LOST AND FOUND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 18, 22 August 1884, Page 5

LOST AND FOUND.

(From Miss Stewart's " Stories of the Christian Schools " ; Catholic Publication Society Co.)

The disappearance of the child and prolonged illness of the Count of coarse improved the position of Ludwig. In the first place, he was next heir to Werdendorf ; in the second, his eick and crippled cousin committed to him the sole management of tbe almost princely domain. For tbe first year or two, however, Count Ludwig was greatly harrassed by the demands for money made da him by Caspar and Gottfrid. It was in. vain that be reminded them that he had paid most munificently for their dark deed at the time of its committal. The fellows laughed, and said that as from year to year his profits and advantages would continue, so from year to year should their stipend. They took care, also to convince him that they had retained proofs that would convict him of bribing them to murder his cousin's heir. " You cannot tell that story without condemning yourself to the garotte," said Ludwig, though in spite of that attempt at bravado his cheek grew pale with fear. " True, Herr Connt," rep ied Caspar, the most daring of the two ruffians, " but if we were garrotted you would lose your head, and your name would be eia-ed from the books of nobility. Now the money yon gate is gone— spent, as it was earned, in tbe service of Satan : it is as well to be hanged or garrotted as starved, so your Excellency must give us a settled sum every six, or perhaps better, every three months." Count Ludwig stormed at this proposal : he tried persuading them to go to America with the lure of a large sum down, but they would not agree to it. " No, no, Herr Count," said Caßpar, cunningly ; " we are poor, humble felows, but we love the Fatherland. We will not go to America. Suppose we take your ofler— five hundred gold pieces — w* might get broad lands for them in the Far West, but we have no mind to tbe woods and wilds, we who have ruffled it at Munich and Dresden. Five hundred gold pieces, you will say. would be a start for as at New York, since we have a liking for city life j but trade 1b always doubtful, and suppose all our money were lost in some unlucky speealation, it is a long way across tbe broad ocean and the Herr Count eight not hear the pitiful cry of his poor servants Caspar and Gottfrid for help. No, no ; we will stay in our native land, and th« Herr Count will not then forget what we have done for him or prove ungrateful. So instead of five hundred down, the noble Count Ludwig will give us twenty-five each eveiy three months." Ludwig exclaimed against this extravagent demand, equivalent to two hundred pounds English money every year. Bat the ruffians had the better part of the argument. At the worst, they bad but their lives to lose, not to be valued at a thaler any day, for long before Count Ludwig bad taken them into his counsel those lives of their had been forfeit to the law. Count) Ladwig protested he would not yield to s ;ch a dema id. Caspar langhed. v The Herr Count has too much reason, is too just, to refuse. Id this Fatherland of ours is many a reigning prince whose income does not match that of the Frey Graf von Werdendorf. What is it that we ask ? — a crust of bread oat of an abundance." The Cffant reminded them that this magnificent inconce of Werdendorf was still in possession of his cousin, but Meinherr Caspar was prepared for him at every point. He had now the whole command of the Werdendorf revenues, and as be would certainly enrich himself, he could well spare the amount demanded by the poor fellows whose daring and risk alone had securtd for him so much wealth; for if the Herr Count's head was in some danger should the truth be disc jvered, there was no question at all as to the peiil of their necks. It was iv vain that Ludwig endeavoured to persuade them to be satisfied with receiving the money every six months. They shook their heads, and Caspar, who was the spokesman, made answer aa if his fellow-bandit had sounded the depths of philosophy ; for he declared " that they knew themselves." They were, he said, he and Gottfrid, poor, fioliah, extravagant fellows; gold was always too hot to keep in their hands. No doubt the modest btipead they required would be always spent long before tl c .qnaiter was out, and they would by no means trust themselves for six months. ■»

Count Ludwig could not controvert these arguments. He was in the power of these men, as the rich villain is always in the power of the poor one he has apparently made his tool and really his master ; for communism is most decidedly the law of crime. About two years afterwards Gottfrid died, and Caspar then came to the Count and proposed to do what he had at first refusedtake a certain sum of money and relieve him from further importunity. Count Ludwig gladly agreed to this, most heartily wishing that Herr Caspar had departed this life along with his companion. It was something, however, to be rid of the villain, to escape the terrible necessity of seeing him. It was not that the dark soul of Ludwig was touched with true remorse, but the recollection of Charlotte and the boy made him uncomfortable, and the quarterly payment to Caspar was a perpetual reminder. It is very seldom that there is any satisfaction in crime. Count Ludwig was by no means happy. It is true there was no cbanceof his cousin's recovery, and he had the management of the estates ; but he was compelled to appear moral and discreet — " to affect a virtue if he had it not " — to live for the most part of his time at Cattle Werdendorf, when 'he would fain, have been rioting at Munich, Vienna, or Berlin. Still time slipped away, and though perpetually paralyzed, the general health of Count Werdendorf improved, and ten years after the abduction of his sun there was les3 chance than ever of bis death. The lost boy was growing up in health, goodness and intelligence in the College of the Christian Brothers. It was the momentous year 1870, and all Europe echoed to -the ring of tbe gauntlet which France dashed in the face, rather than flung at the feet, of her great Teutonic rival. Germany was prompt to lift the gauge-and call her sons to arms, and no less eagerly and bravely did they respond to tbe call. The invalid Count Werdendorf gave orders for the equipment of a fine body of men from his vast estates, who joined the German host under the commaud of Count Ludwig. Treacherous and wicked as he was, Ludwig was no coward, and he welcomed the war as a release from the inactivity in which be had for so many years been compelled to live.