ER XXIV.

A CRUEL PARTING.

At the close of the war the young men of Toroczko who had served in the
national guard returned home and resumed their work in the mines and
iron foundries. The mining classes had always been exempt from military
service in the imperial army, and so the Toroczko young men had no fear
of being soon called away again from their peaceful industry.

Out of these young artisans Manasseh set about forming a guild for the
better working of the Toroczko mines. He wished to make intelligent and
skilful mining engineers of them, and so enable them to avail
themselves, more fully than they had yet done, of the mineral resources
of their native hills. And having now had some experience of military
discipline, these young men offered him material of no mean order for
his experiment. They seconded his efforts with a will, reposing the
utmost confidence in their leader, and perceiving that he knew
thoroughly what he was undertaking.

It was a great piece of good fortune for Manasseh that he had a partner
in his enterprise who was in fullest sympathy with him, and in whom he
could place the utmost trust. This partner kept the accounts of the
business in which the two had invested their all, and showed the keenest
intelligence and the most watchful vigilance in guarding their joint
interests. This expert accountant and able manager was none other than
Manasseh's wife. In the third year of her marriage, however, she had
something else to engage her attention beside iron-mining: in that year
the house of Adorjan was increased by the birth of twins,--Bela and
Ilonka, the former a likeness in miniature of his father, and the latter
a second Blanka. But their aunt Anna insisted on sharing the mother's
cares, and soon she assumed almost entire charge of the little ones,
thus enabling Blanka to resume her business duties.

In this way everything was running smoothly, when one evening there came
a government order requiring all men between certain ages to report
within three days at Karlsburg for military service; any who refused
would be treated as deserters. Three quarters of Manasseh's workmen came
under the terms of this order; but they promptly obeyed and went to
Karlsburg, where, after being found physically qualified, they were
enrolled for six years' service,--three extra years being added to the
usual term because they had neglected to report voluntarily.

This was a hard blow to Manasseh's enterpris