Arnold naturally looked a little surprised, and asked to be favored with an explanation. Blanche took his arm and hugged it close. Now that Anne was lost, Arnold was more precious to her than ever. She literally hungered to hear at that moment, from his own lips, how fond he was of her. It mattered nothing that she was already perfectly satisfied on this point. It was so nice (after he had said it five hundred times already) to make him say it once more! “Suppose I had no explanation to give?” she said. “Would you stay behind by yourself to please me?” “I would do any thing to please you!” “Do you really love me as much as that?” They were still in the yard; and the only witnesses present were the dogs. Arnold answered in the language without words--which is nevertheless the most expressive language in use, between men and women, all over the world. “This is not doing my duty,” said Blanche, penitently. “But, oh Arnold, I am so anxious and so miserable! And it _is_ such a consolation to know that _you_ won’t turn your back on me too!” With that preface she told him what had happened in the library. Even Blanche’s estimate of her lover’s capacity for sympathizing with her was more than realized by the effect which her narrative produced on Arnold. He was not merely surprised and sorry for her. His face showed plainly that he felt genuine concern and distress. He had never stood higher in Blanche’s opinion than he stood at that moment. “What is to be done?” he asked. “How does Sir Patrick propose to find her?” Blanche repeated Sir Patrick’s instructions relating to the crossroads, and also to the serious necessity of pursuing the investigation in the strictest privacy. Arnold (relieved from all fear of being sent back to Craig Fernie) undertook to do every thing that was asked of him, and promised to keep the secret from every body.