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office.

I marched in and told my story to a stout woman with spectacles on her
nose who was talking to a young man.

'It is too late,' she shook her head. 'The Herr Burgrave knows that
well. There is no connection from here after eight o'clock. If the
matter is urgent you must go to Schwandorf.'

'How far is that?' I asked, looking for some excuse to get decently out
of the shop.

'Seven miles,' she said, 'but here is Franz and the post-wagon. Franz,
you will be glad to give the gentleman a seat beside you.'

The sheepish-looking youth muttered something which I took to be
assent, and finished off a glass of beer. From his eyes and manner he
looked as if he were half drunk.

I thanked the woman, and went out to the car, for I was in a fever to
take advantage of this unexpected bit of luck. I could hear the
post-mistress enjoining Franz not to keep the gentleman waiting, and
presently he came out and flopped into the driver's seat. We started
in a series of voluptuous curves, till his eyes got accustomed to the
darkness.

At first we made good going along the straight, broad highway lined
with woods on one side and on the other snowy fields melting into haze.
Then he began to talk, and, as he talked, he slowed down. This by no
means suited my book, and I seriously wondered whether I should pitch
him out and take charge of the thing. He was obviously a weakling,
left behind in the conscription, and I could have done it with one
hand. But by a fortunate chance I left him alone.

'That is a fine hat of yours, mein Herr,' he said. He took off his own
blue peaked cap, the uniform, I suppose, of the driver of the
post-wagon, and laid it on his knee. The night air ruffled a shock of
tow-coloured hair.

Then he calmly took my hat and clapped it on his head.

'With this thing I should be a gentleman,' he said.

I said nothing, but put on his cap and waited.

'That is a noble overcoat, mein Herr,' he went on. 'It goes well with
the hat. It is the kind of garment I have always desired to own. In
two days it will be the holy Christmas, when gifts are given. Would
that the good God sent me such a coat as yours!'

'You can try it on to see how it looks,' I said good-humouredly.

He stopped the car with a jerk, and pulled off his blue coat. The
exchange was soon effected. He was about my height, and my ulster
fitted not so badly. I put on his overcoat, which had a big collar
that buttoned round t