“Blame you?” cried Frank. “Oh, how could I, mother? But I must leave you now.”
“Leave me! At a time like this?”
“Yes, you must bear it, mother. I will come back as soon as possible; but Drew—the carriage? Even if he succeeded in deceiving the gaolers and people, what has happened since?”
“Yes, you must go,” said Lady Gowan, as she fought hard to be firm. “Go, get some news, my boy, and come back to me, even if it is to tell me the worst. Remember that I am in an agony of suspense that is killing me.”
Frank hurried out, feeling as if it was all some terrible dream, and on reaching the street he directed his steps east, to make his way to the great prison. But he turned back before he had gone many yards.
“No,” he thought; “everything must be over there, and I could not get any news. They would not listen to me.”
He walked hurriedly along, turning into the Park, and another idea came to him: the royal stables, he would go and see if the carriage had returned. If it had, he could learn from the servants all that had occurred.
He broke into a run, and was three parts of the way back to the stable-yard, seeing nothing before him, when his progress was checked by a strong arm thrown across his chest.
“Don’t stop me!” he shouted.—“You, Captain Murray!”
“Yes, I was in search of you. Have you heard?”