n with all his
saints."

Wilhelm was weak enough to form a fresh link between himself and Pilar,
when he had just severed the old one. He wrote Schrotter's address on a
leaf of his pocketbook and gave it to Auguste, saying:

"Anything will reach me safely under that address."

They reached the cab stand in the Avenue de Villiers; Wilhelm got into
one, took the portmanteau inside, and pressed a sovereign into
Auguste's hand, who thanked him and asked where the cabman was to drive
to.

"First of all, just along the avenue," answered Wilhelm.

Auguste grinned as he repeated this order to the driver, and was just
closing the door, when there was a yelp of pain.

"Infamous beast!" cried Auguste, and gave Fido, who had followed them
unperceived, a kick. The poor animal had always been accustomed to
going with them when Wilhelm and Pilar drove out, and now was preparing
to jump into the vehicle, when he just escaped being crushed in the
door. Wilhelm stooped to give the puffing, affectionate creature a
farewell pat.

"Monsieur should take him as a souvenir," said Auguste, with
thinly-veiled sarcasm. "Nobody will take any notice of him now, in any
case."

"You are quite right," said Wilhelm, and let the dog come in. The
fiacre moved off, and Auguste looked after it for a long time, as he
whistled the latest popular air.

CHAPTER XIII.

CONSUMMATION.

It wanted but little to midday when Wilhelm came out of a hotel on the
Neuer Jungfernstieg in Hamburg, and made his way toward the Alster,
Fido trotting behind him, whose coat, for want of its accustomed daily
washing and brushing, looked sadly neglected.

The sky was thickly overcast, the air unusually mild, on account of the
prevailing west wind, and the pavement of the Jungfernstieg damp and
muddy. A thin veil of yellow fog lay over the Binnen Alster, giving the
objects far and near the indefinite, wavering appearance of a mirage.
Above the dark masses of houses to the right rose four sharp spires,
from the points of which, smoke-wreaths seemed to rise and trail away.
Far away in front the Lombardsbrucke was just distinguishable, its
three arches apparently hung with gray draperies. Swans glided lazily
in groups or singly over the muddy-looking surface of the water, or
came under the open windows of the Alster Pavilion, through which late
breakfasting guests threw them crumbs.

The small, green-painted Uhlenhorst steamer lay alongside of the second
lan