Part 35 (1/2)

”Why shoot 'em?” he said ”I had only to lean over and hit 'eun, and it was a case of 'Where aht them to the cross-roads, and the four apathetic sentries who, at the word of the Red officer, stood aside to allow the car to pass They were now doubling back on their tracks, running parallel with the railroad (according to Malinkoff) which, if the officer's sur by train to iven them no trouble, but twenty miles from the caht have been unimportant, for they carried two spare wheels, only it was discovered that one of these was also punctured and had evidently been taken out of use the day on which they secured the car There was nothing to do but to push the machine into a field, darken the s and allow the chauffeur to ed of the tubes They shut him into the interior of the car with the Red officer who volunteered his help, furnished him with a la sore store of food

Half an hour's walking brought the which they approached with caution

”It is too large for a farm,” said Malinkoff; ”it is probably one of those monasteries which exist in such numbers in the Moscow Govern tih a small chapel, sited in one corner of the walled enclosure The s of the chapel were high up, but Malcolht in the interior, and it was this flicker which guided them to the chapel The door was half open, and Malinkoff walked boldly in The building, though sroined roof, and the walls hite with the deadly whiteness of alabaster A tiny altar, on which burnt the conventional three candles, fronted theold A priest knelt before the altar, singing in a thin, cracked voice, so unirl winced Save for the priest and the party, the building was empty

He rose at the sound of their footsteps, and stood waiting their approach He was a young and singularly ugly man, and suspicion and fear ritten plainly on his face

”God save you, little brother of saints!” said Malinkoff

”God save you, my son!” replied the priest mechanically ”What is it you want?”

”We need food and rest for this little lady, also hot coffee, and ill pay well”

Malinkoff knew that this latter argument was necessary The priest shook his head

”All the brethren have gone away from the monastery except Father Joachim, who is a timid man, Father Nicholas and myself,” he said ”We have very little food and none to spare They have eaten everything we had, and have killed my pretty chickens”

He did not say who ”they” were, and Malinkoff was not sufficiently curious to inquire He knew that the priests were no longer the power in the land that they were in the old days, and that there had been innuhtered the men whose words hitherto had been as a law to them A third of the monasteries in the Moscow Governations and officers dispersed

He was surprised to find this beautiful chapel still intact, but he had not failed to notice the absence of the sacred vessels which usually adorned the altar, even in thefor our little mama?” asked Malinkoff

The priest shook his head

”Our guests have taken everything,” he said ”They have even turned Brother Joachiuests?” said Malinkoff

The priest nodded

”It is a great prince,” he said in awe ”Terrible things are happening in the world, Antichrist is abroad, but we know little of such things in the hty and have broken down our wall, slain our martyred brother Mathias--we could not find his body,”

he added quickly, ”and Brother Joachim thinks that the Jews have eaten hiht avert their eternal damnation”

”Who is your prince?” asked Malcol in his breast

There were still powerful factions in Russia which were grouped about the representatives and relatives of the late reigning house

”I do not know his name,” said the priest, ”but I will lead you to hiuished two of the candles on the altar, crossing hi this cereh the screen and out at the back of the chapel Malcol round the door as they approached it, and the shadow of a flying for the dark yard Possibly the ti the as a low-roofed building

”We are a simple order,” said the priest, ”and we live simply”