"My friends, I am here to tell you that a foul crime has been perpetrated; but the design of the guilty party will not succeed, thanks to precautions that I took two weeks ago in the fear of this treachery. My precious Dainty has been stolen away in the hope of preventing our marriage this morning, and a false story has been circulated that she has eloped with another. But Mrs. Ellsworth has overreached herself in her eagerness to forward the interests of Miss Peyton and Miss Craye. She will realize this fact when she hears that I was married secretly to Dainty Chase two weeks ago, and--" Here he rolled his large dark eyes around the room, and gave a start of surprise, faltering, "Where are they all--my wedding guests?" The moment had come when he must learn all the cruel truth. But they broke it to him as gently and favorably as they could, leaving out all of the worst, to be told when he was strong and well again. The result was a terrible agitation, coupled with a passionate yearning to go at once in search of his missing bride. But that was impossible, said the doctors. He must remain quietly at the hospital until the incision they had made in his head healed. He took counsel with his noble friend, Doctor Platt, and the result was that two personals were sent to the leading newspapers of Virginia and West Virginia. One personal asked for news of the whereabouts of Miss Dainty Chase; the other for information regarding a marriage license issued in July to Lovelace Ellsworth and Dainty Chase. In both cases large rewards were offered, and the address was given fictitiously as "Fidelio, New York City." CHAPTER XXXVIII. GOOD NEWS. The two personals caught the eyes of Ailsa Scott the eighteenth day of April, as she was tying up a bundle in a copy of _The Richmond Times_ several days old. Her sad thoughts had been fixed on Dainty; for only to-day Miss White had called to acquaint her with Dainty's flight. She had also mentioned the girl's bad behavior and delicate condition, blaming Ailsa for having recommended such a girl to her favor. The young girl's brown eyes flashed with resentment as she answered: "Miss White, I will not allow you to speak unkindly of my dear friend. She was very unhappy, I know, and, to speak plainly, I suspected her condition some time ago; but I would not wound her feelings by referring to it, hoping that she would see fit to explain matters herself later on. But she is a noble girl, and I have not lost confidence in her by what you tell me, for I believe Dainty was secretly married, and that the truth will come out some day." "Perhaps you know where she is now? I feel very uneasy over her fate, and am sorry now that I spoke so harshly to the poor girl in my surprise!" exclaimed Miss White, softening under the influence of Ailsa's loving faith.