hite hands from which she had torn
the gloves.

As the figure moved again uneasily, half sitting up in the snow, the
men rushed forward.

"Here they are--the gypsies! We have them! They were stealing the
sleigh, the rascals!"

As they sprang at Velasco, surrounding him, there came suddenly a swift
whizz through the air, a singing as of a hornet, and the heavy lash
struck them, across the face, the eyes, the shoulders, stinging and
sharp, leaving cruel welts as it struck. The driver screamed out, half
blinded. The gendarmes started back. Petrokoff fell on his knees and
cowered behind a bush, his fat body trembling and his hands
outstretched as if praying:

"For the love of the saints!" he cried, "Don't strike!"

The lash flashed through the air, blinding and terrible in its
rapidity. The gypsey leaned over the dash-board, her face white, her
eyes dark with rage, her cap on the back of her yellow curls; and the
whip seemed to leap between her fingers like something alive.

"Velasco!" she screamed, "Get up! Come--ah, come, while I beat them,
the fiends!"

The cry seemed to pierce the benumbed brain of her companion, as the
lash the skin. The dark patch moved again and Velasco struggled to his
feet; he ran towards the sleigh. The girl leaned forward once more and
as the gendarmes sprang towards them again, swearing at her and
shouting, she lashed them fiercely across the face and the eyes,
mercilessly, with little cries of rage. Velasco tumbled in beside her
on the seat.

"Are you there?" she cried, "Are you safe?"

Then she turned, and loosening the reins the lash fell on the horses,
cutting them sharply; and they dashed forward, the foam dripping from
their bits and their hoofs striking sparks from the ice as they fled,
galloping madly, swiftly, through the snow.

In a moment the inn was left behind, the shouting and swearing died
away in the distance, and there was silence, broken only by the panting
of the horses and the sound of their hoofs galloping. Kaya still urged
them forward, shaking the reins in her left hand and lashing with the
whip.

"You are safe!" she cried, "You are there, Velasco?"

And then as the silence continued, a great fear came over her; her
heart seemed to leap in her throat and her pulses stopped beating. She
stooped over him, unheeding the horses. They were in the midst of the
forest now, and the next town was several versts distant. It was dark
and she put her fac