“May I ask,” he said, in as calm a voice as he could command, for his own heart was too much interested in the subject to suffer him to speak altogether tranquilly—­“may I ask what are the particulars of this terrible affair, for Lord Sherbrooke’s note was very brief?  He merely told me the Lady Laura had disappeared; but he told me not where she had last been seen.”

“She was last seen walking on the terrace in the garden,” said the Duke, “just as it was becoming dusk.  The afternoon was cold, and I thought of sending for her; but she had been a good deal agitated and anxious during the day, and I did not much like to disturb her thoughts.”

“On which terrace?” demanded Wilton, eagerly.

“On the low terrace near the water,” replied the Duke.

“Good God!” exclaimed Wilton, clasping his hands, “can she have fallen into the river?” and the horrible image presented to his mind made his cheek turn as pale as ashes.  In a moment after, however, it became red again, for he marked the eye of the Earl upon him, while the slightest possible smile crept round the corners of that nobleman’s mouth.

“My apprehensions, at first, were the same as yours, my young friend,” replied the Duke.  “I was busy with other things, when one of the servants came to tell me that they thought they had heard a scream, and that their young lady was not upon the terrace, though she had not returned to the house.  We went down instantly with lights, for it was now dark; and my apprehensions of one terrible kind were instantly changed into others, by finding the large footmarks of men in the gravel, part of which was beaten up, as if there had been a struggle.  The footsteps, also, could be traced down the stone steps of the landing-place, where my own barge lies, and there was evidently the mark of a foot, loaded with gravel, on the gunwale of the boat itself, showing that somebody had stepped upon it to get into another boat.”

This intelligence greatly relieved the mind of Wilton; and at the same time, Lord Sherbrooke, who had not yet spoken a word, looked up, saying, “The Duke thinks, Wilton, that it will be better for you to go home with him, and endeavour to trace this business out from the spot itself.  One of the messengers will be sent to you immediately with a warrant, under my father’s hand, [Footnote:  It may be as well to remark here, that much of the business which is now entirely entrusted to police magistrates was then carried on by the secretaries of state and high official persons; and a “secretary’s warrant” was an instrument of very dangerous and extensive power.] to assist you in apprehending any of the participators in this business.  Do you think anything can be done to-night?”

Wilton was accustomed to read his friend’s countenance with some attention, and, from his whole tone and manner, he gathered that Lord Sherbrooke was somewhat anxious to bring the conference to an end.