He took
the ribbon from the maid's hand--it seemed a living part of his
daughter. He remembered that he had seen it the night before on
her dress, when he had held up the beautiful face to kiss it. He
had touched that same ribbon with his face.
"She may have gone out into the grounds, and have been taken
ill," he said. "Do not frighten Airlie, mother; I will look
round myself."
He went through every room of the house one by one, but there was
no trace of her. Still Lord Earle had no fear; it seemed so
utterly impossible that any harm could have happened to her.
Then he went out into the grounds, half expecting the beautiful
face to smile upon him from under the shade of her favorite
trees. He called aloud, "Beatrice!" The wind rustled through
the trees, the birds sang, but there came no answer to his cry.
Neither in the grounds nor in the garden could he discover any
trace of her. He returned to Lady Helena, a vague fear coming
over him.
"I can not find her," he said. "Mother, I do not understand
this. She can not have left us. She was not unhappy--my
beautiful child.
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