Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-04-13
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CHAPTER XXVI.

Lord Arleigh felt very disconsolate that
June morning. The world was so beauti.
ful, SO bright, so fair, 1t seemed hard
that he should have no pleasure in it. II
fate had but been kinder to him! To
increase his dullness, Lord Mountdean,
who had been staying with him some days,
had suddenly disappeared. He had gone
out early in the morning, saying that be
would have long rambie in the woods
and would probably not return until noon
for luncheon. Noon had come and pass
ed. luncheon was served. yet there was nc
sign Of the earl. Lord Arleigh was no.
uneasy, but he longed for his friends so.
ciety.
At last he decided upon going in search
OF him. He had perhaps lost his way in
the woods. or he had mistaken some road
1t was high time that they looked after
him-he had been so many hours absent
without apparent cause. Lord Arleigh
whistied for his two favorite dogs, Nero
and Venus, and started out in search of
his friend
he went through the woods and dowr
the high-road, but there was no sign 81
the earl. He must have walked home b.
another route thought Lord Are;gh
and he went back to Beechgrove. He
did not find the earl there, but the groom,
"1Ap hdI DttI rlulIS IESI, was
waiting for him in the hall.
My lord" he said, II was directed to
give you this at once, and beg Of you not
to lose a moments time"
Wondering what had happened. Lord
Arleigh opened the note and read
My Dear Lord Arleigh-Something toe
wonderful for me to set down in word,
has happened. am at the Dover
House, Winston. Come at once and lose
no time. MOUNTDEAN"
AT the Dover House?" unused LORI
ArleiEh. what can 1T mean?'
Did the Earl of Mountdean send thi,
himself?" he said to the man.
Yes. my lord. He made me ride as
though for life, and ask your lordshp to
hurry in the same way"
is he hurt? Has there been any acci-
dcnt:'
Il have heard of no accident, my lord;
but, when the earl came to give me the
note. he looked wild and unsettled
Lord Arleigh gave orders that his fleet
est horse should be saddled at once, and
then he rode away.
He was SO absorbed IN thought that
more than once he had a narrow escape,
almost striking his head against the over
hanging boughs of the trees. What could
it possibly mean? Lord Mountdean at
the Dover House. He fancied some ac-
cident must have happened to him.
He had never been to the Dover House
since the night when he took his young
wife thither, and as he rode along his
thoughts recurred to that terrible even
ing. Would he see her now, he wondered,
and would she, in her shy, pretty way,
advance to meet him? 1t could not surely
be that she was i'll, and that the earl,
having heard OF 1t, had sent for him. No,
that could not be-for the note said that
something wonderful had occurred.
Speculation was evidently useless-the
only thing to be done was to hasten as
quickly as he could, and learn for him
self what It all meant. lie rode perhaps
faster than he had ever ridden in his life
s before When he reached the Dover
House the horse was bathed in foam. He
thought to himself, as he rang the bell at
the outer gate, how strange it was that
he-the husband-should be standing
there ringing for admittance.
A servant opened the gate, and Lord
Arleigh asked If the Earl of MOuntdean
was within, and was told that he was.
There is nothing the matter, / hope"
said Lord Arleigh-'nothing wrong"
The servant replied that something
strange had happened, but he could not
tell what It was. He did not think there
was anything seriously wrong. And then
Lord Arleigh entered the house where the
years Of his young wife's life had drifted
away so sadly.
Lord Arleigh was shown into the din
ing room at Winston House, and stood
there impatienty awaiting the Earl OF
Mountdean He came in at last, but the
master Of Beechgrove barely recognized
him, he was so completely changed. Years
bar faIlop him His
face was radiant with a great, glad light.
He held out his hand to his friend.
Congratulate me-" he said; Il am one
of the happiest men in the world"
What has happened? p asked Lord Ar
leigh, in surprise.
Follow me-" said the EARL and in ST.
lence Lord Arleigh obeyed him.
They came to pretty shaded room, and
the earl, entering first, said:
Now, my darling, the hour has come
which will repay you for the sorrow OF
years"
Wondering at such words, Lord Ar
keirh followed his friend. There lay his
beautiful wife, lovelier than ever, with
the sunlight touching her hair with gold,
her fair face transparent as the inner leaf
of a rose-Medaline, his darling, who had
been his wife in name only.
WHAT 010 II U1eaN! w ny Hdu tIiS S'i'
led him thither? Was 1t wanton cruelty &
or kindness? His first impulse was to /
fall on his knees by the little couch and ,
kiss his wife's hands, his second to ask
wby he had been led thither to be tor
tured so. Madaline rose with glad cry |
at his entrance, but Lord Mountdean lard !
a restraining hand on her shoulder. |
Lord Arleigh," said the earl, tell me |
who this il"
my wife. Lady Arleigh," he replied.
She bent forward with clasped hands. |
"Oh, listen, Norman" she said, lis
ten"
You looked upon her as the only won-
an you could ever love; you made her
your wife; yet believing her to be the
daughter of a felon. you sevarated from
ner. preferring lifetime of misery to the
aishonor OF your name. Is 1t not 30, Lord
Arleighf'
YES" he replied; sit Is indeed So"
Then now learn the truth. This Lady,
your wife, is not the daughter Of a con-
vict In her-how happy the telling of it
makes me-behold my daughter. the child
whom for seventeen years l have sought
ncessantly-my heiress, Lady Madaline
Charlewood, the descendant of race as
IGNORED as ancient, as noble as your
own."
Lord Arldgh listened HE one In