Part 38 (1/2)

”My God, how they hate me!” I heard Loris say softly ”Yet, I have escaped theain; and it is well; it could not be better I am free at last!”

CHAPTER XL

A STRICKEN TOWN

We rode on, avoiding the village, which re peasants had either not heard or not heeded the sound and shock of the explosion

When we regained the road on the further side, twoa fe-spoken words with the Pavloffs, fell in behind us; and later another, and yet another, joined us in the sa e reached the village half-way between Zizcsky and Zostrov, where Mishka and I had got the last change of horses on our journey to the castle Here again all was dark and quiet, and we rode round instead of through the place, Loris and I, with the Pavloffs, halting at a little distance, near a small farmhouse which I remembered as that of the _starosta_, while our four recruits kept on

Mishka rode up and kicked at the outer gate A light glea, appeared, holding a lantern and leading a horse

”The horses are ready? That is well, little father,” Mishka said approvingly

”They have been ready since lass of tea, Excellencies”

As he led out the other three horses in turn, a lad brought us stealad of h still and clear, was piercingly cold

”The horses will come on, with four more recruits, after a couple of hours' rest,” said Loris, as we started again

We kept up an even pace of about tendistance, picking up y country horses till we rode a band of so

I think I must have fallen half asleep in my saddle when I was startled by a quick exclamation from Loris

”Look! What is yonder?”

I looked and saw a ruddy glow in the sky to northward,--a flickering glo paling, now flashi+ng up vividly and showing lureat fire

”That is over Zizscky; it was to-night then, and we are too late!”

We checked instinctively, and the Pavloffs ranged alongside We four, being betterin our rear

”They were to defend the synagogue; we may still be in time to help,”

said Pavloff

”True, we four must push on; these others must follow as they are able, and tell the rest as they meet them Give Stepan the word, Mishka,”

commanded the Duke

Mishka wheeled his horse and rode back, and we pressed forward, increasing the pace to a gallop Within an hour we had covered the twenty versts and were on the outskirts of the town Every instant that awful glo brighter, and e drew nearthat half the houses in the Jewish quarter were ablaze, while horrible sounds caularly by the crackle of rifle shots

”They are holding the synagogue,” Loris said gri would be over by this ti street that formed this end of the toas quiet and deserted, save for a few scared wo in the roadway, and who scurried back to their houses at the first sound of our horses' hoofs