"Here it is," said Brandow, feeling in his pocket, and giving him as much of the gold he had just won as he could grasp. "You have always been a good master to me," said Hinrich, rubbing the gold pieces together in his horny palm. "And will be a still better one in future." "The gentlemen will go away if you don't come in at once," said Rieke, hurrying out. She had left the door of the room open, and Hans Redebas' gruff bass voice was heard shouting: "Brandow! Brandow!" amid shrill laughter, and a hoarse tone repeating: "We won't go home! We won't go home!" "I'll get rid of you," muttered Brandow. "You will stay here, Hinrich." "I'll wait, sir." Brandow went back into the gaming-room. "You are taking an undue advantage of the freedom the accidental absence of ladies bestows," said Brandow, with cutting contempt, as his guests received him with upraised glasses and a halloo, to which Gustav von Plueggen added a loud hip, hip, hurrah! "Accidental?" cried Hans Redebas; "not at all accidental; you are driving a good business to-day." "And where is your wife?" said Otto von Plueggen. "I demand an explanation of this," cried Brandow; "I will not permit--" He paused suddenly. Turning angrily towards Otto von Plueggen, he saw Gotthold, who must have entered the room directly behind him, and had unquestionably heard all. It was impossible to discuss this subject in his presence. So, with a violent effort, he forced back the furious hate that surged up in his heart at the sight of his face, and cried: "So there you are at last! Where in the world have you hidden yourself? Thank God, you have come to put an end to this horrible gambling." "Ho! ho!" exclaimed Hans Redebas, "horrible gambling! Is that the way the wind blows? I believe you! He has won six hundred or more already. Does that taste badly?" "I owe no man any revenge, however," cried Brandow, with a gesture of exaggerated violence. "But, Brandow," expostulated the Assessor, "you mustn't weigh every word; Redebas had no intention of offending you. He only wanted to continue the game, and, to speak frankly, I don't see what we could do better." "Well, Herr Assessor, if you think what you have also won--" "The few thalers!" said the Assessor, not without some little embarrassment. "I can certainly make no objection," continued Brandow. "I only thought that this little consideration was due our friend Gotthold, who does not play, and of whom we have seen so little, or rather I should say, ourselves. He doesn't lose a great deal in dispensing with our society, but we do in losing his." "Pray don't disturb yourselves on my account," said Gotthold. "Well, then, in the devil's name, go on," cried Hans Redebas, seizing the cards. "I'll keep the bank for once, I can probably find a few little savings still."