Wife in Name Only

d so bitterly. The secret of his title had been well kept. No one dreamed that the stranger whose visit to the little town had been such a sad one was the son of one of England's earls. Charlewoo

olute poverty there was now abundance. There were no more shabby curtains and threadbare carpets--everything was new

t Dornham was sent for. When she arrived the two gentlemen were in the parlor, and she was shown in to them. Every detail of that

range events happen in life. They might possibly b

he doctor, with a smile. "Still, as

iage certificate. Then you have here the certificates of my little daughter's birth and of my poor wife's

r and himself; then Stephen Letsom gathered them all together. Margaret Dornham saw h

e lady's identification while this lasts," h

led her to watch him so closely, while sh

aving directly, and it would be the last time that he, at least, could see the little one. There

will be three years old--she will walk and talk. You must teac

ind a friend to him, leaving something in his hand wh

ng from me every six months. I shall send you half-yearly checks--and you may expect me in three years fr

ed with a sense of liking and trust common among Englishmen who feel mor

ve my dead wife and living child here! It was a tow

ewood found that his father was better; he had been afraid of finding him dead. The old ma

"I have longed so for you. You have brought life and healing w

ewood did not dare to tell his secret; it would have been plunging his father into danger uselessly; besides which the telling of it was useless now--his beautiful wife was dead, and the child too young to be recognized or made of consequence. So he devoted himself to the earl, having decided in his own mind what steps to take. If the earl lived until little Madaline reached her third year, then he would tell him his secret; the child wou

e change that had come over his bright, handsome boy; the music had all gone from his voice, the

suddenly, "for whom

lushed. For one moment h

ife whom Heaven h

consequence of such a shock to

-one whom you did not know." An

earl placed his arm

o see you a grown man! I think--do not laugh at me, my son--

miled at the simp

have been the best of sons to me. When I die you can say to yourself that you have never once in all your life given me one moment's pain

ach word was as a dag

or well in refusing you your heart's desire; now I know that I did well, for unequal marriages never pros

Charlewood, gently. "We wi

you? tell me, my s

ay you think,

e you against marriage. I should like to see you married, my son. I should like you to love some noble, gentle lady whom I

y children so much

y, Hubert, and then, as far as you are concer

life. For two years and a half he improved, so that his son had begun to hope that he might return to England, and once more see the home he loved so dearly--Wood Lynton; and, though during this time his secret preyed upon him through every hour of every day, causing him to long to tell his father, yet he con

say his name; she could sing little baby-songs. Once, the doctor cut a long golden-brown curl from her little head and sent it to him; but when he received it the earl lay dying, and the son could not show his father his little child's

ne--I loved her so dearly, I could not help it--I married her; and she died on

owing it. He died, and was brought back to England, and buried with great pomp and magnificence; and then his son reigned in his stead, and became Earl of Mountdean. The first thing that he did after his father's funeral was to go do