had grown obedient and
gentle.

"That good lady," continued Felix, "wishes you well. At her request
his excellency, Prince Theobald, has given you the post of overseer in
the new company's colony, at the yearly salary of a thousand gulden.
What do you say to that?"

What could he say? He kissed the hand of his excellency.

Kaulmann filled a large goblet to the brim with foaming champagne and
handed it to Peter.

"Toss that off," he said. "But first drink to the long life of his
excellency, our generous prince."

"And to the health of this dear lady," added the prince, gallantly, at
which the trumpets sounded shrilly, and Peter Saffran, the prince,
the banker, and Eveline drank to one another.

This scene delighted the working-men. Here was no pride, the gentlemen
clinking glasses with the common miner. This was the right spirit.

Peter Saffran, meantime, was wondering within himself which of the two
gentlemen was Eveline's husband, and in what relation did the other
stand to her? He emptied his glass and put it down again, but it did
not occur to him to put the question to either of the three, therefore
it remained unanswered.

The festival closed with a splendid display of fireworks. The sparks
from the Catherine wheels fell in a shower of molten gold into Ivan's
mine.

The following morning Saffran came to Behrend and informed him that he
had taken service with the company.

"You also?" said Ivan, bitterly. "Well, go!"

Peter was paler than ever. He had expected reproaches for his
treachery, but as none came he suddenly burst out with what had been
for some time in his mind.

"Why did you _that time_ call your friend a doctor?"

"Because he is one. He is a doctor of law."

Saffran raised his finger in a threatening manner. "Nevertheless, it
was very wrong of you to call him _that time_ a doctor." And then he
turned on his heel and went his way.

Ivan's strength of mind was more and more put to the proof. Each day
brought fresh defections. His best men left him to go over to his
enemy, who, like some horrid monster, raised large furnaces which
crushed the very life out of his smaller chimneys. His business
friends fell away from him. They looked upon him as an obstinate
fool, carrying on such an unequal fight; but the darker the outlook
the stronger grew his determination to see the affair to the bitter
end. He would not leave his old home, his own little territory; he
would carry on the unequal,