At last the trial came on, and the people gathered from all around to witness it; among them many strangers from considerable distances.  Yes, everybody was there except the accused.  He was too feeble in body for the strain.  But Marget was present, and keeping up her hope and her spirit the best she could.  The money was present, too.  It was emptied on the table, and was handled and caressed and examined by such as were privileged.

The astrologer was put in the witness-box.  He had on his best hat and robe for the occasion.

Question.  You claim that this money is yours?

Answer.  I do.

Q. How did you come by it?

A. I found the bag in the road when I was returning from a journey.

Q. When?

A. More than two years ago.

Q. What did you do with it?

A. I brought it home and hid it in a secret place in my observatory, intending to find the owner if I could.

Q. You endeavored to find him?

A. I made diligent inquiry during several months, but nothing came of it.

Q. And then?

A. I thought it not worth while to look further, and was minded to use the money in finishing the wing of the foundling-asylum connected with the priory and nunnery.  So I took it out of its hiding-place and counted it to see if any of it was missing.  And then—­

Q. Why do you stop?  Proceed.

A. I am sorry to have to say this, but just as I had finished and was restoring the bag to its place, I looked up and there stood Father Peter behind me.

Several murmured, “That looks bad,” but others answered, “Ah, but he is such a liar!”

Q. That made you uneasy?

A. No; I thought nothing of it at the time, for Father Peter often came to me unannounced to ask for a little help in his need.

Marget blushed crimson at hearing her uncle falsely and impudently charged with begging, especially from one he had always denounced as a fraud, and was going to speak, but remembered herself in time and held her peace.

Q. Proceed.

A. In the end I was afraid to contribute the money to the foundling-asylum, but elected to wait yet another year and continue my inquiries.  When I heard of Father Peter’s find I was glad, and no suspicion entered my mind; when I came home a day or two later and discovered that my own money was gone I still did not suspect until three circumstances connected with Father Peter’s good fortune struck me as being singular coincidences.

Q. Pray name them.

A. Father Peter had found his money in a path—­I had found mine in a road.  Father Peter’s find consisted exclusively of gold ducats—­mine also.  Father Peter found eleven hundred and seven ducats—­I exactly the same.

This closed his evidence, and certainly it made a strong impression on the house; one could see that.