"I am told that she is very lovely, and that pains have been taken with her education. Her mother was well born and well bred. If you would get at the truth, Miss Lovel, you must teach yourself to believe that they are not swindlers. They are no more swindlers than I am a swindler. I will go further,--though perhaps you, and the young Earl, and Mr. Flick, may think me unfit to be intrusted any longer with this case, after such a declaration,--I believe, though it is with a doubting belief, that the elder lady is the Countess Lovel, and that her daughter is the legitimate child and the heir of the late Earl." Mr. Flick sat with his mouth open as he heard this,--beating his breast almost with despair. His opinion tallied exactly with Sir William's. Indeed, it was by his opinion, hardly expressed, but perfectly understood, that Sir William had been led. But he had not thought that Sir William would be so bold and candid. "You believe that Anna Murray is the real heir?" gasped Miss Lovel. "I do,--with a doubting belief. I am inclined that way,--having to form my opinion on very conflicting evidence." Mr. Flick was by this time quite sure that Sir William was right, in his opinion,--though perhaps wrong in declaring it,--having been corroborated in his own belief by the reflex of it on a mind more powerful than his own. "Thinking as I do," continued Sir William,--"with a natural bias towards my own client,--what will a jury think, who will have no such bias? If they are cousins,--distant cousins,--why should they not marry and be happy, one bringing the title, and the other the wealth? There could be no more rational union, Miss Lovel." Then there was a long pause before any one spoke a word. Mr. Flick had been forbidden to speak, and Sir William, having made his proposition, was determined to await the lady's reply. The lady was aghast, and for awhile could neither think nor utter a word. At last she opened her mouth. "I must speak to my brother about this." "Quite right, Miss Lovel." "Now I may go, Sir William?" "Good morning, Miss Lovel." And Miss Lovel went. "You have gone farther than I thought you would, Sir William," said Mr. Flick. "I hardly went far enough, Mr. Flick. We must go farther yet if we mean to save any part of the property for the young man. What should we gain, even if we succeeded in proving that the Earl was married in early life to the old Sicilian hag that still lives? She would inherit the property then;--not the Earl." CHAPTER VI. YOXHAM RECTORY.