The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-02-12
Oh pTER XVIII

The reason of his separa ton from his
wife revealed, Lord Arleigh again put
the question:
DO you think, Lord Mountdean, that
l have done wrongT'
The earl looked at him.
NO" he replied, Il cannot say that
you have"
Il thought you would agree with me-
And now, Mountdean, tell me, do you see
any escape from my difficulty?''
II do not indeed replied the earl.
Il had one hope" resumed Lord Ar
leigh; "and that was that the father had
perhaps been unjustly sentenced, o. that
he might after all prove to be innocent. |
went to see him-he is one Of the convicts
working at Chatham"
"You went TO see him. echoed the earl.
in surprise.
Yes; and | gave up sill hope from the
moment / saw him. He is simply hand
some reprobate. l asked him if it was
true that he had committed the crime, and
he answered me quite frankly, Yes l
asked him if there were any extenuating
circumstances; he replied, Want of
money When l had seen and spoken to
him, felt convinced that the step | had
taken with regard to my wife was a wise
one, however cruel it may have been. No
man in his senses would voluntarily admit
a criminals daughter into his family
NO; 1t is even a harder case than l
thought it." said the earl. The only
thing / can recommend is resignation"
Lord MOuntdean thought that he would
like to see the hapless young wife, and
learn If she suffered as her husband did.
He wondered. too, what she could be like,
this convict's daughter who had been
gifted with regal dover Of grace and
bes uty-this lowly born child Of the peo-
pie who had been fair enough to charm
the fastidious Lord Arleigh
Meanwhile Madaline was all uncon-
scous of the strides that destiny was
making in her favor. She impressed upon
her mother the need of the utmost ret-
cence. Margaret Dornham understood
from the first.
Never have a moments uneasiness
Madeline" she said. From the hour |
cross your threshold until | leave your
fathers name shall never pass my lips"
1t was a little less dreary for Madaline
when her mother was with her. Though
they did not talk much, and had but few
tastes alike. Margaret was all devotion.
all attention TO her child
She was sadly at loss to understand
matters. She had quite expected to find
Madaline living AT Beechbrove- could
not ina CINE Why she was alone in WINS
ton House. The arrangement had seemed
reasonable enough while Lord Arleigh
was abroad. but now that he had returned
to England. why did he not come to his
wife. or why did not she go 10 him: She
could not understand it: and as Madaline
volunteered no explanation, her mother
asked for hone.
But, when day after day, she saw her
daughter fading away-when she saw the
fair face lose its color. the eyes their
light-when she saw the girl shrink from
the sunshine and the flowers, from all
! that was bright and beautiful. from all
that was cheerful and exhiiare ting-she
knew that her soul was sick unto death
She would look with longing eyes at the
calm, resigned face. wishing with all her
heart that she might speak. yet not dar-
ing 10 do so.
What seemed to her even more surpris-
ing was that no one appeared to think
such state Of things strange: and when
/ she had been CT Winston some few weeks
/ she discovered that. as far as the occu-
7 pants of the house We're concerned. the
condition OF matters was not viewed as
extraordinary. She offered DO re1naTA TO