n
Steinfort. "The Baron Von Dangerfeld was desperately in love with her;
but within a few days, the widow seems rather to have cut him. You are
the happy man, after all."

"Undeceive yourself, my dear Christian," said Ernest, blushing; "I
have only flirted with the handsome widow. My hand is already engaged
to a charming girl, Meena Altenburg, the playmate of my infancy,
adopted and brought up by my good father. I am to marry her as soon as
I get my company."

"And what is to support you, Captain Ernest?"

"My pay, of course, and the income of the moderate dowry my father,
who is well enough off for a farmer, proposes to give his favorite.
So, you see my lot in life is settled."

"Precisely so," replied the captain. "But since you are free this
evening, I engage you to pass it with me. Have you got any money about
you?"

"A good deal. Besides the price of my company, which is safely stowed
away in bank notes in this breast pocket, I have a handful of ducats
about me, with which I propose purchasing some trinkets for my bride.
But I have a gold piece or two that I can spare, if----"

"Poh! poh! I'm well enough provided," answered the captain. "You know
this is pay day. Come along."

"But whither?"

"You shall see."

With these words, the captain thrust his arm within that of his
companion, and the pair walked off at a rapid rate. After passing
through several streets, Steinfort halted, and rang at the door of a
stately mansion. It was opened by a servant in handsome livery, and
the young gentlemen entered and went up stairs.

Walstein soon found himself in a scene very different from any of
which he had ever dreamed of in his rustic and simple life upon his
father's farm. Around a large table, covered with cloth, were seated
more than a dozen persons of different ages, all so intent upon what
was going forward, that the captain and his friend took their seats
unnoticed. At the head of the table sat a man in a gray wig, with a
pair of green spectacles upon his nose, before whom lay a pile of
gold, and who was busily engaged in paying and receiving money, and in
giving an impetus to a small ivory ball, which spun at intervals its
appointed course. Walstein soon learned that this was a
_rouge-et-noir_ table. The gentleman in the gray wig was the banker.

"Make your game, gentlemen," said this individual, "while the ball
spins. Your luck's as good as mine. It's all luck, gentlemen, at
rouge-et-noir. Rouge-et-