eal to say to you, Madame," retorted the Cossack, "if
it is true that you are the Countess. I never saw her myself, but the
Chief will be here presently. He knows her very eye-lashes, and if you
have lied--"

"I have not lied," cried the girl, "How dare you speak to me like that!
Send for my father, do you hear me? At once! The General Mezkarpin."
She repeated the name distinctly and her shoulders stiffened, her blue
eyes flashed. "A friend of the Tsar as you are aware. Be careful!
What you do, what you say, every act, every word shall be reported to
him."

"If you have not lied," continued the Cossack smoothly, "it will be
still worse for you, far worse!" He began smiling to himself and
twirling his mustache. "If it is true, this report, I doubt if you
leave here alive, Madame, unless it is for the Mines. You have an ugly
crime at your door. How you ever escaped is a wonder! The Chief has
been on your track for some time, but he was late as usual; he is
always slow about arresting the women, especially if they are--"

The Cossack showed his teeth suddenly in a loud laugh, leering at the
slim, young figure before him. The girl blanched to the lips.

"A crime!" she said, "What crime?"

Then she put out her hand slowly, shrinkingly, and touched the figure
beside her as if to make sure that he was there.

The man was standing dazed, staring from the girl to the Cossack and
back again. Mezkarpin's daughter, the great Mezkarpin, the friend of
Nicholas! And accused of--what? It was a mistake--nothing! He passed
his hand over his eyes.

"Is this woman your wife?" said the officer shortly, "Answer."

"She is my wife."

"Where are the papers?"

The man unbuttoned his coat and felt in his breast pocket, the left,
the right; then the pockets of his vest.

"I have them here, somewhere," he stammered, "Where in the devil! They
were here last night!"

He felt again desperately. "They seem to be gone! What can have
become of them? I put them here--here!" He searched again.

"Curious!" said the official, "Ha ha!"

The prisoner stared at him for a moment blinking. "You impudent
scoundrel!" he cried, "She is my wife, papers or no papers. Ask
her!--Kaya!"

The girl held herself straight and aloof. She was gazing down at the
litter of papers on the table; her face was white and her lips were
clenched in her teeth.

"Kaya--tell him! The papers are lost! God, they are gone somehow!
Tell him--"