tragedy.
When their preparations were nearly complete for a sudden and
inexplicable disappearance, our astrologers were horrified by the
apparition, in the day time, of stars they had never consulted--stars of
this gross, lower world--stars which, in case of resistance, become
shooting stars, and which revolve, in very eccentric orbits, around the
central police station. What these portended, it needed no wisdom of
Chaldean sage to decipher--exposure, ridicule, disgrace, and the
prison. They had enjoyed their laugh at the world--now the tables would
be turned, and the world's dread laugh be raised against them.

Resistance was utterly in vain. Attired as they were, in flowing
Oriental garb, the distressed Wanderer and his faithful Selim were
hurried into a cab, which no conjuration, not even that of "the golden
eagle," could prevent from driving to the Mayor's office. Here they
beheld their former friend, Warren, evidently the "very head and front
of the offending:" he was talking to the little man of the famous will
case, who appeared to be on the verge of a violent nervous fever. The
latter wished to escape, but the lawyer was too resolute and
pertinacious to be conquered by his weak irritability, and he was
obliged to resign himself into his hands.

The exile had time allowed him to reflect upon his course of action. A
multitude of petty cases were up for examination, and the patience of
his Honor, the Mayor, was heavily taxed, especially as he knew that a
very capital dinner and excellent company were waiting for him at home.
At last this case of deception, imposture, and swindling came up in
turn; but not before the aged, wrinkled, care-worn man had whispered a
few words into the ears of the young lawyer, which made him start, and
give the other an admiring glance of surprise, as if he recognized in
him a genius of the highest order.

His Honor was angry and tired, and gave rather a savage look at the
culprits. "A case like this needs very little proof--they are arrant
swindlers, evidently--with all that foolery of dress about them! Remove
that wig and beard." The red blood rushed up to the cheeks and forehead
of poor Will Forsythe, and showed itself through the yellow dye of his
skin, as he was obliged to submit to this indignity; and he mentally
exclaimed: "If ever I pretend again to be any thing I am not, may my
head come off too!" "You appear in this case, Mr. Warren," said the
Mayor. "Let me hear what can b