s Buriat to see a friend of his, and it does not
concern me who or what he may be; but it is different with you. As a
Russian officer I cannot be seeing you daily without reporting that I
have met a person who scarcely appears to be what he seems. It is
painful to me to be obliged to say so. I do not give advice any way. I
only say that if you do not wish to be asked questions, it would be best
for you to leave here after nightfall; until then, I shall not consider
it necessary to make any report. I shall be back again once or twice
to-day; you had better think the matter over."

Godfrey had been thinking the matter over as he walked beside the
litter, and had already arrived at a decision. It was evident that many
weeks, if not months, must elapse before Alexis would be fit to sustain
the hardships that would attend an attempt to escape, and he thought it
probable that more than ever he would be inclined to throw in his lot
with the wandering Buriats; he had therefore only himself to think
about. He had foreseen that he would not be able to stop at Kiakhta
without being exposed to being questioned, and that there remained
therefore only the option of living with the Buriats during the winter
or of giving himself up. The former plan would be the most advantageous
in the event of his trying to reach Pekin; but the difficulties in that
direction appeared to him so great that he shrank from the thought of
facing them, especially as he should now be alone, and he preferred the
idea of trying to escape by the north.

In this case a further sojourn among the Buriats would be useless; in a
Russian prison he would be able to pick up many valuable hints from the
men with whom he would work, and might find someone ready to make the
attempt with him. The difficulties of escape from prison did not seem
very great, and would, he thought, be even less at one of the penal
settlements than if confined in an ordinary jail. When, however, the
doctor spoke to him, Godfrey only thanked him, and said he would speak
with him again when he next called. The Buriat saw that he was looking
serious when he returned to the room.

"What did he say to you?" he asked. "Did he threaten to report you?"

"He spoke very kindly," Godfrey replied. "But he said that it would be
his duty to do so if I remained here."

The Buriat shook his head. "I was thinking of that yesterday, and was
afraid for you. Out on the plains there would have been none to ques