ner of this explanation.'

"The old man spoke with deep feeling and with tears in his eyes, but
they were tears of joy at seeing your innocence proved.

"'Anthony,' said my mother, 'I believe you are perfectly right, and now
I remember quite distinctly that very often these birds came from the
top of this tree to my window, that the sash was open when the ring
disappeared, that the table on which I put the ring was close to the
window, and that, after having shut the door and bolted it, I went into
the next room, where I stayed for some time. No doubt one of these
mischievous birds saw the ring from his nest, and, while I was in the
other room, he must have darted in and carried it off.'

"My father was deeply troubled at the conviction, which he could not
resist, that you and your father had been unjustly condemned.

"'My heart is almost broken,' said he, 'for having done these good
people so much injury. My only consolation is that it was not done from
ill-will, but in ignorance and error.'

"My father now turned to Juliette, who in the universal rejoicing at
the discovery of the ring remained silent and pale.

"'False woman,' said he, 'deceitful servant! How could you have the
hardihood to lie to me and to the judge, and to compel us to commit an
action unwillingly, the iniquity of which now calls for vengeance? What
tempted you to plunge into suffering an old and honest man, and his
poor and virtuous daughter?'

"'Officers, do your duty,' he said to two constables, who had assisted
in cutting down the tree, and who now approached the unhappy Juliette
to carry out my father's orders. 'Let her be put in chains,' he added,
in a grave tone,--'the same chains that Mary wore,--and let her be
thrown into the same prison in which she caused Mary to languish. She
must suffer all that Mary suffered, only that, unlike Mary, she has
deserved it. What she has been able to hoard of money or clothes shall
be taken from her, to compensate, if it be possible, the unhappy old
man and his daughter who have had to suffer an unjust sentence. The
officer who conducted Mary out of my dominions shall also conduct
Juliette, just as she is, to the same place.'

"No one had ever seen my father so exasperated, never had any one heard
him speak in such passionate tones. For a while every one was silent,
but at last the officers and servants gave voice to their sentiments
and thoughts.

"'It is well done,' said one of the officers, sei