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!  Let us see.  ’Married secondly, April 1st, 1846, Lady Augusta Victoria, eldest daughter of the Earl of Banff.’  Ah, ha! that was it!  He divorced my beloved mother for the same season that the tryant Henry VIII. divorced Queen Catherine, because he was in love with another woman whom he wished to marry!”

(The study of history teaches as much knowledge of the world as does personal experience.)

“But here again,” continued the youth.  “He divorced my dear mother on the 13th of February, married his Anne Boylen on the 1st of April—­appropriate day—­and I was born on the 15th of the same month!  Yes! my angel mother and my infant self branded with infamy two months before my birth, and by the very man whom nature and law should have constrained to be our protector!  Will I ever forgive it?  No!  When I do, may Heaven never forgive me!”

As the boy made this vow he laid down the “Royal and Noble Stud-Book,” and took up the bulky letter that his mother had entrusted to him to be delivered to the Duke of Hereward.  He studied it a moment, then had a little struggle with his sense of right, and finally murmuring: