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 fide to you that her grandfather increased his wealth through such schemes.”

“She does not know about that; she never heard about such things; she never cared to know them. I can swear to that.”

“If she has not cared to know them in the past, you may be certain that now, as a mistress and land-owner, she will study them all the more. Be sure that she will tax her brain to find out how to increase her estates. Nobly she will continue the work nobly begun by her forefathers.”

The harper turned pale as death.

“What do you deserve for this, the basest of all your accusations?” he hissed, trembling from head to foot.

Andrew watched his excitement with contempt, and replied:

“As I see, you are more hurt when I aim at the Countess than when I accuse you.”

“How could your remarks but hurt me, when I know how unjust they are? I have known Maria Felicia from her infancy, for I was brought up in her father’s palace. As