since you left, but walks up and down the garden as one
distraught, muttering to himself, and sometimes even drawing his
sword and thrusting it at an invisible enemy. He is up,
mademoiselle. He has never gone to his bed since you were
missing."

As he spoke, the door of the house opened, and the baron hurried
out, with the question, "What is it, Eustace?"

Then, as his eye fell on his daughter, he gave a hoarse cry, and
for a moment swayed, as if he would have fallen. His daughter ran
up to him, and threw her arms round his neck.

"Do you return to me safe and well?" he asked, as, after a long
embrace, he stepped back and gazed into her face.

"Quite safe and well, father."

"The Lord be praised!" the baron exclaimed, and, dropping into a
garden seat by his side, he burst into a passion of sobbing.

As soon as he had appeared, Desmond had handed over the old woman
to Eustace.

"She is a prisoner--keep a watch over her," he said. "She can tell
much. We will take the carriage round to a stable, and must then
return at once to Paris, where I must be on duty at seven. Please
inform the baron that I shall do myself the honour of calling,
tomorrow, to enquire whether Mademoiselle Pointdexter has suffered
from the effects of the fatigue and excitement. Express my regret