atever she would like. She has had so
little happiness in her life, and she would find her happiness now in
mine. When her unfortunate husband is free again, she can do as she
likes--either go abroad with him, or we can find them a cottage and
keep them near us."

So it was arranged; and there were few happier women than Margaret
Dornham when she heard the news.

"I thought," she sobbed, in a broken voice, "that I should never be
forgiven; and now I find that I am to be always near to the child for
whose love I would have sacrificed the world."

Lord Mountdean insisted on the fullest publicity being given to
Madaline's abduction.

"There is one thing," he said, "I cannot understand--and that is how you
came to misunderstand each other. Why did Madaline believe that you knew
all about her story when you knew nothing of it? That secret, I suppose,
you will keep to yourselves?"

"Yes," replied Lord Arleigh. "The truth is, we were both cruelly
deceived--it matters little by whom and how.'"

"That part of the story, then, will never be understood," said Lord
Mountdean. "The rest must be made public, no matter at what cost to our
feelings--there must be no privacy, no shadow over my daughter's name.
You give me your full consent, Norman?"

"Certainly; I think your proposal is very wise," Lord Arleigh replied.

"Another thing, Norman--I do not wish my daughter to go home to
Beechgrove until her story has been made known. Then I will see that all
honor is paid to her."

So it was agreed, and great was the sensation that ensued. "The Arleigh
Romance," as it was called, was carried from one end of the kingdom to
the other. Every newspaper was filled with it; all other intelligence
sank into insignificance when compared with it. Even the leading
journals of the day curtailed their political articles to give a full
account of the Arleigh romance. But it was noticeable that in no way
whatsoever was the name of the Duchess of Hazlewood introduced.

The story was fairly told. It recalled to the minds of the public that
some time previously Lord Arleigh had made what appeared a strange
marriage, and that he had separated from his wife on their wedding-day,
yet paying her such honor and respect that no one could possibly think
any the worse of her for it. It reminded the world how puzzled it had
been at the time; and now it gave a solution of the mystery. Through no
act of deception on the part of his wife, Lord Arleigh had