ina felt and
knew that she was not indifferent to Orion. She had not another enemy
in the world, but Paula was one; her love had everything to fear from
her--and suddenly she asked herself whether the gold medallion she had
seen might not indeed have been a gem? Had she examined the necklace
closely, even for a moment? And why should she fancy she had sharper
sight than Orion with his large, splendid eyes?

He was right, as he always was. Most engraved gems were oval in form,
and the pendant which she had seen and was to give evidence about, was
undoubtedly oval. Then it was not like Orion to require a falsehood of
her. In any case it was her duty to her betrothed to preserve from evil,
and prevent him from concluding any alliance with that false Siren. She
knew what she had to say; and she was about to loosen a portion of her
veil from her face that she might look Paula steadfastly in the eyes,
when Orion came back to fetch her into the hall where the Court was
sitting. To his delight--nay almost to his astonishment--she stated with
perfect confidence that a gem had been hanging to Paula's necklace at
noon that day; and when the onyx was shown her and she was asked if she
remembered the stone, she calmly replied:

"It may or it may not be the same; I only remember the oval gold back
to it: besides I was only allowed to have the necklace in my hands for a
very short time."

When Nilus, the treasurer, desired her to look more closely at the
figures of Eros and Psyche to refresh her memory, she evaded it by
saying: "I do not like such heathen images: we Jacobite maidens wear
different adornments."

At this Paula rose and stepped towards her with a look of stern reproof;
little Katharina was glad now that it had occurred to her to cover her
face with a double veil. But the utter confusion she felt under the
Syrian girl's gaze did not last long. Paula exclaimed reproach fully:
"You speak of your faith. Like mine, it requires you to respect the
truth. Consider how much depends on your declaration; I implore you,
child..."

But the girl interrupted her rival exclaiming with much irritation and
vehement excitement:

"I am no longer a child, not even as compared with you; and I think
before I speak, as I was taught to do."

She threw back her little head with a confident air, and said very
decidedly:

"That onyx hung to the middle of the chain."

"How dare you, you audacious hussy!" It was Perpetua, quite unable to