ie de la Motte Scott, his
most unhappy mother, Duchess of Hereward! and his guardian, appointed by
her--the Duke of Hereward!

Who was the Duke of Hereward? That he was a great English nobleman was
evident! But aside from that, who and what was he?

The boy was in a fever of excitement. It was of no use to ask any of his
poor Italian neighbors, for they knew less than he did. He had heard of a
mammoth London annual, called _Burke's Peerage_, which would tell
all about the living and dead nobility; but there was no copy of it
anywhere in reach.

However, his mother's dying directions had been that he should proceed at
once to England, and report himself to his guardian, that very Duke of
Hereward so mysteriously connected with his destiny.

Intense curiosity stimulating him, he hurried his departure, and after
traveling day and night arrived in London on the evening of the last day
of May.

He waited only to engage a room at Langham's and change his dress, and
partake of a slight luncheon, before he ordered a cab, drove to the
nearest bookstore, and purchased a copy of _Burke's Peerage_ for
that current year.

As soon as he found himself alone in his cab again, he tore the paper off
the book and eagerly turned to the article Hereward, and read:

"Hereward, Duke of--Archibald-Alexander-John Scott, Marquis and Earl of
Arondelle in the peerage of England, Viscount Lone and Baron Scott in the
peerage of Scotland, and a baronet; born Jan. 1st, 1795; succeeded his
father as seventh duke, Feb. 1st, 1840; married, March 15th 1845,
Valerie, only daughter of the Baron de la Motte; divorced from her grace
Feb. 13, 1846; married secondly, April 1st, 1846, Lady Augusta-Victoria,
eldest daughter of the Earl of Banff, by whom he has:

"Archibald-Alexander-John, Marquis of Arondelle."

Then followed a long list of other children, girls and boys, of whom the
only record was birth and death. Not one of them, except the young
Marquis of Arondelle, had lived to be seven years old.

Then followed the long lineage of the family, going over a glorious
history of eight centuries.

The youth glanced over the lineage, but soon recurred to the opening
paragraphs.

"'Married, March 15th, 1845, Valerie, only daughter of the Baron de la
Motte.' That was my poor, dear mother!

"'Divorced from her grace, Feb, 13th, 1846,' He divorced her, and what
for! She was a saint on earth, I know! Perhaps it was for being
_that_ she was divorced!