Rosalys gave a little sob.

'I _think_ perhaps she's at Celestina's,' she said. But in less time
than could have been expected back dashed Rough. No, Biddy was not, had
not been at Pier Street, but Celestina and her mother were following him
as fast as they could to the Rectory--Celestina had an idea--she would
explain it all--but she begged Mrs. Vane to send down to the shore; the
sea was out, and it was still light enough to see any one there a good
way off.

A party was at once despatched to the sands, in vain, as we know, for
by this time Mr. Mildmay had landed from his boat and was hurrying along
to calm Mrs. Vane's anxiety. He arrived there a quarter of an hour or so
after Mrs. Fairchild and her daughter, so Celestina had had time to
explain the idea which had struck her--we know what it was, and that it
was the true one--and to relate to Mrs. Vane all her reasons for
imagining it possible that self-willed, obstinate Biddy had set out on
her own account to walk to the lighthouse.

So when Mr. Mildmay appeared and told his strange story, his hearers
were able to explain what to him and Mr. Vane had seemed a complete
mystery.

'How _could_ she be so naughty?' Mrs. Vane exclaimed. But Alie touched
her gently.

'Only, dear mamma,' she whispered, 'think; she might have been drowned.'

'And so might your father, and as it is, I tremble to think what the