face, then
thrust open the door and kicked him out.

"If the hag should come back to-morrow night, you tell her I've just
gone out!" he called after him.

Borgert had just seated himself, with a newspaper, by the window when
the floor bell once more sounded. It was a short, energetic tinkle.
The servant came in and announced, with a face still wet with tears:

"A gentleman would like to see the Herr First Lieutenant!"

"What is his name? I told you always to get the name first."

The man left the room, but immediately returned.

"He will not give me his name, but he says he must speak with the Herr
First Lieutenant in any event."

"Then ask him in!"

A moment later a man stepped in, carrying a large wallet under his
arm, and introduced himself,--"Bailiff Krause."

"Begging the Herr First Lieutenant's pardon in case I should disturb
him, but I have a mandate from the court. Please, here it is!"

And he took from his wallet a voluminous envelope and handed it to
Borgert, who, however, did not lose his presence of mind, and answered
in a pleasant tone:

"Ah, I know. Has already been settled yesterday; for I presume it is
for that small amount which I owe to my tailor."

"As far as I know, Herr First Lieutenant, it is about the matter of
the firm of Froehlich & Co., the sum demanded, on bills of exchange
signed by you, being four thousand marks, for furniture sold and
delivered."

"Oh, that's it! The firm might have spared itself that trouble; the
whole amount was transmitted by my bank day before yesterday."

"So much the better, then," jested the official. "I have the honor."

"Farewell, Herr Krause; I would say _au revoir_, but your visit always
means a doubtful pleasure."

When the man was gone, Borgert tore open the envelope and scanned the
contents of the document it contained.

That was a most disagreeable business. The furniture had not yet been
paid for, but already mortgaged, although the explicit terms of the
contract forbade his doing so until after payment in full to the
merchant had made the whole his own property.

Four thousand marks! A heap of money! He would have to speak to
Leimann; perhaps he could do something.

Then suddenly he remembered that the bailiff had not passed out into
the street through the front garden. He called his servant and asked
him:

"Where did the man go to?"

"Upstairs, Herr First Lieutenant."

"To Leimann's?"

"Just so, Herr First Lieutenant."

Wel