l I
find them."

Anton looked askance at his companion as at a lunatic, and at length
replied, "Poor Veitel, you never will find them."

However, Itzig went on to say confidentially, "Never repeat what I tell
you. Those papers have been in our town; and a certain person, who is
become a very great man now, got them from an old dying beggar-man, who
gave them to him one night that he watched by his bedside."

"And do you know this man?" inquired Anton, in a tone of curiosity.

"Never mind whether I know him or not," answered the other, slyly. "I
shall find out the receipt I spoke of. And if ever you wish to have this
baron's property, horses, flocks, and his pretty daughter to boot, I'll
buy them for you, for the sake of our old friendship, and the thrashing
you once gave some of our schoolfellows on my account."

"Take care," said Anton, "that you don't turn out a thorough rascal; you
seem to me to be in the fair way."

So saying, he crossed over to the other side of the road in high
dudgeon; but Itzig took his caution with the utmost equanimity, and ever
and anon, as they passed different country-seats, gave him an account of
the names and rentals of their proprietors, so that Anton was perfectly
stupefied with the extent of his statistical information. At length both
walked on in silence.

CHAPTER III.

The Baron of Rothsattel was one of the few men whom not only the world
pronounced happy, but who believed himself to be so. The descendant of
an ancient and honorable house, he had married, out of sheer love, a
beautiful young lady without any fortune. Like a sensible man, he had
retired with her into the country, lived for his family, and within his
means. He was a thoroughly noble-hearted man, still handsome and
dignified in appearance, an affectionate husband, a hospitable host; in
short, the very model of a landed proprietor. His means were not,
indeed, very large, but he might have sold his property over and over
again for a far higher sum than the sagacious Itzig had surmised, had he
felt any inclination to do so. Two healthy, intelligent children
completed his domestic happiness; the boy was about to enter the
military career, which had been that of all his ancestors; the girl was
to remain yet a while under her mother's wing. Like all men of old
descent, our baron was a good deal given to speculate upon the past and
the future of his family. We have said that his means were not large,
and thou