He had heard, he said, that the baron wished to invest, and he knew of a remarkably safe and desirable mortgage, on a large property in the neighboring province, belonging to the rich Count Zaminsky, who lived abroad.

This property had every possible advantage, including two thousand acres of magnificent natural wood.

The mortgage was at present in Count Zaminsky's own hands.

It was possible, Pinkus mysteriously hinted, to purchase it for ninety per cent.; in other words, for thirty-six thousand dollars.

Certainly, it was a pity that the property lay in another province, where agriculturists had many primitive peculiarities.
But it was only six miles from the frontier--the neighboring town was on the high road--the estate was princely.