Paul Tressalia first of all went down to Winchelsea, where he interviewed the old sexton of St. John’s Chapel, who told him exactly the same story that he had told Earle seven years before. He next sought Miss Isabel Grafton, and craved permission to peruse her father’s diary. She received him with the same graciousness that she had accorded Earle, and talked long and freely with him upon the strange, sad events of Marion Vance’s history, while he in return related much regarding Earle’s manly battling with the cold world, omitting, of course, that sad epoch wherein he, too, had suffered so much for another’s wrong. In a simple, manly fashion he mentioned the fact that the establishment of his young kinsman’s identity dethroned him from Wycliffe and one of the proudest positions in England, and Miss Grafton’s expressions of sincere regret and sympathy were the sweetest and most comforting sounds that had fallen on his ear since that night when Editha Dalton had crushed his last hope of ever winning her love. He was convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that Earle was the rightful heir, and he gave up everything to his possession without a demur; and then, out of the nobility of his nature, took upon himself the defense of Marion Vance’s character. He caused a notice of the marriage to be inserted in all the leading papers, with the date of the event, wrote a brief and simple account of the manner in which it had occurred, the wrong that had been attempted but fortunately outwitted, and how at last the real heir, her son, had been restored to his rights. It was not long after this before the whole world—Marion’s world—knew of her innocence, and immediately recognized and cordially received Earle as Marquis of Wycliffe and Viscount Wayne. This accomplished, Earle’s impatient heart told him he now might return to Editha and claim the reward of all his patient waiting, and to make one last effort to discover the criminals for whom he had so unjustly suffered. He did not dream that when he should inform Mr. Dalton of the great change in his prospects, and the position to which he had attained, he would longer withhold his consent to his marriage with his daughter; and so it was with a light heart that he left Paul Tressalia to rule at Wycliffe until his return, and set sail for the United States. The “wings of the wind” were not half rapid enough to bear him thither, for, for several weeks past, his heart had been filled with great anxiety. Editha’s letters had suddenly ceased, and though he wrote again and again, it was ever with the same result—not one came in reply. He did not for a moment doubt her constancy; he knew she simply _could not_ be untrue to him, and he was forced to believe that Mr. Dalton had discovered the fact of their correspondence, and had taken measures to stop it, in perhaps the same way that he had before intercepted her flowers.