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d　a　very　great　and　criminal　act　of　violence；　on　no　better　advice　and　assurance　than　that　of　Miss　Lucy　Ilderton？〃

〃What　else　can　I　think？〃　　said　Ellieslaw。

〃What　else　CAN　you　think？〃　　said　Sir　Frederick；　〃or　who　else　could　have　any　motive　for　committing　such　a　crime？〃

〃Were　that　the　best　mode　of　fixing　the　guilt；〃　said　Mr。　Ratcliffe；　calmly；　〃there　might　easily　be　pointed　out　persons　to　whom　such　actions　are　more　congenial；　and　who　have　also　sufficient　motives　of　instigation。　　Supposing　it　were　judged　advisable　to　remove　Miss　Vere　to　some　place　in　which　constraint　might　be　exercised　upon　her　inclinations　to　a　degree　which　cannot　at　present　be　attempted　under　the　roof　of　Ellieslaw　CastleWhat　says　Sir　Frederick　Langley　to　that　supposition？〃

〃I　say；〃　returned　Sir　Frederick；　〃that　although　Mr。　Vere　may　choose　to　endure　in　Mr。　Ratcliffe　freedoms　totally　inconsistent　with　his　situation　in　life；　I　will　not　permit　such　license　of　innuendo；　by　word　or　look；　to　be　extended　to　me；　with　impunity。〃

〃And　I　say；〃　said　young　Mareschal　of　Mareschal…Wells；　who　was　also　a　guest　at　the　castle；　〃that　you　are　all　stark　mad　to　be　standing　wrangling　here；　instead　of　going　in　pursuit　of　the　ruffians。〃

〃I　have　ordered　off　the　domestics　already　in　the　track　most　likely　to　overtake　them；〃　said　Mr。　Vere　〃if　you　will　favour　me　with　your　company；　we　will　follow　them；　and　assist　in　the　search。〃

The　efforts　of　the　party　were　totally　unsuccessful；　probably　because　Ellieslaw　directed　the　pursuit　to　proceed　in　the　direction　of　Earnscliff　Tower；　under　the　supposition　that　the　owner　would　prove　to　be　the　author　of　the　violence；　so　that　they　followed　a　direction　diametrically　opposite　to　that　in　which　the　ruffians　had　actually　proceeded。　　In　the　evening　they　returned；　harassed　and　out　of　spirits。　　But　other　guests　had；　in　the　meanwhile；　arrived　at　the　castle；　and；　after　the　recent　loss　sustained　by　the　owner　had　been　related；　wondered　at；　and　lamented；　the　recollection　of　it　was；　for　the　present；　drowned　in　the　discussion　of　deep　political　intrigues；　of　which　the　crisis　and　explosion　were　momentarily　looked　for。

Several　of　the　gentlemen　who　took　part　in　this　divan　were　Catholics；　and　all　of　them　stanch　Jacobites；　whose　hopes　were　at　present　at　the　highest　pitch；　as　an　invasion；　in　favour　of　the　Pretender；　was　daily　expected　from　France；　which　Scotland；　between　the　defenceless　state　of　its　garrisons　and　fortified　places；　and　the　general　disaffection　of　the　inhabitants；　was　rather　prepared　to　welcome　than　to　resist。　　Ratcliffe；　who　neither　sought　to　assist　at　their　consultations　on　this　subject；　nor　was　invited　to　do　so；　had；　in　the　meanwhile；　retired　to　his　own　apartment。　　Miss　Ilderton　was　sequestered　from　society　in　a　sort　of　honourable　confinement；　〃until；〃　said　Mr。　Vere；　〃she　should　be　safely　conveyed　home　to　her　father's　house；〃　an　opportunity　for　which　occurred　on　the　following　day。

The　domestics　could　not　help　thinking　it　remarkable　how　soon　the　loss　of　Miss　Vere；　and　the　strange　manner　in　which　it　had　happened；　seemed　to　be　forgotten　by　the　other　guests　at　the　castle。　　They　knew　not；　that　those　the　most　interested　in　her　fate　were　well　acquainted　with　the　cause　of　her　being　carried　off；　and　the　place　of　her　retreat；　and　that　the　others；　in　the　anxious　and　doubtful　moments　which　preceded　the　breaking　forth　of　a　conspiracy；　were　little　accessible　to　any　feelings　but　what　arose　immediately　out　of　their　own　machinations。



CHAPTER　XII。

　Some　one　way；　some　anotherDo　you　know　　Where　we　may　apprehend　her？

The　researches　after　Miss　Vere　were　（for　the　sake　of　appearances；　perhaps）　resumed　on　the　succeeding　day；　with　similar　bad　success；　and　the　party　were　returning　towards　Ellieslaw　in　the　evening。

〃It　is　singular；〃　said　Mareschal　to　Ratcliffe；　〃that　four　horsemen　and　a　female　prisoner　should　have　passed　through　the　country　without　leaving　the　slightest　trace　of　their　passage。　One　would　think　they　had　traversed　the　air；　or　sunk　through　the　ground。〃

〃Men　may　often；〃　answered　Ratcliffe；　〃arrive　at　the　knowledge　of　that　which　is；　from　discovering　that　which　is　not。　　We　have　now　scoured　every　road；　path；　and　track　leading　from　the　castle；　in　all　the　various　points　of　the　compass；　saving　only　that　intricate　and　difficult　pass　which　leads　southward　down　the　Westburn；　and　through　the　morasses。〃

〃And　why　have　we　not　examined　that？〃　　said　Mareschal。

〃O；　Mr。　Vere　can　best　answer　that　question；〃　replied　his　companion；　dryly。

〃Then　I　will　ask　it　instantly；〃　said　Mareschal；　and；　addressing　Mr。　Vere；　〃I　am　informed；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃there　is　a　path　we　have　not　examined；　leading　by　Westburnflat。〃

〃O；〃　said　Sir　Frederick；　laughing；　〃we　know　the　owner　of　Westburnflat　wella　wild　lad；　that　knows　little　difference　between　his　neighbour's　goods　and　his　own；　but；　withal；　very　honest　to　his　principles：　　he　would　disturb　nothing　belonging　to　Ellieslaw。〃

〃Besides；〃　said　Mr。　Vere；　smiling　mysteriously；　〃he　had　other　tow　on　his　distaff　last　night。　　Have　you　not　heard　young　Elliot　of　the　Heugh…foot　has　had　his　house　burnt；　and　his　cattle　driven　away；　because　he　refused　to　give　up　his　arms　to　some　honest　men　that　think　of　starting　for　the　king？〃

The　company　smiled　upon　each　other；　as　at　hearing　of　an　exploit　which　favoured　their　own　views。

〃Yet；　nevertheless；〃　resumed　Mareschal；　〃I　think　we　ought　to　ride　in　this　direction　also；　otherwise　we　shall　certainly　be　blamed　for　our　negligence。〃

No　reasonable　objection　could　be　offered　to　this　proposal；　and　the　party　turned　their　horses'　heads　towards　Westburnflat。

They　had　not　proceeded　very　far　in　that　direction　when　the　trampling　of　horses　was　heard；　and　a　small　body　of　riders　were　perceived　advancing　to　meet　them。

〃There　comes　Earnscliff；〃　said　Mareschal；　〃I　know　his　bright　bay　with　the　star　in　his　front。〃

〃And　there　is　my　daughter　along　with　him；〃　exclaimed　Vere；　furiously。　　〃Who　shall　call　my　suspicions　false　or　injurious　now？　Gentlemenfriendslend　me　the　assistance　of　your　swords　for　the　recovery　of　my　child。〃

He　unsheathed　his　weapon；　and　was　imitated　by　Sir　Frederick　and　several　of　the　party；　who　prepared　to　charge　those　that　were　advancing　towards　them。　　But　the　greater　part　hesitated。

〃They　come　to　us　in　all　peace　and　security；〃　said　Mareschal…　Wells；　〃let　us　first　hear　what　account　they　give　us　of　this　mysterious　affair。　　If　Miss　Vere　has　sustained　the　slightest　insult　or　injury　from　Earnscliff；　I　will　be　first　to　revenge　her；　but　let　us　hear　what　they　say。〃

〃You　do　me　wrong　by　your　suspicions；　Mareschal；〃　continued　Vere；　〃you　are　the　last　I　would　have　expected　to　hear　express　them。〃

〃You　injure　yourself；　Ellieslaw；　by　your　violence；　though　the　cause　may　excuse　it。〃

He　then　advanced　a　little　before　the　rest；　and　called　out；　with　a　loud　voice；〃Stand；　Mr。　Earnscliff；　or　do　you　and　Miss　Vere　advance　alone　to　meet　us。　　You　are　charged　with　having　carried　that　lady　off　from　her　father's　house；　and　we　are　here　in　arms　to　shed　our　best　blood　for　her　recovery；　and　for　bringing　to　justice　those　who　have　injured　her。〃

〃And　who　would　do　that　more　willingly　than　I；　Mr。　Mareschal？〃　said　Earnscliff；　haughtily；〃than　I；　who　had　the　satisfaction　this　morning　to　liberate　her　from　the　dungeon　in　which　I　found　her　confined；　and　who　am　now　escorting　her　back　to　the　Castle　of　Ellieslaw？〃

〃Is　this　so；　Miss　Vere？〃　　said　Mareschal。

　〃It　is；〃　answered　Isabella；　eagerly；〃it　is　so；　for　Heaven's　sake　sheathe　your　swords。　　I　will　swear　by　all　that　is　sacred；　that　I　was　carried　off　by　ruffians；　whose　persons　and　object　were　alike　unknown　to　me；　and　am　now　restored　to　freedom　by　means　of　this　gentleman's　gallant　interference。〃

〃By　whom；　and　wherefore；　could　this　have　been　done？〃　pursued　Mareschal。〃Had　you　no　knowledge　of　the　place　to　which　you　were　conveyed？Earnscliff；　where　did　you　find　this　lady？〃

But　ere　either　question　could　be　answered；　Ellieslaw　advanced；　and；　returning　his　sword　to　the　scabbard；　cut　short　the　conference。

〃When　I　know；〃　he　said；　〃exactly　how　much　I　owe　to　Mr。　Earnscliff；　he　may　rely　on　suitable　acknowledgments；　meantime；〃　taking　the　bridle　of　Miss　Vere's　horse；　〃thus　far　I　thank　him　for　replacing　my　daughter　in　the　power　of　her　natural　guardian。〃

A　sullen　bend　of　the　head　was　returned　by　Earnscliff　with　equal　haughtiness；　and　Ellieslaw；　turning　back　with　his　daughter　upon　the　road　to　his　own　house；　appeared　engaged　with　her　in　a　conference　so　earnest；　that　the　rest　of　the　company　judged　it　improper　to　intrude　by　approaching　them　too　nearly。　　In　the　meantime；　Earnscliff；　as　he　took　leave　of　the　other　gentlemen　belonging　to　Ellieslaw's　party；　said　aloud；　〃Although　I　am　unconscious　of　any　circumstance　in　my　conduct　that　can　authorize　such　a　suspicion；　I　cannot　but　observe；　that　Mr。　Vere　seems　to　believe　that　I　have　had　some　hand　in　the　atrocious　violence　which　has　been　offered　to　his　daughter。　　I　request　you；　gentlemen；　to　take　notice　of　my　explicit　denial　of　a　charge　so　dishonourable；　and　that；　although　I　can　pardon　the　bewildering　feelings　of　a　father　in　such　a　moment；　yet；　if　any　other　gentleman〃　（he　looked　hard　at　Sir　Frederick　Langley）　〃thinks　my　word　and　that　of　Miss　Vere；　with　the　evidence　of　my　friends　who　accompany　me；　too　slight　for　my　exculpation；