e. He resolved to go to
Vienna and petition for the exemption of his employees from military
duty, claiming for them the miners' privileges which they had enjoyed
hitherto.

Well acquainted though he had been in government circles in the past,
Manasseh now found everything changed and scarcely a familiar face left.
Like the veriest stranger, he was forced to wait with the crowd of other
petitioners in the war minister's anteroom until his turn should come.
Much to his surprise, however, the great man's door suddenly opened and
Prince Cagliari advanced to meet him with a face all smiles and words of
honey on his lips.

"Ah, my dear friend, how glad I am to see you!" began the prince. "All
well at home? That's good. And what brings you hither, may I ask? You
come on behalf of your countrymen who were recently drafted? Ah, yes."
(Then in a whispered aside: "We'll soon arrange that; a word from me
will suffice.") Again aloud: "A very difficult matter, sir, very
difficult indeed! These recent complications in the Orient compel us to
raise our army to its highest effective strength." (Once more in a
whisper, with a stealthy pressure of the hand: "Pray give yourself not
the slightest concern. I'll speak to his Excellency about it this very
minute.")

Manasseh was by no means pleased at finding himself placed under
obligations to Prince Cagliari, but he could not well refuse such a
gracious offer of assistance. Accordingly, when the prince returned and
smilingly informed him that he had put the petition in the minister's
hands, and obtained a promise that it should be speedily taken under
favourable consideration, Manasseh forced himself to smile in return and
to express his acknowledgments to his intercessor as he took leave of
him.

The petition was, in fact, taken under early advisement, and three days
after Manasseh's return to Toroczko he was summoned to Karlsburg to
learn the issue.

"Your memorial has reached us from Vienna with a refusal," was the
chilling announcement that greeted him.

"Impossible!" cried Manasseh, in astonishment. "I was promised a
favourable answer."

The government official only shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

"On what ground is the petition rejected?" asked Manasseh.

"On the ground that those for whom you petition forfeited their
privileges as miners by taking up arms in '48. Having taken them up
once, they cannot refuse to do so a second time."

Manasseh's bitter reflections w