cried.

'I tell you a fact,' he asseverated. 'The trick is played.'

'I will never believe it,' she said. 'An order in her own hand? I

will never believe it, Heinrich.'

'I swear to you,' said he.

'O, what do you care for oaths - or I either? What would you swear

by? Wine, women, and song? It is not binding,' she said. She had

come quite close up to him and laid her hand upon his arm. 'As for

the order - no, Heinrich, never! I will never believe it. I will

die ere I believe it. You have some secret purpose - what, I cannot

guess - but not one word of it is true.'

'Shall I show it you?' he asked.

'You cannot,' she answered. 'There is no such thing.'

'Incorrigible Sadducee!' he cried. 'Well, I will convert you; you

shall see the order.' He moved to a chair where he had thrown his

coat, and then drawing forth and holding out a paper, 'Read,' said

he.

She took it greedily, and her eye flashed as she perused it.

'Hey!' cried the Baron, 'there falls a dynasty, and it was I that

felled it; and I and you inherit!' He seemed to swell in stature;

and next moment, with a laugh, he put his hand forward. Give me the

dagger,' said he.

But she whisked the paper suddenly behind her back and faced him,

lowering. 'No, no,' she said. 'You and I have first a point to

settle. Do you suppose me blind? She could never have given that

paper but to one man, and that man her lover. Here you stand - her

lover, her accomplice, her master - O, I well believe it, for I know

your power. But what am I?' she cried; 'I, whom you deceive!'

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