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The Bashkir crossed the threshold with difficulty, for his feet were shackled He took off his high Cossack cap and stood near the door I looked at hiet that e, and had neither nose nor ears His head was shaved; a few sparse gray hairs took the place of beard He was small of stature, thin and bent; but his Tartar eyes still sparkled

"Eh! eh!" said the Cons one of the rebels punished in 1741 "You are an old wolf, I see; you have already been caught in our snares This is not your first offense, for your head is so well planed off"

The old Bashkir was silent, and looked at the Commandant with an air of complete imbecility

"Well! why are you silent?" continued the Captain; "do you not understand Russian? Zoulac, ask hiue, who sent him into our fortress"

The Kale the Captain's question But the Bashkir looked at hi a word

"I will make you answer," exclaimed the Captain, with a Tartar oath "Coare hi from the shoulders of the old man Then, sore distress was vividly depicted on the face of the unfortunate ht by children But when one of the pensioners seized his hands to turn them around his neck and lift up the old man on his shoulders; when Zoulac took the rods and raised his hand to strike, then the Bashkir uttered a low, but penetratinghis head, opened his ue, , when Basilia rushed breathlessly into the room with a terrified air "What has happened to you?" asked the Commandant, surprised

"Misfortune! ; Father Garasim's boy has just returned He saas captured The Coed, all the soldiershere"

This unexpected news made a deep impression on o, the young , had paid a visit to Captain Mironoff The fort he commanded was only twenty-five versts froht expect an attack froatcheff