ine Mamsell, and the farmers.
Yes, I suspect no one, but every one ought to be named!'

"And so we did it. Yes, we mentioned even your name, Mr. Thostrup,
although we knew very well that you were guiltless of the charge; but we
would not excuse any one. The sieve stood quite entirely still until we
mentioned Eva's name, and then it moved. Not one of us actually could
believe it, and the servant Peter said also that it was because of the
draught from the chimney. We mentioned yet once more all the names, and
the sieve stood still until we came to Eva's, and then we perceived very
plainly a movement. The servant Peter at the same moment gave a great
blow to the sieve, so that it fell to the ground, and he swore that it
was a lie, and that he would answer for Eva. I would have done so too;
but yet it was very extraordinary with the sieve! Most of the folks,
however, have their own thoughts, but no one venture to express them
to the gentry who think so much of her. I cannot, however, rightly
reconcile it to myself!"

"She is innocent!" said Otto; and it amazed him that any one should
cast the slightest suspicion on Eva. He thought of German Heinrich and
Sidsel, who alone appeared to him suspicious. There then occurred to him
an experiment of which he had heard from Rosalie. It now seemed to him
available, and, physiologically considered, much more certain than that
with the sieve.

"Probably it may lead to a discovery," said he, after he had
communicated his whole plan to Sophie and the steward.

"Yes, we mast try it!" said she; "it is excellent! I also will be put to
the proof, although I am initiated into the mystery."

"Yes, you, your sister, Wilhelm, Eva, we all of us must," said Otto.
"Only I will not do the speaking: that the steward must do."

"That is proper, very proper!" replied she: "it shall be tried this
evening when it is dark."

The time came; the steward assembled the people.

"Now I know," said he, "how we shall find the thief!"

All were to remain in the first room: within a side-room, which was
quite dark, there stood in a corner on the right hand a copper kettle;
to this every person as they came in, one by one, were to go and lay
their hand down on the flat bottom of the kettle. The hand of every one
who was innocent would be brought out again white and pure, but the hand
of the criminal would be severely burned, and would become black as a
coal.

"He who now," said the steward, addressing t