THE STORY-TELLER

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1031, 1 February 1879, Page 3

THE STORY-TELLER

WIFE IN NAME ONLY. (Continued from Tuesday's issue). CHAPTER XL. 1 1 think/ continued the Earl, ' that this is the happiest day of my life. I must say this to yoa, Norman — that,, if I had chosen from all the world, I could not have chosen a son whom I should care for ttore than you, and that, if I had a son of my own, I should have wished him to feo like you. And now we will talk about ovtf future— l am so proud to have two •hildren to arrange for instead of one— our future that is to have no clouds. In first place, what must we do with this good foater-mother of yours, vfadaline, whoee great love for you had led to all tbia complication ? •I Know what I should like ' her ; to do,' said Lady Arleigh, gently. * Then consider it donp,' put ir> he husband, ♦ I should like her to live with me always,' said Lady Arleigh—' m any capacity —as houseki eper, or whatever she would like. She has so little happiness m her life, and she would find her happiness now m mine. Wlien her unfortunate bus band is i»ee again, she can do as she likes — cither gnabro id with him, or we can find them a cottage and keep them near as,' So it was arrangf<? ; and there were few happier women than Mar. garet Dornhim when she heard the netvs. • I thought,' she sobbed, m a broken voice, ' that, I should nt-vei be foi given; arid now I find that 1 aai to be always near to the child for whose love I would have Bacnfictd the world.' Lord Monti tdeau insisted en the fullest publicity bring given to Madeline's abduction. ' There is one thing,' he said, ' I cannot understand — aud that is bow j ou came to misunderstand each other. Why did Madeline believe that you knew all about her story when yon knew nothing about 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. Yon give me your full consent, Horman V * Certainly ; I think your proposal is wise,' Lord Arloigh replied. * Another thing, Norman — I dc net wish my daughter to go hooie to Baecbgrove uutil her story has been wade known. Then i will see that fill honour is paid to lit r.' So it was agreed ; and great was the sensation that ensued. 'Tht Ar'eigh Romance,' as it was called, was carried, from one end of tht kingdom to the other. Every newspaper was filled with it j all othet intelligence sank into insigLificancf wheu compared with it. Even th< leading journals of the day curtailec their political articles to give a ful account of the Arleigh romance But it was noticeable that m no waj whatsoever was the name of ih< Duchess of Hazlewood introduced. The story was fairly told. It re called to the minds of the publii that some time previously Lor< Arleigh had made what appeared i strange marriage, and that he ha< separated from his wife on thei wedding-day, yet paying htr suol honor and respect that no one couli poßsibly think any the worse of he for it. It reminded the world hoy puzzled it had been at the time ; au< now it give a solution of tb mystery*^ Through no act ot decef -^tion ovtgfyssß&vt of his wife, Lori ■—■-' Arieigh liad""Mie'v.ed: that he kne^ her full history ; but on thei wedding-day he found tbat she w«; to al| appearance, the daughter of man who was a convict. Thereloj wconbiuued tb,e story— the youuj

couple h«»d agreed to separate. Lord Arleigh, although loving- his wife most dearly, felt himself compelled to part from her. He preferred that his ancient and noble race should become extinct rather than that it should be tarnished by an alliance with the offspring of crime. Ludy Arleigh agreed with her husband, ami look up her abode a<" the Dower House, surrounded by every mnrkof esteem and honor. Theu the story reverted to the Earl of Monntdean's lost child, and how, at length, to the intense delight of husband and father it was discovered that Lady Arleigh was no other than the long.lost (Jauyhcer of Lord Afoautdean. As the Earl had said, the only ebscure poiut of the narrative was how Lord Arleigh had been deceived. Evidently, it was not his wife who had deceived him ; who, therefore, could it have been ? That the world was never to know. It was extraordinary how the story spread, and how great was the interest it excited. There was not a man or woman m all England who did not know it. "When the Earl deemed that full reparation had been made to his daughter, he agreed that she should go to Beechgrove. The county will ever forget that homecoming. It was on a brilliant day towards the end of July. The whole country-side was present to bid Lady Arleigh welcome — tho tenants, servants, dependents, friends ; ohildren strewed flowers m her path, flag 3 and banners waved m the sunlit air, there was a long procession with bands of music, there were evergreen arches with " Welcome Home" m monster letters. It was difficult to tell who was cheered most heartily —tho fair young wife, whose beauty won all hearts, tho noble husband, or the gallant Earl whose pride and delight m his daughter was so great. Lord Arleigh said a few words m response to this splendid reception, and he was not | ashamed of his own inability to finish what he had intended to say. There had never been such a homecoming within anyone's memory. The old house was filled with guests — all the elite of the county were there. There was a grand dinner, followed by a splendid ball, and there was feasting for the tenantry — everything that could be thought of for the amusemeut of the vast crowd. On that evening, while the festivities were at their height, Lord Arleigh and his lovely young wife stole away from their guests and went up to the picturegallery. The broad, silvery moonbeams fell on th<* spot where they had once endured such cruel anguish. The fire seemed to have paled m tho rubies round the white neck of Titian's gorgeous beauty. Lord Arleigh clasped his wife m hia arms, and then he placed her at some little distance from himse f , where the silvery moonlight fel on the fair, lovely profile, on the golden head, on the superb dress of rich white silk, and on the gleaming diamonds « My darling,' he said, ' you are a thousand times lovelier than even Titian's beauty here! Do you remember all we suffered m this spot ?' « 1 can never forget it,' she replied • But you must forget it— it is for that I brought you hither. This i* the pleasantest nook m our house, and I want you to have pleasant associations with it. Whore we suffered, hear me say .' He paused. 1 What is it/ she asked, quietly. He threw his arms round her, and drew her to his breast. ' Hear me say this, my darling— that I love you with all my heart ; that I will ao love you, truly and faithfully, until death ; and that I thank Heaven for the sweetest and best of all blessings— the gift of a good, pure, and loving wife.' (To be concluded m our next.)