ed. The case seemed by no means so clear as Fink made it
out, but he was no longer able to weigh it dispassionately. For years
past he had yearned for the free, dignified, refined life of the upper
circles. Whenever he heard music--whenever he read of the doings of the
aristocracy, the turreted castle and the noble maiden rose before him in
the golden light of poetry. He consented to the proposal of his
experienced friend.

An hour later came the tailor, and Fink himself determined the cut of
the new suit with a technical precision which impressed the tailor no
less than it did Anton.

That afternoon, as the November sun melted away the snow, Fink, with a
large bundle of papers in his hand, loitered down the most unfrequented
streets, evidently on the look-out for some one or other. At last he
crossed over, and encountered, apparently to his surprise, two
elegantly-dressed gentlemen who were sauntering, on the opposite side.

"Ah! Fink."

"Oh, how do you do?"

"Where are you wandering to in this absent mood?" inquired young Von
Toennchen.

"I am looking," replied Fink, in a melancholy voice, "for two good
fellows who will come and drink a bottle of wine with me this gloomy
afternoon, and assist me in a little matter of business beforehand."

"What! a duel?" inquired Herr von Zernitz.

"No, fair sir," replied Fink; "you know that I have forsworn all evil
ways, and am become a hard-working man of business, a worthy son of the
firm of Fink and Becker. I only want two witnesses to a legal document,
which must be executed at once. Will you accompany me for a quarter of
an hour to the notary--for the rest of the evening to Feroni's?"

The two gentlemen were only too happy. Fink took them to a well-known
lawyer, to whom he delivered a long and important-looking document,
written in English, and setting forth that Fritz von Fink was the
lawful proprietor of the territory of Fowling-floor, in the State of New
York. This, he explained to the lawyer, he now wished to make over to
Anton Wohlfart, at present clerk in the house of T. O. Schroeter,
imploring the man of business, at the same time, to keep the matter
secret, which he duly promised; and the two witnesses attested the deed.
As they left, Fink earnestly besought them never to reveal the
circumstance to Mr. Wohlfart. They both gave him their word of honor,
evincing, however, some degree of curiosity as to the whole transaction.

"I can not explain it to you," sa