shining object drop. The carriage rolled on, and disappeared in its
cloud. But I sank on my knees and searched the dust for the piece of
money, for in this coin lay for me life, health, and strength. I was
obliged to hunt in the dust for a long time with hands tremulous with
anxiety, and finally, when I found it, I rejoiced aloud and thanked
God. Then I hurried with fleet steps toward the neighboring town, to
the same baker's shop near the gate, where, shortly before, they
had refused to my entreaties a bit of bread. Now, willingly and with
smiles, they handed me a loaf, for I had money to pay for it. In that
hour I said to myself: 'I must seek money, even if I have to grovel
in the dust for it; for money is life, and poverty is death!' The hand
which, from the cloud of dust threw me that piece of money, decided my
whole future, for it taught me that even dust was not to be despised,
as therein money might be found; but it taught me something more--it
taught me compassion and charity. Then, as I crouched down with
bleeding feet at the street-corner and devoured my loaf, I vowed to
myself that I would become rich, and when I had grown rich, to be to
each poor and needy one the helping hand stretched forth out of the
cloud of dust."

Elise had listened to her father with deep emotion, and in the depth
of her heart she at this moment absolved him from many a silent
reproach, and many a suspicion, which her soul had harbored against
him.

"You have kept your word, my father!" cried she. "How did you contrive
to become a rich man from a beggar?"

Gotzkowsky laughed. "How did I contrive that?" said he. "I worked,
that is the whole secret--worked from sunrise until late in the night,