nto a gallop. The horse, not being guided by his
rider, blind as himself, sometimes ran into a tree, sometimes went quite
off the road--in consequence, collisions and falls, which might have
been extremely dangerous.

Michael did not complain. Not a murmur escaped him. When his horse fell,
he waited until it got up. It was, indeed, soon assisted up, and the
cruel fun continued. At sight of this wicked treatment, Nicholas could
not contain himself; he endeavored to go to his friend's aid. He was
prevented, and treated brutally.

This game would have been prolonged, to the Tartars' great amusement,
had not a serious accident put an end to it. On the 10th of September
the blind horse ran away, and made straight for a pit, some thirty or
forty feet deep, at the side of the road.

Nicholas tried to go after him. He was held back. The horse, having no
guide, fell with his rider to the bottom. Nicholas and Nadia uttered a
piercing cry! They believed that their unfortunate companion had been
killed.

However, when they went to his assistance, it was found that Michael,
having been able to throw himself out of the saddle, was unhurt, but the
miserable horse had two legs broken, and was quite useless. He was
left there to die without being put out of his suffering, and Michael,
fastened to a Tartar's saddle, was obliged to follow the detachment on
foot.

Even now, not a protest, not a complaint! He marched with a rapid step,
scarcely drawn by the cord which tied him. He was still "the Man of
Iron," of whom General Kissoff had spoken to the Czar!

The next day, the 11th of September, the detachment passed through the
village of Chibarlinskoe. Here an incident occurred which had serious
consequences. It was nightfall. The Tartar horsemen, having halted,
were more or less intoxicated. They were about to start. Nadia, who till
then, by a miracle, had been respectfully treated by the soldiers, was
insulted by one of them.

Michael could not see the insult, nor the insulter, but Nicholas saw for
him. Then, quietly, without thinking, without perhaps knowing what
he was doing, Nicholas walked straight up to the man, and, before the
latter could make the least movement to stop him, had seized a pistol
from his holster and discharged it full at his breast.

The officer in command of the detachment hastened up on hearing the
report. The soldiers would have cut the unfortunate Nicholas to pieces,
but at a sign from their officer, h