This, he explained to the lawyer, he now wished to make over to Anton Wohlfart, at present clerk in the house of T.O.Schroeter, imploring the man of business, at the same time, to keep the matter secret, which he duly promised; and the two witnesses attested the deed.
As they left, Fink earnestly besought them never to reveal the circumstance to Mr.Wohlfart.They both gave him their word of honor, evincing, however, some degree of curiosity as to the whole transaction.
"I can not explain it to you," said Fink, "there being about it a political mystery that is not quite clear even to myself." "Is the estate large that you have just ceded ?" inquired Von Toennchen.
"An estate!" said Fink, looking up to the sky; "it is no estate.

It is a district, mountain and vale, wood and water--but a small part, certainly, of America.

But then, what _is_ large?
On the other side of the Atlantic we measure things by a very different scale to that used in this corner of Germany.

At all events, I shall never again call the property mine." "But who is this Wohlfart ?" asked the lieutenant.
"You shall make his acquaintance," answered Fink.

"He is a handsome youth from the heart of the province, over whom a remarkable destiny hovers--of which, however, he knows, and is to know, nothing.