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'Stop!' cried Maria Nikolaevna, 'I want to sit down and rest on this velvet Help et off'

Sanin leaped off his horse and ran up to her She leaned on both his shoulders, sprang instantly to the ground, and seated herself on one of theboth the horses' bridles in his hand

She lifted her eyes to hiet?'

Sanin recollected what had happened yesterdayin the carriage 'What is that--a questionor a reproach?'

'I have never in ic?'

'What?'

'Inof in our ballads--our Russian peasant ballads?'

'Ah! That's what you're speaking of,' Sanin said slowly

'Yes, that's it I believe in itand you will believe in it'

'Magic is sorcery ' Sanin repeated, 'Anything in the world is possible I used not to believe in it--but I do now I don't know ht a moment and looked about her 'I fancy this place seems familiar to me Look, Sanin, behind that bushy oak--is there a red wooden cross, or not?'

Sanin moved a few steps to one side 'Yes, there is' Maria Nikolaevna sot lost as yet What's that tapping? A wood-cutter?'

Sanin looked into the thicket 'Yesthere's aup dry branches'

'I hts,' said Maria Nikolaevna 'Else he'll seeup her long hair, silently and seriously Sanin stood facing herAll the lines of her graceful lih the dark folds of her habit, dotted here and there with tufts of moss

One of the horses suddenly shook itself behind Sanin's back; he hi was in confusion within hiht well say he did not know hi was filled full of one thingone idea, one desire Maria Nikolaevna turned a keen look upon hi's as it should be,' she observed, putting on her hat 'Won't you sit down? Here! No, wait a minutedon't sit down! What's that?'

Over the tree-tops, over the air of the forest, rolled a dull ru

'Can it be thunder?'

'I think it really is thunder,' answered Sanin