Face to face with the past he stands,
With guilty soul, and blood-stained hands;
And his deeds rise up against him.
Too weak to win, he cannot fly,
He begs for life and fears to die,
But justice overtakes him.
The second day's search for Dorothy proved as ineffectual as the first, and yielding with ill grace to the counsel of his friends, Sir George Vernon submitted to retire from active search, and agreed to remain at Haddon while others scoured the country round for the truants.
"It is of no use," said the baron, "I cannot sleep. I shall not attempt it to-night either. It is enough that I should consent to stay at home."
"But you must have rest," expostulated Stanley, "or you will quickly break down under the strain."
"I shall stay here, I tell you," was the dogged reply, "and receive the reports as they come in. There are four or five out yet."
"Has Crowleigh returned?" asked Sir Thomas abruptly.
"Not yet; may he bring her back."
"'Tis most queer," soliloquised the young knight. "I cannot understand it, I confess. Do you suspect him, Sir George?"
"No, I don't," he replied, bluntly, "do you?"
"I do now. I suspect the whole lot of them; and that Manners and De la
Zouch are at heart at daggers drawn."