assure you, 'tis the best way, and the only way."

He untied the cord, and poured the bulk of the gold out upon the table.
The merchant watched him with amazement. For all the robber knew, the
door might be opened at any moment, but he went on with numbering the
coins as nonchalantly as if seated in the treasury of the Corn Exchange.
When he had counted half the sum the bag contained, he poured the loose
money by handfuls into the wallet that had held his mother's
contribution, and pushed towards the merchant the bag, in which remained
five hundred thalers.

"You are to know," he said with a smile, abandoning his bent-forward
posture, "that when I visited my mother this afternoon, she quite
unexpectedly gave me five hundred thalers, so I shall accept from you
only half the sum I demanded this morning."

"Your mother!" cried the merchant. "Who is your mother?"

"The Empress, as I told you. Oh, at last I understand your uneasiness.
You wished to see that document! Why didn't you ask for it? I asked for
the money plainly enough. Well, here it is. Examine Seal and
sign-manual."

The merchant minutely scrutinized the Great Seal and the signature above
it.

"I don't know what to think," stammered Herr Goebel at last, gazing
across the table with bewildered face.

"Think of your good fortune. A moment ago you imagined a thousand