152 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



" No fear of that," was the reply, as the two friends and 

 Conyers descended the staircase. 



Mrs. Gordon was much vexed at hearing Beauchamp's 

 intention to leave the Priory with his father, but on his motives 

 being made known, she was constrained to admit their force, 

 and a compromise was effected by Constance remaining in his 

 place. 



The rage of Lord Mervyn on the discovery of his daughter's 

 elopement with Vernon would be difficult to describe. This 

 agreeable piece of information was communicated to him at 

 breakfast the next morning, when the housemaid, entering the 

 young lady's room to light the fire, found the bird had flown, 

 and her bed had been unoccupied. She had pleaded a bad 

 headache the night before, and retired with her maid about 

 nine o'clock, when, immediately bolting the door, she descended 

 the back staircase whilst the servants were at supper, and run- 

 ning across two fields, through which a pathway led to the 

 high road, she was there met by Yernon, with a carriage and 

 horses all in readiness. The head-keeper also now acquainted 

 his lordship with the capture of his three watchers, who had 

 been employed by Lord Yancourt in assisting to carry off Miss 

 Douglas. Lord Mervyn raged and stormed about the house 

 like a madman, accusing his servants of connivance in his 

 daughter's escape, and vowing vengeance on the whole house- 

 hold. He saw at one glance that pursuit would now, after the 

 lapse of so many hours, be useless. Betrayed, foiled, and out- 

 witted by Yernon, imprecations loud and deep were vented 

 furiously on his head. The failure also of Yancourt, with the 

 capture of his men, and the probable exposure to the world of 

 his own participation in the contemplated abduction of the 

 heiress, drove him almost to frenzy. Again, to this succeeded 

 the reflection that he had lent Lord Yancourt five hundred 

 pounds, the preceding day, to aid in his flight, which added fuel 

 to the fire that was already scorching his very brain. In every 

 direction, defeat and disgrace awaited him, and he rushed 

 from the house, like a maniac, to cool his fevered and throbbing 

 temples in the fresh air. 



Not even a transient feeling of regret for his child dwelt a 

 moment in his troubled breast, but anger only, and fierce, 

 implacable revenge against her and Yernon for the disgrace 

 they had brought upon his name. Against Beauchamp, too, 

 he vowed eternal hatred for seizing his men and defeating his 

 plans. 



