as much as to say, "I leave this in
your hands, gentlemen."

The meeting gave immediate expression of its agreement with Ebearhard.

"Gentlemen," said Roland, "I insist that Conrad Kurzbold apologizes to
me for the expressions he has used, and promises not again to offend in
like manner."

"I'll do nothing of the sort," asserted Kurzbold, with equal firmness.

"In that case," exclaimed Roland, "I shall retire, and I ask you to put
me in a position to repay Herr Goebel the money I extracted from him. I
resign the very thankless office of so-called leadership."

At this several wallets came out upon the table, but their contents
clinked rather weakly. The majority of the guild sat silent and sobered
by the crisis that had so unexpectedly come upon them. Joseph Greusel,
seeing that no one else made a move, uprose, and spoke slowly. He was a
man who never had much to say for himself; a listener rather than a
talker, in whom Roland reposed great confidence, believing him to be one
who would not flinch if trial came, and he had determined to make
Greusel his lieutenant if the expedition was not wrecked before it set
out.

"My friends," said Greusel gloomily, "we have arrived at a deadlock, and
I should not venture to speak but that I see no one else ready to make a
suggestion. I cannot claim to be non-partisan in the matter. This crisis
has been unnecessarily brought about by what I state firmly is a most
ungenerous attack on the part of Conrad Kurzbold."

There were murmurs of dissent, but Greusel proceeded stolidly, taking no
notice.

"It is not disputed that Kurzbold accepted the money from Roland last
night, spent it to-day, and now comes penniless amongst us, quite unable
to refund the amount when his unjust remarks produce their natural
effect. He is like a man who makes a wager knowing he hasn't the money
to pay should he lose. If Roland retires from this guild, I retire also,
ashamed to keep company with men who uphold a trick worthy of a ruined
gambler."

"My dear Joseph," cried Ebearhard, springing up with a laugh, "you were
misnamed in your infancy. You should have been called Herod, practically
justifying a slaughter of us innocents."

"I stand by Benjamin," growled Gruesel, "the youngest and most capable
of our circle; the one who produced the money while all the rest of us
talked."

"You never talked till now, Joseph," said Ebearhard, still trying to
ease the situation with a laugh, "and what you s