d soon found their way to the
side-door where Hiram had waited for Paula. There they paused, sniffing
about on all sides, and had then jumped up a few steps.

"And those stairs lead to Paula's room," observed Neforis with a shrug.

"But they were on a false scent," the officer eagerly added. "The
little toads might have thrown suspicion on an innocent person. The
curs immediately after rushed into the stables, and ran up and down like
Satan after a lost soul. The pack had soon pulled down the boy--the son
of the freedman who came here from Damascus with the daughter of the
great Thomas--and they went quite mad in his father's room: Heaven and
earth! what a howling and barking and yelping. They poked their noses
into every old rag, and now we knew where the hole in the wine-skin
was.--I am sorry for the man. He stammered horribly, but as a trainer,
and in all that has to do with horses, all honor to him!--The shoes are
Hiram's as surely as my eyes are in my head; but we have not caught him
yet. He is across the river, for a boat is missing and where it had been
lying the dogs began again. Unless the unbelievers over there give him
shelter we are certain to have him."

"Then we know who is the criminal!" cried Orion, with a sigh as deep as
though some great burden were lifted from his soul. Then he went on in a
commanding tone--and his voice rang so fiercely that the color which had
mounted to his cheeks could hardly be due to satisfaction at this last
good news....

"As it is not yet two hours after noon, send all your men out to search
for him and deliver him up. My father will give you a warrant, and the
Arabs on the other shore will assist you. Perhaps the thief may fall
into our hands even sooner and with him the emerald, unless the rogue
has succeeded in hiding it or selling it." Then his voice sank, and he
added in a tone of regret. "It is a pity as concerns the man, we had
not one in our stables who knew more about horses! Fresh proof of your
maxim, mother: if you want to be well served you must buy rascals!"

"Strictly speaking," said Neforis meditatively, "Hiram is not one of our
people. He was a freedman of Thomas' and came here with his daughter.
Every one speaks highly of his skill in the stable; but for this robbery
we might have kept him for the rest of his life still, if the girl had
ever taken it into her head to leave us and to take him with her, we
could not have detained him.--You may say what you