Page:The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (emended first edition), Volume 3.djvu/201

Rh possible—barely possible, that some one might have betrayed her, and she had been taken away by force. Determined to know the worst, I hastily pocketed my two letters, and muttering something about being too late for the post, left the room, rushed into the yard and vociferously called for my horse. No one being there, I dragged him out of the stable myself, strapped the saddle on to his back and the bridle on to his head, mounted, and speedily galloped away to Woodford. I found its owner pensively strolling in the grounds.

"Is your sister gone?" were my first words as I grasped his hand, instead of the usual enquiry after his health.

"Yes; she's gone," was his answer, so calmly spoken, that my terror was at once removed.

"I suppose I mayn't know where she is?" said I, as I dismounted and relinquished my horse to the gardener, who, being the only servant within call, had been summoned by his master, from his employment of raking up the