"Of course."

"But Doctor Stein does not know the pistols," said Langen; "and Cloten has no doubt become quite familiar with them. That is hardly fair."

"If it was only a question of money," said Oswald, "I should try. But as others choose to bet on my shooting, I should like to have a trial shot first."

"Of course," said Breesen; "that is a matter of course," cried Baron Barnewitz.

"Won't help him much," said Cloten, in a low tone.

"Do you see that pine cone up there, Baron Langen?" said Oswald, when they had handed him a loaded pistol; "that one at the extreme end of the branch?"

"Yes; but that is at least fifty feet."

"Never mind. These pistols look as if they would be safe even at a greater distance."

Oswald raised his pistol. All eyes were intently gazing at the pine cone.

"Ah, yes!" said Oswald, dropping his pistol again. "Would you have the kindness. Baron Barnewitz, to introduce me to the gentleman who has been pleased to form so good an opinion of my skill?"

"Quite forgot. Beg ten thousand pardons. Baron Oldenburg--Doctor Stein."

"Ah, Baron Oldenburg," said Oswald, lifting his hat with his left hand.

"I hope you see the pine cone, baron."

"Quite distinctly!" replied Oldenburg, bowing politely.

Oswald raised his pistol once more, aimed a second--the pine cone came down, shattered to pieces.

"Famous!" cried Baron Barnewitz. "Cloten, you have found your master."

"_Nous verrons!_" said Cloten. "You have the first fire, Doctor."

Oswald took the other pistol and fired, almost without taking aim.

"Centre!" cried the servant at the target, making a bow to the marksman before putting a patch on the hole.

"Cloten, pay forfeit!" cried Oldenburg, jingling money in his pocket.

"Centre!" was heard once more from the target

"You see?" said Cloten, handing his pistol to another servant to be loaded again.

"I think we had better take another aim or a greater distance," said Oswald; "with a bull's-eye the size of a dollar, and only forty feet off, Baron Cloten and I will have to fire a long time before the match is decided. Are there any cards to be had?"

"I am content," said Cloten.

"Have you any cards, Frederick?" Baron Barnewitz asked.

"Yes, sir!"

"Take away the target and nail an ace of spades against the tree!"

"Of course, we shall only count the b.a.l.l.s that pierce the ace itself, or at least touch it," said Oswald.

"Of course!" said Cloten.

"Now the thing is fairly under way," said young Breesen, and rubbed his hands with delight.

"Cloten, pay forfeit," said Oldenburg once more, and sang through his teeth:

"Pine cones--ace of hearts-- Why, my love, why, it smarts?

Is it hatred--is it love?"

Cloten aimed carefully, but whether the new aim disturbed him, or his hand had become nervous, his ball only grazed the upper edge of the card. Oswald stepped forward, his eye took in the whole number of n.o.blemen who surrounded him. "Take it for granted that the ace of spades is the heart of some n.o.bleman or other," he heard a well-known voice whisper.... He fired, and in the place of the ace there was a hole a little smaller than his ball.

"Console yourself, Cloten," said Oldenburg. "'_Non semper arc.u.m tendit Apollo_'--that means: failures must come."

"Really superb," said Baron Barnewitz, showing the card to the company; "the ace cut out clean."

"Do you wish your revenge, Baron Cloten?" asked Oswald.

"No, thank you, some other time. Feel my hand is not quite steady to-day."

"Why did you not pay forfeit, Cloten?" laughed Oldenburg, pocketing the money he had won.

"Here they are! here they are!" said suddenly a dozen girls' voices, and from behind the shrubbery which separated the shooting-gallery from the path there appeared Emily von Breesen, her cousin Lisbeth von Meyen, and one of the three Misses Nadelitz, like so many white b.u.t.terflies.

"You are nice gentlemen--spoilers of fun--instantly you come back with us!" said one after another.

"Surely, you might do something better, Adolphus, than to spend the whole afternoon here with your stupid firing," said Emily to her brother.

"He must come, too," cried Lisbeth, "we take them all captive.

You, Emily, take the doctor, you are the strongest and he is the leader--Natalie, Natalie, hold Baron Langen! he wants to run away."

"Gentlemen!" said Oswald, "resistance would be high treason!--Ladies!

we surrender unconditionally," and he offered Emily von Breesen his arm.

The two other gentlemen followed his example, and the three handsome couples ran off laughing.

"An elopement in _optima forma_," grinned Oldenburg.

"I suppose we had better go too," said Barnewitz, "for I fear if we were to wait till the young ladies come for us we would have to wait forever."

"_Allons, enfants de la patrie!_" sang Oldenburg, in the falsest possible tone, and with a voice which sounded very much like the crowing of a hoa.r.s.e rooster on a rainy day, and took Cloten under the arm.

"Cloten, _mon brave_, we are growing old," he said, as they were walking towards the house, a little behind the others. "If we do not make haste to get married we shall lose all our prospects of conjugal happiness, legitimate paternity, and a speedy death. Amen!"