our husband! He might have warded off this
misfortune and saved you by his experience and advice."

"For this very reason I demanded your removal. You permitted yourself to
proffer advice which I felt did not become you," replied Marie, with a
strange smile of triumph.

"And, I repeat, would that you had not done it!" sighed the old man.
"I came to warn you, to conjure you, to save yourselves--to flee while
there is yet time."

"Oh, mercy! what has happened?" cried Ebenstreit, terrified.

"The banking-house of Ebenstreit, founded under the name of Ludwig,
associated with Ehlert of Amsterdam, four months since, to buy and load
ships for the Calcutta market. Herr Ebenstreit gathered together the
last wrecks of his fortune remaining from his ruinous speculations, to
win enormously in this investment. Besides, he indorsed the notes of the
Amsterdam house for the sum of eighty thousand dollars, which has been
drawn, so that their notes are protested there. Herr Ebenstreit will
have to pay this sum!"

"What else?" asked Ebenstreit, almost breathless.

"The house of Ehlert, in Amsterdam, has failed; the principal has fled
with the coffers; the notes for eighty thousand dollars were protested,
and you, baron, must pay this sum to-day, or declare yourself a
bankrupt, and go to prison for debt."

Instantaneously a suppressed cry and a laugh were heard. Ebenstreit
sank upon a seat, concealing his pallid face with his hands, while Marie
stood at his side, her face beaming with joy.

"I am lost, I do not possess the eighth part of that sum! I cannot pay
it. I must submit, for there are no further means to prevent it."

"No," replied Marie, with haughty tranquillity, "you have no further
means to prevent it. The rich banker Ebenstreit will leave this house,
no longer his own, to enter the debtor's prison poor as a beggar--nay,
worse, a defrauder!"

"Oh, how cruel you are!" groaned Ebenstreit.

"Did you say, baroness, that this house is no longer his?" asked
Splittgerber, alarmed.

"No," she triumphantly cried. "It belongs to me, and all that is in
it--the pictures, statues, silver, diamonds, and pearls. Oh, I am still
a rich woman!"

"And do you mean to retain this wealth if your husband becomes bankrupt?
Do you not possess a common interest?" asked Splittgerber.

"No, thank Heaven, the community of interest was given up a year since,"
cried Ebenstreit, joyfully. "Baroness von Ebenstreit is the lawful
possessor of t