"Well, my lord," said Mark, "we have done our best by her; she has had a good education, and she is clever. The money sent has always been spent upon her. We love her very much, but she is not one of us, and never could be. So that it is something of a relief to us to give her back into your own hands. Doris, my dear," he continued, turning to the beautiful girl by his side, "it is of you we are speaking. You are not my daughter, my dear; my good wife here is not your mother; but we have been very fond of you since you were left a little helpless baby at our door, in the cold darkness and pouring rain." The girl's face turned deadly pale. It was no news to her--this secret which poor Mark never dreamed she knew; it had long been no secret to her. She caught her breath with a low, gasping sigh. "You have been very kind to me," she said--"very kind." "Poor child," said Mrs. Brace, gently. "You see she loves us after all, Mark." Then, for the first time, the earl turned slowly to look at his daughter. They could all see fear as well as anxiety in his eyes. At first his lips quivered, and his face grew deadly pale; then gradually every other emotion became absorbed in admiration. He came up to her and raised her face to the light; then, as the two faces looked at each other, the wonderful likeness between them became apparent. "Nay, daughter," said the earl, gently, "no need to ask Mark Brace if this be indeed my daughter. Her face tells the story--she is a Studleigh. She seems like one of the family pictures come down from its frame. Welcome, my daughter, to your father's heart and home!" And as he spoke, the earl kissed most tenderly the lovely, blushing face. CHAPTER L. "ONLY ONE OTHER PERSON KNOWS MY SECRET." Then, with the gallantry that was always natural to him, the earl placed his daughter in a chair. He turned with a smile to Mark. "I was a coward," he said, "for the second time in my life. I was afraid to look at her; now I do not see how I can look anywhere else. How am I to thank you? You have brought me the fairest and most graceful daughter in England!" "Well," said Mark, with an air of great consideration, "you see, my lord, we had nothing to do with her grace and beauty; but my wife has certainly done her best to teach the young lady little tidy ways, and such like." "I hope she has learned them," said the earl, kindly. "Mrs. Brace looks as though she could teach all goodness. And this is my daughter! Child, how like you are to me." "I am very glad, papa; am I not like mother, too?" "No," he replied, gravely, "not in the least. Thank Heaven for it!" When they heard those words they thought that he had certainly married beneath him--that his marriage had not turned out happily.