usion
that he has not been sick at all; or, at any rate, that not the
physician, but his own good constitution has helped him through.

"You are right," said his counsel, "you should have been a lawyer. Your
last words turned the scale. It was a master stroke."

Landolin accepted this praise as his due, and made no reply.

"Call Anton! Where is Anton?" said he, turning to his son.

"When I was sending the dispatch I met him at the depot. He went home
on the freight train, which usually takes no passengers; but the
conductor is an old comrade of his, and smuggled him on board."

Landolin whistled, and walked hastily around the table, on which they
were just placing the wine-bottles.

"Landlord, bring in the supper. Herr Procurator, take this chair beside
me. So, this is a different way of sitting down together. I invited all
the jurymen,--all. I don't want to know who said guilty, or who said
not guilty. I don't want to have an enemy in the world. If they don't
come--all right. I've shown how I feel, and that's enough. Landlord,
let the witnesses come in, and anybody else that's there. Be sure and
call Tobias."

Tobias soon appeared. To be sure he had just eaten in the hostler's
room; but he wiped his mouth, as though he would say, "If it's
necessary I'll do it again." So he sat down next to Peter, and fell
bravely to work.

The so-called common people who had testified now came in. This was, to
be sure, no company for Landolin, but he could not do less than give
the poor fellows a good bite and a good drink. He asked what the
witness fee was, and when he heard how small it was, he said he would
like to double it, but he dared not, lest it should be said that he had
tried to bribe them. By this speech he sought to ingratiate himself
with these people at no expense to himself.

Tobias nudged Peter with his elbow, and laughed and drank. Peter cast a
look at him as though he would like to tear him to pieces, then quickly
controlled himself and joined in the laugh. His face wore the
expression of a young fox who has just caught his first hare, and is
feasting upon it.

Among the guests were some who had been Landolin's companions when he
was young; and they strove to divert him by reminding him of his wild,
youthful pranks. Landolin laughed and drank immoderately. The lawyer
did not find it congenial, so he slipped quietly away. Landolin's eyes
often fell upon the empty chair at his side, but he looked quickly
a