Gualtier began to murmur his thanks, Hilda waved her hand. "There is no need of that," said she. "It may not amount to any thing, and then your thanks will be thrown away. If it does amount to something you will share the benefit of it with me--though you can not share the revenge," she muttered, in a lower tone.
"But, after all," she continued, "I do not know that any thing can be gained by it. The conjectures which I have formed may all be unfounded."
"At any rate, I shall be able to see what the foundation is," said Gualtier.
"True," returned Hilda, rising; "and so I will go at once and get the paper."
"Have you kept it ever since?" he asked.
"What! the paper? Oh, you must not imagine that I have kept the original! No, no. I kept it long enough to make a copy, and returned the original to its place."
"Where did you find it?"
"In the General's private desk."
"Did it seem to be a paper of any importance?"
"Yes; it was kept by itself in a secret drawer. That showed its importance."