threatened foreclosure, and the financial affairs of the "mad duke,"
outwardly and apparently so prosperous, were really very desperate. The
family were seriously in danger of expulsion from Lone.

It was at this crisis that the devoted son came to the help of his
father--not wisely, as many people thought then--not fortunately, as it
turned out. To prevent his father from being compelled to leave Lone, and
to protect him from the persecution of creditors, the young Marquis of
Arondelle performed an act of self-sacrifice and filial devotion seldom
equalled in the world's history. He renounced all his own entailed
rights, and sold all his prospective life interest in Lone. His was a
young, strong life, good for fifty or sixty years longer. His interest
brought a sum large enough to pay off the mortgage on Lone and to settle
all others of his father's outstanding debts.

Thus peaceable possession of Lone might have been secured to the family
during the natural life of the duke. At the demise of the duke, instead
of descending to his son and heir, it would pass into the possession of
other parties, with whom it would remain as long the heir should live.

Thus, I say, by the sacrifice of the son the peace of the father might
have been secured--for a time. And all might have gone well at Lone but
for one unlucky event which finally set the seal on the ruin of the ducal
family.

And yet that event was intended as an honor, and considered as an honor.

In a word the Queen, the Prince Consort, and the royal family, were
coming to the Highlands. And the Duke of Hereward received an intimation
that her majesty would stop on her royal progress and honor Lone with a