behind.
Velasco sat huddled on the floor of the cart, his violin and the knapsack
slung from his shoulders; his arms still clasping the slight, dark form,
protecting it from the jolting of the runners. He was muttering to it
under his breath:

"Kaya--poor little one! Your curls are damp against my cheek; your
forehead is ice! Courage, little comrade. Now--your heart beats
faster--your eye-lids are flickering! Another moment and you will be
warm and safe. The lights of the tea-house are ahead. Moujik--faster!
We will drink a glass of vodka together, all three! Faster--faster!"

As the sleigh dashed into the court-yard, the great red ball of the sun
rose above the distant tree-tops; and behind the stables a cock began to
crow, slowly, feebly at first, as if just awake and stretching his wings.

When Kaya came to consciousness again, she was lying on a pile of straw
in a low raftered room. She had dreamt that she was chained and in
prison, and that something was choking her and weighing on her breast;
but when she tried to move her limbs, she found that it was the blankets,
wrapping her closely; and when she opened her eyes, she saw the face of
Velasco bending over her, and he was trying to force some wine through
her clenched lips.

"Where am I?" said Kaya faintly, "You are choking me, Velasco!"

She struggled to a sitting posture, leaning on one elbow, and peered up
into his face. "What has happened?" she said again, "Where are we? I
thought we were tramping through the snow and my feet were frozen! You
are pale, Velasco, and your eyes are heavy!--Have I slept?"

Velasco glanced over his shoulder, and then brought his lips close to her
face and whispered: "You fainted and I carried you in my arms; the Moujik
brought us here in his cart. You opened your eyes once, and then when we
laid you on the straw you fell asleep. You slept so long I was
frightened, Kaya--if it had not been for your jacket moving under the
blankets, rising and falling softly with the beat of your heart, you
might have been dead; you were so still! Poor little one, you were
exhausted. Drink a little and eat!"

"What time is it, Velasco?"

"The sun was rising when we drove into the court and now, in another hour
or two, it will be setting."

Kaya put her hand to her cropped yellow curls, and then she looked at him
and a dimple came in her cheek:

"I forgot about being a boy," she murmured, "Is this what you call an
inn, V