After acknowledging the receipt of Sir Patrick’s letter of inquiry, Mr. Crum began by stating all that he knew of Miss Silvester’s movements—­dating from the time when she had left the Sheep’s Head Hotel.  About a fortnight since he had received a letter from her informing him that she had found a suitable place of residence in a village near Glasgow.  Feeling a strong interest in Miss Silvester, Mr. Crum had visited her some few days afterward.  He had satisfied himself that she was lodging with respectable people, and was as comfortably situated as circumstances would permit.  For a week more he had heard nothing from the lady.  At the expiration of that time he had received a letter from her, telling him that she had read something in a Glasgow newspaper, of that day’s date, which seriously concerned herself, and which would oblige her to travel northward immediately as fast as her strength would permit.  At a later period, when she would be more certain of her own movements, she engaged to write again, and let Mr. Crum know where he might communicate with her if necessary.  In the mean time, she could only thank him for his kindness, and beg him to take care of any letters or messages which might be left for her.  Since the receipt of this communication the lawyer had heard nothing further.  He had waited for the morning’s post in the hope of being able to report that he had received some further intelligence.  The hope had not been realized.  He had now stated all that he knew himself thus far—­and he had forwarded a copy of the newspaper alluded to by Miss Silvester, on the chance that an examination of it by Sir Patrick might possibly lead to further discoveries.  In conclusion, he pledged himself to write again the moment he had any information to send.

Blanche snatched up the newspaper, and opened it.  “Let me look!” she said.  “I can find what Anne saw here if any body can!”

She ran her eye eagerly over column after column and page after page—­and dropped the newspaper on her lap with a gesture of despair.

“Nothing!” she exclaimed.  “Nothing any where, that I can see, to interest Anne.  Nothing to interest any body—­except Lady Lundie,” she went on, brushing the newspaper off her lap.  “It turns out to be all true, Arnold, at Swanhaven.  Geoffrey Delamayn is going to marry Mrs. Glenarm.”

“What!” cried Arnold; the idea instantly flashing on him that this was the news which Anne had seen.

Sir Patrick gave him a warning look, and picked up the newspaper from the floor.

“I may as well run through it, Blanche, and make quite sure that you have missed nothing,” he said.

The report to which Blanche had referred was among the paragraphs arranged under the heading of “Fashionable News.”  “A matrimonial alliance” (the Glasgow journal announced) “was in prospect between the Honorable Geoffrey Delamayn and the lovely and accomplished relict of the late Mathew Glenarm, Esq., formerly Miss Newenden.”  The marriage would, in all probability, “be solemnized in Scotland, before the end of the present autumn;” and the wedding breakfast, it was whispered, “would collect a large and fashionable party at Swanhaven Lodge.”