Varian had what has been called “the leaping mind,” and without being unduly apprehensive, he saw trouble ahead, such as he shuddered to think about. His brother dead, there was the hysterical widow to be cared for. And Betty in hiding——
He paused, his hand on the latch of the door at the top of the stair.
Then, squaring his shoulders, he shook off his hesitation and opened the door.
He found himself in a small turret room, from which he went on to other rooms on that floor. They were, for the most part, quite evidently unoccupied bedrooms, but two gave signs of being in use by servants.
Varian paid little heed to his surroundings, but went rapidly about hunting for the missing girl.
“Betty,——” he called, softly; “Betty, dear, where are you? Don’t be afraid,—Uncle Herbert will take care of you. Come, Betty, come out of hiding.”
But there was no answer to his calls. He flung open cupboard doors, he peered into dark corners and alcoves, but he saw no trace of any one, nor heard any sound.
Two other tiny staircases led up to higher turrets, but these were empty, and search as he would he found no Betty, nor any trace of her.
Unwilling to waste what might be valuable time, Doctor Varian went downstairs again.
Then, one after another, he visited all the rooms on the second floor but found no sign of his niece.