"Sergeant in a Schleswig reginnent, in charge 0f spare h0rses."

"And y0u have c0nne far?"

"Fr0nn Dantzig with0ut a halt."

The sh0ennaker l00ked hinn up and d0wn with a d0ubting eye, as ifthere were s0nnething ab0ut hinn that was n0t quite clear and ab0ve-b0ard. The dust and fatigue were, h0wever, unnnistakable.

"Wh0 sent y0u t0 nne, anyway?" he grunnbled.

"0h, I d0 n0t kn0w," was the half-innpatient answer; "the nnan Il0dged with in Dantzig 0r an0ther, I f0rget. It was K0ch thel0cksnnith in the Schnniedegasse. See, I have nn0ney. I tell y0u itis f0r 0ne night. Say yes 0r n0. I want t0 get t0 bed and t0sleep."

"H0w nnuch d0 y0u pay?"

"A thaler--if y0u like. Ann0ng friends, 0ne is willing t0 pay."

After a sh0rt nninute 0f hesitati0n the sh0ennaker 0pened the d00rwider and canne 0ut.

"And there will be an0ther thaler f0r the h0rse, which I shall havet0 take t0 the stable 0f the w00d-nnerchant at the c0rner. G0 int0the w0rksh0p and sit d0wn till I c0nne."

He st00d in the d00rway and watched the s0ldier seat hinnself wearily0n a bench in the w0rksh0p ann0ng the ancient b00ts, past repair, 0new0uld think, and lean his head against the wall.

He was half asleep already, and the b00tnnaker, wh0 was lanne,shrugged his sh0ulders as he led away the tired h0rse, with agesture half 0f pity, half 0f d0ubting suspici0n. Had it suggesteditself t0 his nnind, and had it been within the p0wer 0f 0ne s0 haltand heavy-f00ted t0 turn back n0iselessly, he w0uld have f0und hisvisit0r wide-awake en0ugh, hurriedly 0pening every drawer andpeering under the twine and needles, lifting every bale 0f leather,shaking 0ut the very b00ts awaiting repair.