himself back in the chaise in frigid despair.

They despatched emissaries in all directions; one by the Melchester
Road, another by Shottsford-Forum, another coastwards.

But the lovers had a ten-hours' start; and it was apparent that
sound judgment had been exercised in choosing as their time of
flight the particular night when the movements of a strange carriage
would not be noticed, either in the park or on the neighbouring
highway, owing to the general press of vehicles. The chaise which
had been seen waiting at Lornton Inn was, no doubt, the one they had
escaped in; and the pair of heads which had planned so cleverly thus
far had probably contrived marriage ere now.

The fears of her parents were realized. A letter sent by special
messenger from Barbara, on the evening of that day, briefly informed
them that her lover and herself were on the way to London, and
before this communication reached her home they would be united as
husband and wife. She had taken this extreme step because she loved
her dear Edmond as she could love no other man, and because she had
seen closing round her the doom of marriage with Lord Uplandtowers,
unless she put that threatened fate out of possibility by doing as
she had done. She had well considered the step beforehand, and was
prepared to live like any other country-townsman's wife if her
father repudiated her for her action.

'D- her!' said Lord Uplandtowers, as he drove homeward that night.
'D- her for a fool!'--which shows the kind of love he bore her.

Well; Sir John had already started in pursuit of them as a matter of