interfere with my cure. I shall come back again in a few days, and by
that time I hope he will be quite strong. Till then, let us trust in
God!"

The young unknown then hastened to his carriage, Szephalmi accompanying
him the whole way.

Everyone who had recently seen the old man apparently on the verge of
the grave, and now beheld him completely changed, going about with a
lively irritable temper and rosy cheeks, were amazed at this
wonder-doctor who could perform cures by the mere touch of his
finger-tips.

"He must be a magician!" said they.

* * * * *

The unknown next presented himself at the residence of General Vertessy.

They told him this was not the official hour for being received; at such
times the General was wont to be with his wife. He replied:

"So much the better; what I have to tell him will be better told in the
presence of his wife."

The General was informed of this odd wish, and took to the idea so
kindly that he ordered the young man to be instantly admitted.

And, in a few moments, a handsome, courtly youth stood before him, who
greeted the General frankly and the General's wife ceremoniously. In
his hands he carried a small forage-cap with a border of thin gold
thread round it, and his whole style and bearing testified to the fact
that, somewhere or other, he had been brought up as a soldier.

"I beg your pardon, General, for disturbing you so unconscionably, and
robbing you of your most precious moments, but the business on which I
have come admits of no delay. My name is Count Kamienszky, I come from
Poland, and I bring a petition in favour of young Hetfalusy, who
deserted in the belief that he had shot his captain."

The General's face grew suddenly cold. He had become a cast-iron statue,
just as he was wont to be when on parade.

"From whom is your petition?"

"From the very officer for whom his bullet was intended. That bullet did
not strike home, but stuck fast in his laced jacket; yet it was well
aimed too at thirty paces, just in the middle of the heart."

"And what does the officer want?"

"Pardon for the deserter. He admits that he was in the wrong. He
insulted a woman--I speak with absolute certainty, for I am that woman's
relation--and he would now make good his fault by imploring pardon for
the man who stood forth to wipe out that insult."

"To implore pardon is not enough. What can he say in the man's defence?"

"He certifies that