, my love, when I come lack. Got your bag, Duncan? Good. And the
time-table? Good. You take the reins--I won't drive. I want to think.
Driving is incompatible with intellectual exertion. A man puts his
mind into his horse, and sinks to the level of that useful animal--as a
necessary condition of getting to his destination without being upset.
God bless you, Blanche! To the station, Duncan! to the station!"


CHAPTER THE TWENTY-THIRD.

TRACED.

THE chaise rattled our through the gates. The dogs barked furiously. Sir
Patrick looked round, and waved his hand as he turned the corner of the
road. Blanche was left alone in the yard.

She lingered a little, absently patting the dogs. They had especial
claims on her sympathy at that moment; they, too, evidently thought it
hard to be left behind at the house. After a while she roused herself.
Sir Patrick had left the responsibility of superintending the crossroads
on her shoulders. There was something to be done yet before the
arrangements for tracing Anne were complete. Blanche left the yard to do
it.

On her way back to the house she met Arnold, dispatched by Lady Lundie
in search of her.