"Madam!" exclaimed Colonel Delany in surprise.
Alice blushed violently at having thought aloud. "Dear sir," said she,
"I did not know what I was saying."
"Ah, well, I suppose you are a little startled with this sudden news,"
said the Colonel, smiling; "but now it is necessary for you to examine
with us some of these papers. Ah, I crave your pardon, Mr.
Reynard--Lady Hilden, this is Mr. Reynard, late solicitor to your
deceased grandfather, the Baron----"
Great was the excitement in the neighborhood when it was noised abroad
that Alice Raymond had become a baroness, in her own right, and the
possessor of a large estate in England. And when, for the first time
since her accession to her new dignities, she appeared at church, in
deep mourning, every eye was turned upon her, and she almost sank
beneath the gaze of so many people.
In the height of the "nine days' wonder," William Dulan returned, and
was greeted by the news from every quarter.
"Oh, Alice--lost! lost! lost to me forever!" exclaimed he, in agony,
as he paced, with hurried strides, up and down the floor of his little
room. "Oh, my mother, if it were not for thee, I should pray that this
wretched heart of mine would soon be stilled in death.
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