CAPT OF A B727-400 TOOK OFF WITHOUT ONE OF THE ASSIGNED CABIN ATTENDANTS DURING AN INTERMEDIATE STOP. AFTER LEARNING THAT IT WAS NOT A DEADHEADING CABIN ATTENDANT AND WITH COMPANY DIRECTION; A RETURN WAS MADE TO PICK UP THE MISSING ATTENDANT.

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WE ARRIVED AT MYR APPROX 20 MINS LATE. THE MYR GND CREW DID A GREAT TURNAROUND; AND WE WERE READY TO DEPART ON TIME. TOTAL TURNAROUND TIME WAS 18 MINS. WE HAD 4 DEADHEADING FLT ATTENDANTS THAT BOARDED IN EWR AND 97 PAX. WHEN THE GND AGENTS WANTED TO CLOSE THE DOOR FOR DEP FROM MYR; THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED ME SHE WAS READY; EXCEPT ONE OF THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS HAD GOTTEN OFF THE AIRPLANE AND SHE HAD NOT SEEN HER RETURN. I ASSUMED IT WAS ONE OF THE DEADHEADING FLT ATTENDANTS SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT; SINCE IT NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT ONE OF MY CREW WOULD DEPLANE DURING A NORMALLY SHORT TURNAROUND. I REPLIED THAT I WAS SORRY; BUT WE COULD NOT WAIT PAST DEP TIME. THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT MERELY SAID 'OKAY;' SO THE DOOR WAS CLOSED AND WE DEPARTED. IT WAS NOT UNTIL WE WERE AIRBORNE THAT I FOUND OUT IT WAS ONE OF THE 'OPERATING' CREW MEMBERS THAT HAD BEEN LEFT BEHIND. APPARENTLY; THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT RECRUITED ONE OF THE DEADHEADING FLT ATTENDANTS TO FILL IN FOR THE MISSING FLT ATTENDANT CREW MEMBER. WE WERE NEVER SHORT A FULLY QUALIFIED CREW; BUT WHAT A MONUMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDING. WE RETURNED TO MYR AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY. WE PICKED UP THE MISSING FLT ATTENDANT AND CONTINUED THE TRIP WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENCE. I JUMPED TO CONCLUSIONS HOWEVER; I WAS NEVER GIVEN ANY ADDITIONAL INFO THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ME TO REEVALUATE MY DECISION. I DO NOT KNOW ANY CAPT WHO WOULD INTENTIONALLY LEAVE ONE OF HIS/HER CREW MEMBERS.