Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-02-18
"%cruclly unjust. Let me go to her It

"cruelly unjust. Let me so to her It
once"
Pale. trembling, and frightened. Mar
garet led the way. 1t seemed to the earl
that his heart stopped beating. and IL thick
mist WAS sprcad before his eyes, that the
surging of IL deep sea filled his ears. Oh,
heaven. could it be that after all these
years he was really going to see NADIA
lines child, his own lost daughter? Very
soon he found himself looking on IL fair
face framed in golden hair, with dark
blue eyes, full of passion, poetry and sor-
row, sweet crimson lips, sensitive, and
delicate, IL face So lovely that its pure.
saint-like expression almost frightened
him. He looked at it in II passion of Won
der and grief, of love and longing; and
Ii he SAW IL shadow of fear gradually
darkcn the beautiful eyes.
"Madalinr,' he said gently; and she
looked ut him in wonder; "Madalinc," lit
repeated.
"I-I-do not know you,' she replied,
surprised.
She WAS lying, when he entered the
room. on !, little couch drawn close to the
window. the sunlight. which fell full upon
her. lighting up the golden hair and re-
fined face with unearthly beauty. When
he uttered her Mlmc. she stood mp. and
50 like her mother did she appear that it
was with difficulty he could refrain from
c~lasp:ng her in his arms. But he must
not %start!e her, he rciicctcd-iie saw how
fra gile She WAS.
You call mo Madalinc,'' she said again
-"hut ! do mt know YOU"
Before answering llel, Lord Mountdcan
turned To Margaret.
will You leave lis %alonc:" lie request
cd. but Lady .Arlcigh stretched cut her
hand.
Tint is my MOTHER" she said-"Sh,
must not Ike sent away from me-"
II will not he long away, Madeline.
You must listen 10 what this gentleman
says-and, my dear, do not let it upset
YOU"
Mrs. Dornl,am retired, closing the door
carefully behind her. and Lady Arleigb
and the earl stood looking at each other.
You call me Madeline" she said, and
you send my mother from me. What can
You have to say?' n sudden thought o.
Cured to her. elias Lord .Arlcigh sent
You to me-" she asked.
"Lord .Arlcigh!" he repeated in wonder.
"No. he has nothing to do with what l
nave to say. Sit down-you do not look
strpng-and l will tell you why l am
here"
1t never occurred to him to ask why
she had named Lord .Arleigh. He saw
her sink, half exhausted, half frightened,
upon the couch, and he sat down by her
side.
"Madalinc," he began. will YOU look at
me. and see if my face brings hack no
dream, no memory to You? Vet how fool
ish l nm to think of such Il thing How
can you remember mo when your baby.
eyes rested on me for only II few min.
utes!'
II do not remember yor." she said,
%gcntly-''1 have never seen YOU before"
"My poor child" he returned. in a tone
so full of tenderness and pain that she
was startled 10y it, this is hard!"
Won cannot lie the gentleman I used
to see sometimes in the early home that
l only just remember. who used to amuse
me by showing me his watch and take
me out for drivcs!"
mo. l never saw YOU. Madeline, as a
child left YOU when You We're three OF
four days old. l have never seen you
since, although l have spent Il fortune al.
most in searching for you"
You haNe! she said, wonderingly.
who then. are yon!'
THAT is whit ] want to tell ynu with.
out startling YOU Madaline-denr hcav.
ell. how TRANCE it seems to utter that
name again! You have always believed
that good woman who has just quilted
the room To he or mothcr:"
Yes, always" she repeated, wondering.
lN.
".And that wretched man. the convict.
You have always believed to he your faith.
err
".Always.' She repeated.
will it pain or startle You very much
to hear that they are not ever distantly
related to you-that tho woman was sim.
ply chosen as your foster-mother because
she had just lost her own child?'
II cannot believe it," she cried. trcms
bling violently. "NNho are you who tells
me this:"
II ann Hubert. Earl of Mountdcan," he
replied. "and if .:on will allow me, l will
tell you what else | am"
TEL me- she said. gently.
II am Sonr father, Madnline-and the
hest part of my life has been spent in
looking for YOU"
Ito be c%ontinued.0