hen you must count out the sum-total agreed upon."

"Certainly. I shall pay down the money."

"I mean the whole sum. Do you understand?"

"Undoubtedly. Don't be afraid; the money is ready; this house is bail
for more than that amount. If needs be I can pay you in gold, if needs
be in silver."

"Well," cried Kaulmann, bringing his clinched fist down on the table,
"I would never have believed that in this little town I should have
been so sold."

Csanta suspected that were he to fail in paying his first instalment
his shares might be annulled. He therefore lost no time in placing the
first thirty-five per cent. into the bank. But this was not an easy
task. To transport seventy thousand silver gulden to Vienna would
necessitate a conveyance, and not only a conveyance, but an escort of
gendarmes, and this paraphernalia would make people stare. Well, let
them stare!

When the old man descended into his cellar and looked at the casks
which contained the necessary sum, his heart beat, his limbs trembled.
These casks contained the treasure he had garnered up; his solid
capital. It was foolish, he knew, still he could not help tears coming
to his eyes as he chose seven casks from the twenty which should be
the first to go. He wept as he spoke to these children of his heart.

"You shall have no cause to reproach me, you who remain here," he
said; "those that are now leaving you shall soon return. They are
going on a safe journey, not on a wild, venturous sea, where there
would be danger of shipwreck, but on a safe railroad, to increase and
multiply. Once I have the shares in my hand, they shall not stay a
night in my possession. I shall sell them at once, and get back my
silver. The profits, too, I shall change into silver. Instead of seven
casks I shall return with nine."

In this way did the old Greek miser comfort himself for the temporary
loss of his silver pieces. He counted them that night when the day's
work was done, and then set about arranging the transport of his
treasure to Vienna.

The day before Csanta had decided upon this step the "bears" had begun
to explode their mine. It was, however, only a trial; they wanted
merely to show their teeth. Specie was in demand; if silver goes up,
paper securities fall. The seven casks from Csanta's cellar arrived
opportunely. Two wagons laden with leaden casks, and guarded by
gendarmes with drawn sabres as they went slowly through the streets,
attracted the attention