“Nevertheless,” said Orion, “she is incapable of baseness.”

“How zealous men can be for a pair of fine eyes!” interrupted his mother.  “But I have not the most remote suspicion of her; I have something quite different in my mind.  A pair of man’s shoes were found lying by the wounded girl.  Did you do what my lord Orion ordered, Sebek?”

“At once, Mistress,” replied the steward, “and I have been expecting the captain of the watch for some time; for Psamtik. . . .”

But here he was interrupted:  the officer in question, who for more than twenty years had commanded the Mukaukas’ guard of honor, was shown into the room; after answering a few preliminary enquiries he began his report in a voice so loud that it hurt the governor, and his wife was obliged to request the soldier to speak more gently.

The bloodhounds and terriers had been let out after being allowed to smell at the shoes, and a couple of them had 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!”