observe that, to spare your feelings and avoid
disgracing you, we have been permitted to
execute our function privately. We will get
a third horse for you in ten minutes; and, at
eight o'clock we shall reach our destination."

"But, Mr. Commissary," said the dupe,
"the people here are not so stupid as to see
me carried off between two strangers, without
imagining some cause connected with
police. I shall be ruined in my business and
in my prospects, too; for Stadt-Rath Haebeler
will never give me his daughter, who was to
have married me next mouth, if I am
degraded by imprisonment. What can be done
to avert this calamity?"

"Nothing. The proofs are too distinct.
Three mouths are soon passed. The prison
is not quite so bad as you may have heard."

"Woe is me! and my business that was
going on so well."

"Justice cannot take your business into
consideration, Herr Müller. It was for you
to think of that when you committed an
illegal act."

Here the gendarme whispered, as if to
remind the commissary of police that they
should be late for the prison, and that there
was no use in talking. "I really must
require you to make your little preparations,
and to go with us," said the commissary.

"This is frightful! For the sake of rnercy,
let me send to my lawyer, else tell me some
way to avoid this punishment."

"Properly, Herr Mu'ller, I could neither
let you do one thing nor the other; but, as you
seem sincerely to repent of your offence, I
will suggest the only expedient that can save
you."

"Pray tell me at once, anything—anything,
dear, good Mr. Commissary."

"Make the ticket over to a person in
Frankfort, for example—to the person of whom
you bought it. Put to your transfer a date
earlier than the information sworn against
you, and then we shall be able to exculpate
you. Give me the ticket and the letter of
renunciation, and I will go over with it. But
still there may be some expenses which—"

"Never mind that, I will pay any charges.
Here is a certificate that the ticket belongs
still to the man who sent it to me; for I refuse
to pay for it now, and declare that I have
not paid for it at any former time. The
ticket ifeself is inclosed. Here, also, are a
hundred thalers in good Prussian notes for
the expenses. Pray, worthy officers, make
haste, and bring me word soon that no
further injury will accrue to me on account
of the ticket. Hans! give these gentlemen
some wine. They have been kind enough to
tell me something about a debtor who has
kept himself out of my way. A pleasant
journey to you, gentlemen. Good-bye, until
we meet again."

Scarcely had the false commissary and his
spurious myrmidon got clear of the town,
when a busy neighbour who had just returned
from Frankfort, came into the shop with a
printed paper in his hand.

"My dear neighbour! you had a ticket—"

"Hush! for heaven's sake, not a word of
that!"

"Well! but I think you have won."

"Impossible! I had no ticket."

"How, no ticket! I saw you pay for it!"

"Would you, neighbour, bear wituess against
me? Never mind, I have signed a
renunciation of my ticket in favour of the collector."

"Was it Number——?"

"Yes."

"Then you have renounced the hundred
thousand florins."

"Have I?" cried Miiller. "Am I the greatest
ass the sun has set upon this night? What—
what is the penalty for gambling in the foreign
lotteries?"

"A hundred florins fine, or imprisonment
in case of default."

"Is it regular to send the accused parties
under arrest to the tribunal?"

"Certainly not, if they are householders,
or persons in the condition of procuring bail.
It is a mere civil suit."

"I am an ass!"

Then Müller told the entire story. The
alarm was given, pursuit was commenced, the
townsmen and their wives came to congratulate
their neighbour, and stayed to condole.
Old Haebeler shuffled up to say, that he
would never give his daughter to a man who
had luck and had thrown it away like a dolt.
The receiver-general pleaded that on the day
the renunciation was dated he had sold the
ticket to one Aaron Schleier, who was gone
to Podolia; but, before leaving, had passed it
to somebody whose name he did not know,
and that the administration had already paid
its value to the swindling bearer.

SPRINGS IN THE DESERT.

I pace the long deserted rooms,
Still striving to recall
The sounds of footsteps on the stairs.
Or voices in the hall.

Along the walks and up the lawn,
I wander every day;
And sit beneath the mulberry's shade,
Where most we loved to play.

No stir of feet the stillness breaks,
No dear familiar tone;
Since taking each her separate way,
They left me here alone.

To love them, and their love to share
Was life and joy to me;
I was the eldest of the house;
My sisters they were three.

As one who marks the bud unfold
A flower of radiant hue,
I marvelled day by day to find
How beautiful they grew.