"
"Slaves, my lord? There are none here, save one old woman, who attends
to me and the house."
"Where are they then?" asked Marcus angrily.
"The most part of them I have sent into the country, thinking it better
that they should work upon your estates rather than live here idle, and
others who were not needed I have sold."
"You were ever careful, Stephanus." Then he added by an afterthought,
"Have you any money in the house?"
The old steward looked towards Nehushta suspiciously and seeing that
she was engaged with the horses out of earshot, answered in a whisper:
"Money? I have so much of it that I know not what to do. The strong
place you know if is almost full of gold and still it comes. There
are the rents and profits of your great estates for three years; the
proceeds of the sale of slaves and certain properties, together with the
large outstanding amount that was due to my late master, the Lord Caius,
which I have at length collected. Oh! at least you will not lack for
money."
"There are other things that I could spare less readily," said Marcus,
with a sigh; "still, it may be needed. Now tie up those horses by the
fountain, and give us food, what you have, for we have ridden these
thirty hours without rest.
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