"
"But," put in Lord Mountdean, "did you never read my advertisments?"
"No, sir," she replied; "I have not been in the habit of reading
newspapers."
"It was strange that you should remain hidden in London while people
were looking for you," he said. "What was your husband's trouble, Mrs.
Dornham?"
"He committed a burglary, sir; and, as he had been convicted before, his
sentence was a heavy one."
"And my daughter, you say, is living, but not well? Where is she?"
"I will take you to her, sir," was the reply--"at once, if you will go."
"I will not lose a minute," said the earl, hastily. "It is time, Mrs.
Dornham, that you knew my name, and my daughter's also. I am the Earl of
Mountdean, and she is Lady Madaline Charlewood."
On hearing this, Margaret Dornham was more frightened than ever. She
rose from her knees and stood before him.
"If I have done wrong, my lord," she said, "I beg of you to pardon
me--it was all, as I thought, for the best. So the child whom I have
loved and cherished was a grand lady after all?"
"Do not let us lose a moment," he said. "Where is my daughter?"
"She lives not far from here; but we cannot walk--the distance is too
great," replied Margaret.
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