"I will throttle any one who touches me," cried the dwarf, his excitement seeming to make a different being of him.
At a sign from the officer, two men quietly bound the poor creature's hands behind his back.
Eric led Roland away. Why should he see this night-side of human nature?
Happily the Major appeared at this moment, and Eric delivered Roland to him.
"Here is a lesson for you, young man," said the Major. "Everything can be stolen from you, except your heart, when in the right place, and except what you have in your head; they can never be stolen from you. Mark that."
The officer had the servants brought before him, and questioned them as to the persons who had lately visited the villa. They mentioned the names of many, but the porter said,—
"The Herr Captain took the huntsman by himself over the whole house, and when he left he said to me, 'You guard the rich man's money and treasures, when it would be better to throw the doors wide open, and to scatter it abroad in the world.'"
Eric could not deny that the huntsman had observed everything very closely, and had talked in a confused way about the distinction of rich and poor; yet he thought he could answer for the man's honesty.
The officer made no answer, but despatched two of his men to search the house of Claus.
The huntsman smiled and shrugged his shoulders, when he saw what their intention was. Nothing was found, but in a kennel was chained a dog that barked incessantly.