hen turned on his heel and left me, without
another word. He had, as I knew, already compromised his dignity
sufficiently by conversing with me at all.

But he had cheered me immensely. I was sure now that those three--Anne,
her father, and Loris--had got clear away, doubtless to the house Mishka
had mentioned, where horses would be waiting for them; and by this time
they might be far from the danger zone. Therefore I felt able to face
what lay in store for myself, however bad it might be. It was bad
enough, even at the beginning; though, as Mirakoff had said, it would
have been worse but for his intervention. A few minutes after he left
me, I was hoisted into a kind of improvised carrying chair, borne by a
couple of big soldiers, who went along the narrow track at a jog-trot,
and amused themselves by bumping me against every tree trunk that was
conveniently near. They had been ordered to carry me, and they did so;
but I think I'd have suffered less if I had marched with the others,
even counting in the bayonet prods!

We reached the road at last, where horses were waiting, and a wagon,
containing several wounded prisoners. I was thrown in on top of them,
and we started off at a lumbering gallop, the guard of soldiers
increasing in numbers as those who had followed on foot through the wood
mounted and overtook us. I saw Mirakoff pass and ride on ahead; he did
not even glance in my direction. More than once we had to stop to pick
up a dead or dying man, one of the batch of prisoners who had been
forced to "run by the stirrup," with their hands tied behind them, and a
strap passed round their waist, attaching them to the stirrup of the
horse, which its rider urges to full speed,--that is part of the fun. It
is a very active man who can maintain the pace, though it is marvellous
what some can accomplish under the sharp incentives of fear and pain. He
who stumbles is jerked loose and left by the wayside where he fell; as
were those whom we found, and who were tossed into the wagon with as
much unconcern as scavengers toss refuse into their carts.

It was during one of these brief halts I saw something that discounted
the tidings I had heard from Mirakoff.

I was the least hurt of any of the wretched occupants of the wagon, and
I had managed to drag myself to the far end and to sit there, in the
off-side corner, my knees hunched up to my chin. My arms were helpless,
so I could do nothing to assist my unfortunate companion