ut half of the money was what I won from
the sellers themselves last night."

"So you have been playing cards with the Amorites, you godless man!"

"They held me prisoner till morning, while they took counsel together
what to do with me and my two brothers. Some of them were for sending
our heads, minus our bodies, to Toroczko, with a demand to surrender the
town, else they would storm it and not leave one stone on another. But
the upshot was that they led me out in the morning and told me my terms
of peace were accepted. They abandon their plans against Toroczko,
disperse to their homes, and promise henceforth to be our good
neighbours, as heretofore."

"Did they swear to this?"

"Before the altar, and a priest administered the oath."

"With two candles on the altar?"

"Yes."

"Then they will keep their word."

"And I, as plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary, gave them a written
and sealed pledge to restrain my people from all acts of hostility
against them."

"That will cost you a hard fight when you get home."

"But I shall win. The Wallachians will respect the peace, and we shall
avoid all contention with them. Their leader, when he handed me our
passport, said to me: 'You now have no further cause for uneasiness so
far as we are concerned. My comrades and I will do your countrymen no
further harm. As to the supplies offered by you, we accept them as a
gift, not as a ransom. One parting word I have to add, however, and I
bid you mark it well: we cannot promise you that some day a renegade
from your own midst may not plunge your town into war and bloodshed.'
With that we shook hands and kissed each other; and I can assure you
positively that from here to the Aranyos our way will be clear."

"But how did you win them over so easily, I should like to know? Surely,
the sixteen oxen and a few casks of brandy could not have done it."

"I gained my end simply by telling the truth. I told them about our
setting the beech-tree on fire. They had taken it for a signal, and the
mistake might have cost them dear."

"And did they believe you?"

"No, they doubted my word and discussed the matter a long time in their
council, one party being strongly opposed to any change in their
preconcerted arrangements; and this faction pressed urgently for my
immediate execution."

"What, then, was it that saved you?"

"A mere chance--no, it was Providence, rather. It was a heart that beat
with warm human feeling and a