ade the statement required.

"That, at all events, is not so desperate," said Fink. "Now hear my
proposal; you can not go on as at present; this restricted establishment
is too undesirable for all parties, most of all for you. The property
may be fearfully devastated, but still it seems to me possible to make
something of it. Whether you are the people to do so or not, I will not
decide; though if you, Anton, are willing to devote some years of your
life to it, and to sacrifice yourself still further to the interests of
others, it is not impossible that, in more tranquil times, you may
succeed in procuring the necessary capital. Meantime I will advance--say
fifteen thousand dollars, and the baron will give me a mortgage for that
sum. This loan will not much diminish your income, and it will make it
easier for you to get over this bad year."

Anton rose and paced up and down uneasily.

"It won't do," cried he, at length; "we can not accept your generous
proposal. Look you, Fritz: a year ago, before I knew the man as well as
I do now, I was intensely anxious to lead our principal to take an
interest in the baron's affairs, and if you had made me this offer then,
I should have been delighted; but now I should consider it unjust to you
and to the ladies to accept your proposal."

"Shall the sofa out of Lenore's bed-room be defiled by the tobacco-ashes
of your guests? I do it now; later it will be done by the Polish
scythe-bearers."

"We must go through with it," replied Anton, mournfully.

"Headstrong boy!" cried Fink; "you shall not get rid of me thus. And now
off with you, stiff-necked Tony!"

After this conversation, Fink did not allude further to his projected
loan, but he had several confidential conversations in the course of the
following day with Karl, and when evening came, he said to the baron,
"May I request you to lend me your horse to-morrow? He is an old
acquaintance of mine. I should like to ride over your property. Do not
be angry with me, dear lady, if I fail to make my appearance at dinner."

"He is rich; he is come here to buy," said the baron to himself. "This
Wohlfart has told his friend that there is a bargain to be made in this
quarter. The speculation is beginning; I must be cautious."

CHAPTER XXXIV.

It was a sunny morning in April--one of those genial growing days that
expand the leaf-bud on the trees, and quicken the throbs of the human
heart. Lenore went with hat and parasol o