132 TALES OF PINK AND SILK. 



dashed off into the night. ' Then they've gone to catch the 

 train there to put us off the scent.' 



" Of course we rnissed the train, but we found that no 

 lady and gentleman had gone by the express, which was 

 stopped by signal for London passengers, except Mr. and Mrs. 

 Newbold and two servants from the Priory. 



" ' They must have turned down the private road through 

 the park and gone to Bentley after all,' said Tom. 



" Sorrowfully we drove there, but could gain no tidings of 

 the runaways, as a great many folk had gone to London this 

 Saturday evening, a custom of many of our hunting people, 

 and the}?" returned either on Sunday night or Monday morning. 



" ' What is to be done, Tom ? ' I asked. 



" ' Follow them to London, sir,' he replied. 



" I shook my head. ' No use, my lad. There's only the 

 slow train at a quarter to eleven to-night, and we might as 

 well look for a needle in a bottle of straw as expect to find 

 Bess in London.' 



" ' We might go and see if Mr. Onslow is at The Lodge,' 

 he remarked, all of a sudden. 



'' ' So we will,' I replied. And off we went to The Lodge, 

 Mr. Onslow's hunting box. Trueman, the butler, answered 

 the door, and stared no little to see Avho the callers were. 



" ' Why, what on earth brings you here at this time of 

 night, Mr. Brown ? ' he asked, with surprise. 



" ' I want to see Mr. Onslow,' I said. 



" ' Well, I'm afraid you can't, to-night,' he replied, ' be- 

 cause he's gone to Sandford till Monday.' 



" ' Are you sure ? ' I asked. 



" ' Certain. I heard him tell Parker (the coachman) that 

 he wanted the carriage to catch the 9.20 express from 

 London, and he told me himself he Avas going to Sandford, 

 and would not be back till Monday morning. His horses are 

 to meet him at Becklington station, and his valet is to pack 



