d window was high above the ground; but he could reach it by
standing on his stool. Even that, however, was not of much use; for all
view was cut off by a wooden screen, so arranged that the light only
penetrated from above, and he had to twist his head considerably in
order to catch the least glimpse of the sky.

Wolf remained in this cramped position as if fascinated, gazing upward,
with his cheek against the cold stone of the wall. Grey clouds were
passing over the tiny bit of sky visible to him. Occasionally the whole
of the narrow space was filled in with a clear deep blue.

One of the panes of the window was open, admitting a breath of fresh
pure air. It seemed to the prisoner that without this mouthful of free
air he would not be able to breathe, and he pressed his face against
the woodwork of the window as if suffocating.

Gradually it grew dark outside. The wind rose, and a few heavy drops of
rain pattered on the boards of the screen. In the yard outside the
trumpeter sounded the call to stable-duty. The poor fellow in the
narrow cell remembered that this evening he should have rejoined the
circle of his socialist comrades. Instead of which, here he was
twisting his neck to see even a little bit of the sky, rather than the
ghastly grey walls of his prison.

As the evening went on even that comfort failed. Everything was grey in
the grey light around him.

As a gust of damp air blew in he once more drew a deep breath and got
down from the stool.

Within the cell it was quite dark; but suddenly a square of light
appeared in the door,--the little window through which the prisoner
could be observed from without. The gas had been lit in the corridor,
and the unsteady light of the unprotected, flickering jet penetrated
the gloom of the cell.

At the same moment the corporal on guard appeared on the threshold. He
brought with him the third of a loaf of bread, and he proceeded to let
down the bed from the wall.

"Shall I shut the window?" he asked.

Wolf answered hastily, "No, no, sir."

The corporal nodded, looked round once more to see if everything was in
order, and quitted the cell, turning the key twice in the lock.

The reservist heard him go along the passage to Findeisen's cell.
Shortly after, the click of the spurs was again audible passing his
door, and then everything was as still as before.

Wolf lay on the bed and munched hard lumps of bread, from time to time
taking a drink of water. After