shortest. Let us congratulate ourselves that we each have intelligent
company, besides a charming landscape to contemplate."

The Swiss coldly bowed, and resumed his topographical studies. Fisher
lighted a cigar.

"I also desire," continued Fisher, puffing clouds of smoke in the
direction of the Teufelmuehle, "to avail myself of this opportunity to
return forty marks of yours, which reached me, I presume, by a
mistake."

"If Monsieur the American physician was not satisfied with his fee,"
rejoined Rapperschwyll, venomously, "he can without doubt have the
affair adjusted by applying to the Baron's valet."

Fisher paid no attention to this thrust, but calmly laid the gold
pieces upon the parapet, directly under the nose of the Swiss.

"I could not think of accepting any fee," he said, with deliberate
emphasis. "I was abundantly rewarded for my trifling services by the
novelty and interest of the case."

The Swiss scanned the American's countenance long and steadily with
his sharp little gray eyes. At length he said, carelessly:

"Monsieur is a man of science?"

"Yes," replied Fisher, with a mental reservation in favor of all
sciences save that which illuminates and dignifies our national game.

"Then," continued Dr. Rapperschwyll, "Monsieur will perhaps
acknowledge that a more beautiful or more extensive case of trephining
has rarely come under his observation."

Fisher slightly raised his eyebrows.

"And Monsieur will also understand, being a physician," continued Dr.
Rapperschwyll, "the sensitiveness of the Baron himself, and of his
friends upon the subject. He will therefore pardon my seeming rudeness
at the time of his discovery."

"He is smarter than I supposed," thought Fisher. "He holds all the
cards, while I have nothing--nothing, except a tolerably strong nerve
when it comes to a game of bluff."

"I deeply regret that sensitiveness," he continued, aloud, "for it had
occurred to me that an accurate account of what I saw, published in
one of the scientific journals of England or America, would excite
wide attention, and no doubt be received with interest on the
Continent."

"What you saw?" cried the Swiss, sharply. "It is false. You saw
nothing--when I entered you had not even removed the----"

Here he stopped short and muttered to himself, as if cursing his own
impetuosity. Fisher celebrated his advantage by tossing away his
half-burned cigar and lighting a fresh one.

"Since you compel me t