at in a few days all
particulars will be known. At present the affair is causing a great
sensation."

A fashionable paper which indulged largely in personalities, also had a
telling article on Lord Arleigh's marriage. No names were mentioned, but
the references were unmistakable. A private marriage, followed by a
separation on the same day, was considered a fair mark for scandal. This
also Lady Peters read, and the duchess listened with white, trembling
lips.

"It must refer to Lord Arleigh," said Lady Peters.

"It cannot," was the rejoinder. "He was far too deeply in love with his
fair-faced bride to leave her."

"I never did quite approve of that marriage," observed Lady Peters.

"The scandal cannot be about him," declared the duchess. "We should have
heard if there had been anything wrong."

The next day a letter was handed to her. She recognized the
handwriting--it was Lord Arleigh's. She laid the note down, not daring
to read it before Lady Peters. What had he to say to her?

When she was alone she opened it.

"You will be pleased to hear, duchess, that your scheme has
entirely succeeded. You have made two innocent people who have
never harmed you as wretched as it is possible for human beings to
be. In no respect has your vengeance failed. I--your old friend,
playmate, brother, the son of your mother's dearest friend--have
been made miserable for life. Your revenge was well chosen. You
knew that, however I might worship Madaline, my wife, however much
I might love her, she could never be mistress of Beechgrove, she
could never be the mother of my children; you knew that, and
therefore I say your revenge was admirably chosen. It were useless
to comment on your wickedness, or to express the contempt I feel
for the woman who could deliberately plan such evil and distress. I
must say this, however. All friendship and acquaintance between us
is at an end. You will be to me henceforward an entire stranger. I
could retaliate. I could write and tell your husband, who is a man
of honor, of the unworthy deed you have done; but I shall not do
that--it would be unmanly. Before my dear wife and I parted, we
agreed that the punishment of your sin should be left to Heaven. So
I leave it. To a woman unworthy enough to plan such a piece of
baseness, it will be satisfaction sufficient to know that her
scheme