head was turned to the chauffeur.

"Russki," said Cherry, "_stoi_!"

"Stop!" was one of the four Russian words he knew, and the chauffeur
obeyed, just at the moment when the car came to where the road split
into two, one running to the right and apparently to the camp, the other
and the older road dipping down to a misty valley.

The Red officer saw the gun under his nose and took intelligent action.
His two hands went up and his revolver fell with a clatter at the
chauffeur's feet. Deftly Cherry relieved him of the remainder of his
arms.

By this time Malcolm was out of the car, and a brief council of war was
held.

To leave the man there would be to ask for trouble. To shoot him was
repugnant even to Cherry, who had constituted himself the official
assassin of the party.

"We shall have to take him along," said Malinkoff. "There are plenty of
places where we can leave him in the night, and so long as he does not
know which way we go, I do not think he can do us any harm."

The Red officer took his misfortune with the philosophy which the
chauffeur had displayed in similar circumstances.

"I have no malice, little general," he said. "I carry out my orders as a
soldier should. For my part I would as soon cry 'Long live the Czar!'
as 'Long live the Revolution!' If you are leaving Russia I shall be
glad to go with you, and I may be of service because I know all the
latest plans for arresting you. There is a barrier on every road, even
on this which you are taking now, unless," he added thoughtfully, "it is
removed for the Commissary Boolba."

"Is he coming this way?" asked Malcolm.

"You saw me fire a flare," said the man. "That was a signal to the camp
that you were captured. The news will be telegraphed to Moscow, and
Boolba will come to sentence the men and take back his wife."

He evidently spoke in the terms of his instructions.

"What road will he take, little soldier?" asked Malinkoff.

"The Tver road," said the man. "It is the direct road from Moscow, and
we shall cross it very quickly. At the crossing are four soldiers and an
under officer, but no barricade. If you will direct me I will tell them
a lie and say that we go to meet Boolba."

"We're in his hands to some extent," said Malinkoff, "and my advice is
that we accept his offer. He is not likely to betray us."

The car resumed its journey, and Cherry, who had taken his place inside,
explained the miracle which had happened.

"I saw the f