scent and have now been let into the house close to the tablinum. The
dogs would not stir beyond the threshold and on the white marble step,
towards the right-hand side, the print of a man's foot was found in the
dust. It is a peculiar one, for instead of five toes there are but
three. Your Hiram was fetched in, and he was found to have the same
number of toes as the mark on the marble, neither more nor less. A horse
trod on his foot, in your father's stable, and two of his toes had to be
cut off: we got this out of the stammering wretch with some difficulty.
--On the other side of the door-way there was a smaller print, but though
the dogs paid no heed to that I examined it, and assured myself--how,
I need not tell you--that it was you who had stood there. He, who has no
business whatever in the house, must have made his way last night into
the tablinum, our treasury. Now, put yourself in the judges' place. How
can such facts be outweighed by the mere word of a girl who, as every one
knows, is on anything rather than good terms with my mother, and who will
leave no stone unturned to save her servant."

"Infamous!" cried Paula. "Hiram did not steal the gem, as you must know
who stole it. The emerald he sold was my property; and were those stones
really so much alike that even the seller. . ."

"Yes, indeed. He could not tell one from the other. Evil spirits have
been at work all through, devilish, malignant demons. It would be enough
to turn one's brain, if life were not so full of enigmas! You yourself
are the greatest.--Did you give the Syrian your emerald to sell in
order to fly from this house with the money?--You are silent? Then I am
right. What can my father be to you--you do not love my mother--and the
son!--Paula, Paula, you are perhaps doing him an injustice--you hate him,
and it is a pleasure to you to injure him."