e sure," replied his brother, "but what Frau Feldheimerin
said, has come to pass: 'We shall see what part of your inheritance is
worth a hirsch-gulden.' And now we were not able to pay for even a
measure of wine with it."

"Know it already!" answered he of Schalksberg.

"Stupid stuff!" returned the Count of Zollern, as he rode off moodily,
towards his castle.

"That is the Legend of the Hirsch-Gulden," concluded the compass-maker,
"and said to be a true one. The landlord at Duerrwangen, which is
situated near the three castles, related it to one of my best friends,
who often acted as guide through the Suabian Alps, and always put up at
Duerrwangen."

The guests applauded the compass-maker's story. "What curious things
one hears in the world!" exclaimed the wagoner. "Really, I feel glad
now that we did not spoil the time with cards; this is much better, and
so interested was I in the story, that I can tell it to-morrow to my
comrades without missing a single word of it."

"While you were telling your story, something came into my mind," said
the student.

"Oh, tell it, tell it!" pleaded the compass-maker and Felix.

"Very well," replied he, "it makes no difference whether my turn comes
now or later. Still, what I tell you must be considered in confidence,
for the incidents are reported to have really occurred."

He changed his position to a more comfortable one, and was just about
to begin his story, when the landlady put away her distaff and went up
to her guests at the table. "It is time now, gentlemen, to go to bed,"
said she. "It has struck nine, and to-morrow will be another day."

"Well, go to bed then," said the student. "Set another bottle of wine
on the table for us, and we won't keep you up any longer."

"By no means," returned she, fretfully; "so long as guests remain in
the public-room, it is not possible for the landlady and servants to
retire. And once for all, gentlemen, I must request you to go to your
rooms; the time hangs heavy on me, and there shall be no carousing in
my house after nine o'clock."

"What's the matter with you, landlady?" said the compass-maker in
surprise. "What harm can it do you if we sit here even after you have
gone to sleep? We are honest people, and won't run off with any thing,
nor leave without paying. I won't be ordered around in this way in any
tavern."

The woman's eyes flashed angrily. "Do you suppose I will change the
rules of my house to suit every raga