He folded the shares tenderly, and locked them and the precious letter
safely up in his safe. He then sat down and wrote to his dear young
friend in Paris. Fortunately he had the address. He asked him
politely--seeing how the matter stood--to send at once some accredited
person to take over the bonds, according to their previous agreement,
and to arrange in what manner the money should be paid. As for the
outstanding interest, some compromise or arrangement could be made.

A week passed, and no answer came; but, after all, it is more than a
cat's jump from X---- to Paris.

During the week he received twice every day, morning and evening, a
telegram from Spitzhase pressing him to part with his shares, for
every day they were falling ten per cent. lower. At the end of the
week they had gone down still more. The bears had won the day.

Csanta never moved a finger. He hugged himself in his own safety; and
as for the others, their shares might go to the bottom of the sea for
all he cared. He had no shares. They were all Kaulmann's. "Take them
away, and give me back my silver!" This was his cry. "Rogue! villain!
I have you by the neck!"

The accounts that he read of the sudden collapse of the company and
the ruin of the shareholders did not in the least disturb him. The
losses of others could not affect him. On the ninth day, however, he
began to tremble. The morning's paper contained an account,
telegraphed from Paris, of the flight of the banker, Felix Kaulmann,
leaving his affairs in the uttermost confusion. This was succeeded by
a second telegram, announcing that the banker, Kaulmann, seeing that
the officers of police were on his track, had thrown himself from the
window of the railway-carriage, and had been killed instantaneously.

Csanta narrowly missed an apoplectic stroke. When he came to he
telegraphed to Spitzhase to sell all his shares for what they would
fetch.

Spitzhase answered by return:

"Too late; they are quoted at _seventy_, but this is
only nominal. There are neither buyers nor sellers.
The mine is gone; the railway is gone; everything is
gone. Why didn't you part with them a week ago, when I
advised you? Now you can put your shares in the fire,
and cook chestnuts at the blaze."

"All is over with me!" sobbed Csanta. "Let me get home; let me lie
down and die! I cannot live! I shall not be alive in three days!"

He took leave of his acquaintances; he had no f