they only offered me my own. They were kind enough to
suggest that if I would merely break my word to you, they would tell me
how I could get the title-deeds of the houses, and thus have the power
of turning your father out into the street."

"You have the power. He would go at once if you bade him."

"I do not wish him to go. As I have told you often, he is welcome to
the use of the house. He shall have it for his life, as far as I am
concerned. But I should like to have what is my own."

"And what did you say?" Nina, as she asked the question, was very
careful not to tighten her hold upon his arm by the weight of a single
ounce.

"What did I say? I said that I had many things that I valued greatly,
but that I had one thing that I valued more than gold or houses--more
even than my right."

"And what is that?" said Nina, stopping suddenly, so that she might
hear clearly every syllable of the words which were to come. "What is
that?" She did not even yet add an ounce to the pressure; but her
fingers were ready.

"A poor thing," said Anton; "just the heart of a Christian girl."

Then the hand was tightened, or rather the two hands, for they were
closed together upon his arm; and his other arm was wound round her
waist; and then, in the gloom of the dark colonnade, he pressed her
to his bosom, and kissed her lips and her forehead, and then her lips
again. "No," he said, "they have not bribed high enough yet to get from
me my treasure--my treasure."

"Dearest, am I your treasure?"

"Are you not? What else have I that I make equal to you?" Nina was
supremely happy--triumphant in her happiness. She cared nothing for her
aunt, nothing for Lotta Luxa and her threats; and very little at the
present moment even for St Nicholas or St John of the Bridge. To be
told by her lover that she was his own treasure, was sufficient to
banish for the time all her miseries and all her fears.

"You are my treasure. I want you to remember that, and to believe it,"
said the Jew.

"I will believe it," said Nina, trembling with anxious eagerness. Could
it be possible that she would ever forget it?

"And now I will ask my questions. Where are those title-deeds?"

"Where are they?" said she, repeating his question.

"Yes; where are they?"

"Why do you ask me? And why do you look like that?"

"I want you to tell me where they are, to the best of your knowledge."

"Uncle Karil has them--or else Ziska."

"You are sure of that?"