true can be alleged
against them."

"The girl has disgraced herself with a tailor's son," almost screamed
Miss Lovel.

"You have been told so, but I do not believe it to be true. They
were, no doubt, brought up as children together; and Mr. Thwaite has
been most kind to both the ladies." It at once occurred to Miss Lovel
that Sir William was a Whig, and that there was in truth but little
difference between a Whig and a Radical. To be at heart a gentleman,
or at heart a lady, it was, to her thinking, necessary to be a Tory.
"It would be a thousand pities that so noble a property should pass
out of a family which, by its very splendour and ancient nobility,
is placed in need of ample means." On hearing this sentiment, which
might have become even a Tory, Miss Lovel relaxed somewhat the
muscles of her face. "Were the Earl to marry his cousin--"

"She is not his cousin."

"Were the Earl to marry the young lady who, it may be, will be proved
to be his cousin, the whole difficulty would be cleared away."

"Marry her!"

"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 c