was walking along
the street, a large hand grasped his elbow and gently arrested his
steps. He turned.

"Well, Reisen, is that you?"

The baker answered with his wide smile. "Yes, Toctor, tat iss me, sure.
You titn't tink udt iss Mr. Richlun, tit you?"

"No. How is Richling?"

"Vell, Mr. Richlun kitten along so-o-o-so-o-o. He iss not ferra shtrong;
ovver he vurks like a shteam-inchyine."

"I haven't seen him for many a day," said Dr. Sevier.

The baker distended his eyes, bent his enormous digestive apparatus
forward, raised his eyebrows, and hung his arms free from his sides. "He
toandt kit a minudt to shpare in teh tswendy-four hourss. Sumptimes he
sayss, 'Mr. Reisen, I can't shtop to talk mit you.' Sindts Mr. Richlun
pin py my etsteplitchmendt, I tell you teh troot, Toctor Tseweer, I am
yoost meckin' monneh haynd ofer fist!" He swung his chest forward again,
drew in his lower regions, revolved his fists around each other for a
moment, and then let them fall open at his sides, with the added
assurance, "Now you kott teh ectsectly troot."

The Doctor started away, but the baker detained him by a touch:--

"You toandt kott enna verte to sendt to Mr. Richlun, Toctor!"

"Yes. Tell him to come and pass an hour with me some evening in my
library."

The German lifted his hand in delight.

"Vy, tot's yoost teh dting! Mr. Richlun alvayss pin sayin', 'I vish he
aysk me come undt see um;' undt I sayss, 'You holdt shtill, yet, Mr.
Richlun; teh next time I see um I make um aysk you.' Vell, now, titn't I
tunned udt?" He was happy.

"Well, ask him," said the Doctor, and got away.

"No fool is an utter fool," pondered the Doctor, as he went. Two friends
had been kept long apart by the fear of each, lest he should seem to be
setting up claims based on the past. It required a simpleton to bring
them together.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

TOWARD THE ZENITH.

"Richling, I am glad to see you!"

Dr. Sevier had risen from his luxurious chair beside a table, the soft
downward beams of whose lamp partly showed, and partly hid, the rich
appointments of his library. He grasped Richling's hand, and with an
extensive stride drew forward another chair on its smooth-running
casters.

Then inquiries were exchanged as to the health of one and the other. The
Doctor, with his professional eye, noticed, as the light fell full upon
his visitor's buoyant face, how thin and pale he had grown. He rose
again, and stepping beyond Richlin