e rest went together.

On the way home, Jost had told his companions that Dietrich had made off
with himself, and that he, Jost, had told him when he saw him going that
there was doubtless good reason for his wishing to be out of the way. But
in truth Jost had not said any such thing to Dietrich!

One of the men had run at once for the doctor, and the doctor had come in
the night to the Rehbock, and had found that the two men were not dead
after all. So he had given orders that they should be let alone till they
had slept off the effect of their carouse.

In the morning, all those who had been at the Rehbock the night before,
were called together; and every one denied stoutly having any knowledge
of the cattle-dealer's money, and all were ready to be searched in proof
of their innocence. Dietrich alone was not there; he had vanished, no one
knew whither. Some one whispered, and then it was softly repeated, then
louder and louder, that Dietrich would not have taken himself off if he
had had a clear conscience; and although nobody seriously believed
Dietrich capable of a disgraceful act, yet after awhile it seemed to grow
more likely, especially when it became known that he had lost a great deal
of money in betting and gambling, and was unable to pay back what he had
lost. And many shook their heads and said, "How easy it is for a man to be
drawn into evil ways if he once begins to go down hill!"

Where Dietrich had gone, was now the important question. No trace of him
had been discovered from the moment of his disappearance. The
cattle-dealer left no stone unturned to find him, but he could get no clue
to his whereabouts. He had entered complaints against Dietrich, and hoped
that the hands of the law would succeed in getting track of him. But it
was all in vain. Gradually, no one knew how, a report got about that
Dietrich had fled to Australia, and would never come back. Little by
little every one came to believe it.

Except one. One single person in all Tannenegg was bold enough to swim
against this stream of suspicion. This was Judith. Not timidly and in
secret, but aloud, at all times and in all places, she declared decidedly,

"There's not one word of truth in what you all say. It's a lie from
beginning to end. Dietrich has no more stolen than I have, and I needn't
say more than that. I'll ferret this thing out, till I find the true
culprit, or my name's not Judith."

The first thing to do was to get a clear ac