1 
! 
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80 THE LADY PILGRIM. 
moss, unassuming as the humblest peasant girl in 
the kingdom. And yet she was all that a true 
woman should be^ continued the earl, as his eye 
moistened over her memory. " When alone with 
me, she was blithe as the spring bird, and her heart 
was brimful of all the kindly affections of our 
nature. She is dead, and Arabella alone is left to 
me sole heiress of the honors and riches of 
my house. I would link her with the house of 
Devonshire, for I cannot bear that plebeian blood 
should ever flow through a vein which claims kin- 
dred with me ; but the girl told me last night that 
she loved one without a title one as careless of 
the world's honors as herself. Isaac Johnson ! 
Who is he ? They say that he has vast wealth 
that, in my eye, is his only recommendation. Had 
it been otherwise, I would have punished his pre- 
sumption in aspiring to the hand of my child." 
Again the earl dropped his head, and mused 
moodily. 
" My lord," said Dudley, opening the .door, and 
cautiously peering in, " a gentleman in the hall 
desires an audience with you. Shall I admit 
him ? " 
" Who is he, and what is his business at this 
hour ? " asked the earl, half angrily. " Can I never 
have a moment to spend with my own thoughts ? 
Who is it, Dudley?" 
"I do not know, for true," said the old man, 
brushing his earlocks back. " If I might hazard 
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