ather's death have
been watching us, although it hardly seems possible, I shall follow out
the Colonel's instructions, and get rid of those particular diamonds
at once. I shall only keep them about me long enough to take them to
Amsterdam and sell them there. The Colonel said they were the finest
diamonds that he ever saw, and that he really had no idea of what they
were worth. However, that is for the future."

"Mrs. Cunningham has known this all along, Mark?"

"Not about the money affairs, but of course she knew that you were my
cousin. She brought you from India, you see, and has known all
along that the Colonel was your father. She knows it, and the family
solicitors know it, but I believe no one else, except, perhaps, Ramoo. I
am not sure whether he was in uncle's service when you were sent over in
Mrs. Cunningham's charge. He may know it or he may not, but certainly
no one else does, except, as I say, the solicitors and myself. Possibly
some other of the Colonel's old comrades knew that there was a child
born; but if they were in England and happened to hear that my father
had succeeded to the estate, they would, of course, suppose that the
child had died."

"Then," Millicent said, in a tone of relief, "there can be no reason why
anyone else should know anything about it. I will see Mr. Prendergast
when he comes down tomorrow, and beg him to say nothing about it;
15,000 pounds is quite enough for any girl; and besides, you say that my
father's greatest wish was that I was not to be married for money, and
after all the pains that have been taken, his wish will not be carried
out if I am to be made owner of the estate."

"You won't be able to persuade Mr. Prendergast to do that," Mark said,
smiling. "It is his duty simply to carry out the provisions of your
father's will, and to place you in possession of the estate; and if he
would keep silence, which he certainly won't, you don't suppose that I
would."

"Then I shall hate you, Mark."

"I don't think you will, Millicent, and I would rather that you did that
than that you should despise me. At the present moment you may think
that this estate would be only a burden to you, but some day when you
marry you might see the matter in a different light."

The girl looked at him reproachfully.

"I should never think so!" she burst out. "What would you have me do?
Live here in this great house, with only Mrs. Cunningham, while you are
going about the world seeking