show you what it is, and I will sell it to a maid in one of the hotels,
but she will surely have to give me four francs; then I will give you
one or two, and nobody will know anything about it."

"I will not take it! I will not take it!" interrupted Moni, hotly, "and
the dear Lord has heard everything you have said."

[Illustration: "_Jorgli had opened his band. In it lay a cross set with
a large number of stones_."]

Jorgli looked up to the sky: "Oh, so far away," he said skeptically;
but he immediately began to speak more softly.

"He hears you still," said Moni, confidently.

It was no longer Jorgli's secret. If he didn't know how to bring Moni to
his side, all would be lost. He thought and thought.

"Moni," he said suddenly, "I will promise you something that will
delight you, if you will not say anything to a human being about what I
have found; you really don't need to take anything for it, then you will
have nothing to do with it. If you will do as I say, I will make my
father buy Maggerli, so she will not be killed. Will you?"

A hard struggle arose in Moni. It was wrong to help keep the discovery
secret. Jorgli had opened his hand. In it lay a cross set with a large
number of stones, which sparkled in many colors. Moni realized that it
was not a worthless thing which no one would inquire about; he felt
exactly as if he himself should be keeping what did not belong to him if
he remained silent. But on the other hand was the little, affectionate