id ironically, "At all events, I have paid the whole sum to
the parties herein named. Accordingly, I shall summon you to pay me
to-morrow and the next day."

The officer was silent for a while, and a flush slowly overspread his
sunken cheeks. At last, after a hard struggle, he began: "I beg of you,
Mr. Itzig, to give me a little more time."

Veitel took up his amber pipe and leisurely turned it round. "I can give
you no further credit," said he.

"Come, Itzig, be reasonable," said the officer, with forced familiarity.
"I shall very probably soon be able to pay you."

"You will have as little money in a few weeks' time as you have now,"
replied Veitel, rudely.

"I am ready to write an I.O.U. for a larger sum, if you will have
patience."

"I never enter into any transactions of the kind," lied Veitel.

"I will procure you an acknowledgment of the debt from my father."

"The Baron Rothsattel would obtain as little credit with me as
yourself."

The lieutenant angrily struck the floor with his sword: "And supposing I
do not pay?" he broke out; "you know that I am not legally compelled to
do so."

"I know," quietly replied Veitel. "Will you pay to-morrow and the next
day?"

"I can not!" exclaimed Eugene, in despair.

"Then take care of the coat on your back," said Veitel, turning away.

"Wohlfart was right to warn me against you," cried Eugene, beside
himself. "You are an obdurate--" he suppressed the last word.

"Speak your mind freely," said Itzig; "no one hears you. Your words are
like the fire in my stove; it crackles now, in an hour it will be burned
to ashes. What you say to me in private, the people in the street will
say to you in three days' time if you do not pay."

Eugene turned away with a curse. On reaching the door he stood still for
a moment, then rushed down stairs.

Veitel looked round triumphantly. "The son as well as the father! He,
too, is safely noosed," said he to himself; "he can never procure the
money. There is an end of the Rothsattels, and their Wohlfart will not
be able to sustain them. When I am married to Rosalie, Ehrenthal's
mortgages will be mine. That will be the time, too, for finding the
vanished notes of hand among my father-in-law's papers. Then I shall
have the baron completely in my power, and the estate will be mine."

After this soliloquy he opened the door that had shut out Mr. Hippus
from the distinguished visitor--the sunken from the sinking--and he
found the l