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the person who entered the room at the moment Mr。 Vere was summoning
him to his presence； and who now heard with surprise； mingled with
obvious incredulity； the hasty narrative of what had befallen Isabella。
Her father concluded； addressing Sir Frederick and the other
gentlemen； who stood around in astonishment； 〃And now； my friends； you
see the most unhappy father in Scotland。 Lend me your assistance；
gentlemengive me your advice； Mr。 Ratcliffe。 I am incapable of acting；
or thinking； under the unexpected violence of such a blow。〃
〃Let us take our horses； call our attendants； and scour the country in
pursuit of the villains；〃 said Sir Frederick。
〃Is there no one whom you can suspect；〃 said Ratcliffe； gravely； 〃of
having some motive for this strange crime？ These are not the days of
romance； when ladies are carried off merely for their beauty。〃
〃I fear；〃 said Mr。 Vere； 〃I can too well account for this strange incident。
Read this letter； which Miss Lucy Ilderton thought fit to address from my
house of Ellieslaw to young Mr。 Earnscliff； whom； of all men； I have a
hereditary right to call my enemy。 You see she writes to him as the
confidant of a passion which he has the assurance to entertain for my
daughter； tells him she serves his cause with her friend very ardently； but
that he has a friend in the garrison who serves him yet more effectually。
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Look particularly at the pencilled passages； Mr。 Ratcliffe； where this
meddling girl recommends bold measures； with an assurance that his suit
would be successful anywhere beyond the bounds of the barony of
Ellieslaw。〃
〃And you argue； from this romantic letter of a very romantic young
lady； Mr。 Vere；〃 said Ratcliffe； 〃that young Earnscliff has carried off your
daughter； and committed 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 Castle
What 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
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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。
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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