thought it wrong to offer them even a shilling." Sir William smiled
and rubbed his head, fixing his eyes on those of the lady. Though he
smiled she could see that there was real sadness in his face. "You
don't mean to say you doubt?" she said.

"Indeed I do."

"You think that a wicked scheme like this can succeed before an
English judge?"

"But if the scheme be not wicked? Let me tell you one or two things,
Miss Lovel;--or rather my own private opinion on one or two points.
I do not believe that these two ladies are swindlers."

"They are not ladies, and I feel sure that they are swindlers,"
said Miss Lovel very firmly, turning her face as she spoke to the
attorney.

"I am telling you, of course, merely my own opinion, and I will
beg you to believe of me that in forming it I have used all the
experience and all the caution which a long course of practice in
these matters has taught me. Your nephew is entitled to my best
services, and at the present moment I can perhaps do my duty to him
most thoroughly by asking you to listen to me." The lady closed her
lips together, and sat silent. "Whether Mrs. Murray, as we have
hitherto called her, was or was not the legal wife of the late Earl,
I will not just now express an opinion; but I am sure that she thinks
that she was. The marriage was formal and accurate. The Earl was
tried for bigamy, and acquitted. The people with whom we have to
do across the water, in Sicily, are not respectable. They cannot
be induced to come here to give evidence. An English jury will be
naturally averse to them. The question is one simply of facts for
a jury, and we cannot go beyond a jury. Had the daughter been a
son, it would have been in the House of Lords to decide which young
man should be the peer;--but, as it is, it is simply a question of
property, and of facts as to the ownership of the property. Should we
lose the case, your nephew would be--a very poor man."

"A very poor man, indeed, Sir William."

"His position would be distressing. I am bound to say that we should
go into court to try the case with very great distrust. Mr. Flick
quite agrees with me."

"Quite so, Sir William," said Mr. Flick.

Miss Lovel again looked at the attorney, closed her lips tighter than
ever, but did not say a word.

"In such cases as this prejudices will arise, Miss Lovel. It is
natural that you and your family should be prejudiced against these
ladies. For myself, I am not aware that anything