"Oh, he will come back! He cannot have the heart to leave his poor little Lucia. Oh, cruel, cowardly, not to have said one word--not one word to explain all--but it was all my fault, my wicked, odious temper; and after I had seen how vexed he was, too!--Oh, Elsley, Elsley, come back, only come back, and I will beg your pardon on my knees! anything? Scold me, beat me, if you will! I deserve it all! Only come back, and let me see your face, and hear your voice, instead of leaving me here all alone, and the poor children too! Oh, what shall I say to them to-morrow, when they wake and find no father!" Valencia's indignation had no words. She could only sit on the bed, with Lucia in her arms, looking defiance at all the world above that fair head which one moment dropped on her bosom, and the next gazed up into her face in pitiful child-like pleading. "Oh, if I but knew where he was gone! If I could but find him! One word --one word would set all right! It always did, Valencia, always! He was so kind, so dear in a moment, when I put away my naughty, naughty temper, and smiled in his face like a good wife. Wicked creature that I was! and this is my punishment. Oh, Elsley, one word, one word! I must find him if I went barefoot over the mountains--I must go, I must--" And she tried to rise: but Valencia held her down, while she entreated piteously-- "I will go, and see about finding him!" she said at last as her only resource. "Promise me to be quiet here, and I will." "Quiet? Yes! quiet here!" and she threw herself upon her face on the floor. She looked up eagerly. "You will not tell Scoutbush?" "Why not?" "He is so--so hasty. He will kill him! Valencia, he will kill him! Promise me not to tell him, or I shall go mad!" And she sat up again, pressing her hands upon her head, and rocking from side to side. "Oh, Valencia, if I dared only scream! but keeping it in kills me. It is like a sword through my brain now!" "Let me call Clara." "No, no! not Clara. Do not tell her, I will be quiet; indeed I will; only come back soon, soon; for I am all alone, alone!" And she threw herself down again upon her face. Valencia went out. Certain as she was of her sister's innocence, there was one terrible question in her heart which must be answered, or her belief in all truth, goodness, religion, would reel and rock to its very foundations. And till she had an answer to that, she could not sit still by Lucia. She walked hurriedly, with compressed lips, but quivering limbs, down stairs, and into the sitting-room. Scoutbush was gone to bed. Campbell and Mellot sat chatting still. "Where is my brother?" "Gone to bed, as some one else ought to be; for it is past twelve. Is Vavasour come in yet?" "No." "Very odd," said Claude; "I never saw him after I left you." "He said certainly that he was going to find you," said Campbell. "There is no need for speculating," said Valencia quietly; "my sister has a note from Mr. Vavasour at Pen-y-gwryd."