“No, she had been gone about half an hour. Well, I waited by his bedside for a long time, an hour or more--I could not say how long. When Inez arrived I went down to her, and she asked me where Miralda was. I said she had gone to her house. She had never reached there, however; and then Inez said she had something very serious to tell me. It was that Miralda had been in secret communication with you, and that as some of their friends suspected you of having betrayed them in some way, Miralda had also fallen under suspicion. She had disappeared, and one of three things must be the cause. She had been arrested, or had got into the hands of those who suspected her, or had run away with you.” “Can you fix the time the contesse was here?” “Not that first visit, but she came again about ten o’clock, bringing the news that your yacht had left the river and that it was plain that Miralda had gone with you.” So the _Stella_ had been missed, it seemed. “What I tell you is true, viscontesse; I have not seen Miralda.” “You think she has been arrested then?” “It is impossible to be certain--but I do not think it.” “Oh, but don’t tell me you believe she has fallen into the hands of any of these people who will do her mischief? They would kill her.” “Oh, no; I am certain that there is no fear of that.” I was, for it was as clear as anything could be that Barosa would not allow anything of the sort. “You are so positive. Do you know anything that makes you so?” “Yes; but I cannot tell you.” “You get to learn so much. I suppose you know that my husband has left the city.” “No. When was that?” “You warned him one afternoon that he was under suspicion; and he left the next night. He has gone to Paris.” “Would to Heaven you and Miralda had gone with him,” I exclaimed. “We were going; but Miralda was prevented.” “How prevented?” “Dr. Barosa and Inez arrived when all was ready, and after what they said to her, she told me she could not go.” “But they let the visconte go?” “And I could have gone too--but I could not leave my dear child.” I began to get a grip of the situation now. “And Vasco? Can I see him?” “He is on duty this morning. He is better. What are you going to do?” she asked as I rose. “To find Miralda.” “Pray God you may be successful. You will let me know?” With a promise to do so, I left her. I had very little doubt that I should find Miralda with Inez. She had been taken away from her home as the result of that attempt at flight; and Barosa had used Inez for the purpose. The thing must have been planned before the failure of the previous night’s scheme was known; and being uncertain of the issue, he was still afraid to break with Inez. Under other circumstances he might have employed different means--getting Miralda into his own hands; but he would shrink from rousing Inez’ jealousy until he felt strong enough to set her at defiance.