it far off, tapped it with a small hammer
that he took out of his breast-pocket, slipped it into its place in the
work, examining it keenly, suspiciously, and at last with satisfaction.
During all this, Orion had more than once turned pale, and the sweat
broke out on his handsome, pale face. Had a miracle been wrought here?
How could this gem, which was surely on its way to Alexandria, have
found its way into the Jew's hands? Or could Chusar have opened the
little packet and have sold the emerald to Hiram, and through him to
the jeweller? He must get to the bottom of it, and while the Arab
was examining the gem he went up to Gamaliel and asked him: "Are you
positively certain--it is a matter of freedom or the dungeon--certain
that you had this stone from Hiram the Syrian and from no one else? I
mean, is the man so well-known to you that no mistake is possible?"

"God preserve us!" exclaimed the Jew drawing back a step from Orion, who
was gazing at him with a sinister light in his eyes. "How can my lord
doubt it? Your respected father has known me these thirty years, and do
you suppose that I--I do not know the Syrian? Why, who in Memphis can
stammer to compare with him? And has he not killed half my children
with your wild young horses?--Half killed every one of my children I
mean--half killed them, I say, with fright. They are all still alive and
well, God preserve them, but none the better for your horsebreaker; for
fresh air is good for children and my little Rebecca would stop indoors
till he was at home again for fear of his terrifying pranks."

"Well, well!" Orion broke in. "And at what hour did he bring you the
emerald for sale? Exactly. Now, recollect: when was it? You surely must
remember."

"Adonai! How should I?" said the Jew. "But wait, Sir, perhaps I may be
able to tell you. In this hot weather we are up before sunrise; then we
said our prayers and had our morning broth; then...."

"Senseless chatter!" urged Orion. But Gamaliel went on without allowing
himself to be checked. "Then little Ruth jumped into my lap to pull out
the white hairs that will grow under my nose and, just as the child was
doing it and I cried out: 'Oh, you hurt me!' the sun fell upon the earth
bank on which I was sitting."

"And at what time does it reach the bank?" cried the young man.

"Exactly two hours after sunrise," replied the Jew, "at this time of
year. Do me the honor of a visit tomorrow morning; you will not regret
it,