he hope of extorting something from each.

The dwarf appeared, and said that a pair of boots had been stolen from
him.

"Yes," replied the officer at once, "the theft was committed in your
boots."

The dwarfs face wore a simple expression, as if he had not understood
what was meant.

The officer ordered his instant arrest. He complained piteously that
the innocent were always the ones to be suspected, and Roland begged
that the poor creature might be allowed to go free.

"I will throttle any one who touches me," cried the dwarf, his
excitement seeming to make a different being of him.

At a sign from the officer, two men quietly bound the poor creature's
hands behind his back.

Eric led Roland away. Why should he see this night-side of human
nature?

Happily the Major appeared at this moment, and Eric delivered Roland to
him.

"Here is a lesson for you, young man," said the Major. "Everything can
be stolen from you, except your heart, when in the right place, and
except what you have in your head; they can never be stolen from you.
Mark that."

The officer had the servants brought before him, and questioned them as
to the persons who had lately visited the villa. They mentioned the
names of many, but the porter said,--

"The Herr Captain took the huntsman by himself over the whole house,
and when he left he said to me, 'You guard the rich man's money and
treasures, when it would be better to throw the doors wide open, and to
scatter it abroad in the world.'"

Eric could not deny that the huntsman had observed everything very
closely, and had talked in a confused way about the distinction of rich
and poor; yet he thought he could answer for the man's honesty.

The officer made no answer, but despatched two of his men to search the
house of Claus.

The huntsman smiled and shrugged his shoulders, when he saw what their
intention was. Nothing was found, but in a kennel was chained a dog
that barked incessantly.

"Unfasten the dog's chain," said one of the men to Claus, who had
followed them through all the rooms and into the court, saying nothing,
but keeping his lips moving all the time.

"What for?"

"Because I bid you; if you don't do it at once, I shall shoot the dog
through the head."

Upon the dog being set free, the kennel was searched, and in it, under
the straw, were found Roland's watch and the jewel-hilted dagger. Claus
was immediately bound and put under arrest, in spite of his earnest