"Wait," said her father, instantly. "What about Vernon? Read it."
She stopped, struck by the tone of his voice.
"What do you mean, dad?" she asked, paling a little. "Surely, you don't
mean--"
"Read it," he repeated, sternly.
She opened the book with hands suddenly tremulous.
"'Vernon, fifth earl of (created 1703),'" she read, in a low voice.
"'George Henry Augustus Gardner, K. G., K. T., P. C., F. R. S., F. S.
A.; baronet 1628; Viscount Vernon, Baron Dalberry, 1710; Viscount
Cranford, 1712; Baron Vernon, 1829; trustee of Imperial Institute; born
tenth of May, 1859; son of Lord Henry Augustus Gardner, M. P., son of
fourth Earl and Mary, daughter of Richard Chaloner, Boston, U. S. A.;
married, Catherine--'"
"Married!" cried her father, and then restrained himself, though his
face turned crimson. "But go on--perhaps she's dead."
"No, she isn't dead!" said Sue, reading a line or two farther. Then she
closed the book. "I don't understand," she said, dazedly. "I can't
understand. He didn't seem that kind of man at all, dad!"
"No," said a hoarse voice from the door. "No, he didn't."
"Nell! Nellie dear!" cried Sue, and in an instant her arms were about
her.
"It--it doesn't matter," said Nell, steadying herself against the door,
striving to still a sudden convulsive shuddering.
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