Those strange eyes had the effect of
a spell on man and beast. Meanwhile the headsman could be heard singing
within his room the hymn:

"Ere slumber fall upon mine eyes."

The youth hastened towards the night-quarters of the headsman's
'prentice. On the way thither he encountered the young woman. He pinched
her ear and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Get along with you, you naughty boy!" said she.

And then the virago sauntered back into the kitchen, leaving her guest
to go where he liked.

His quest was an easy one now. He had only to proceed in the direction
from whence the woman had come. Ivan feigned to be asleep.

"Hie! my little brother! up! up!" cried the stranger, and tugged at the
fellow's hair till he opened his eyes in terror.

"Well! what's the row? what do you want with me?"

"What do I want? I'll very soon let you know, you rascal, get up, I
say!"

Ivan made no very great haste to obey.

The stranger wasted no more words upon him but began buffeting him right
and left, till his head waggled on his shoulders.

Full of fury Ivan started up from his couch and fell upon his tormentor;
but the latter, with serpentine agility, clutched the fellow's throat
tightly with his right hand and pressed his head against the wall, while
with his left he held a large pistol in front of his nose.

"You dare to move, you rogue, that's all, and I'll spread you out over
the wall like a painted picture."

The lad was awed by the unexpected strength of that fist and the
threatening proximity of the pistol.

"But, sir, what in heaven's name have I done?" he babbled. "Who are you,
and what do you want of me?"

"Who am I, eh? I am a police-sergeant, you rascal. I am pursuing a
deserter, whom you have concealed. Come, speak, what have you done with
him?"

Ivan had already begun to recover himself a little.

"I'll tell you the truth, I will indeed, only let me go. It is true that
I enticed a deserter hither, but it was not to conceal him."

"You did not bring him hither to conceal him, eh? You lie, you dog.
Another falsehood, and I'll tie you to my horse's tail and drag you all
the way to Dukla. What did you do with him?"

"I'll tell you everything, Mr. Sergeant, I am a man of my word. It is
true that I enticed a young gentleman here, at one time I was his
lackey. Later on we became soldiers together. I was subsequently
discharged because I was growing blind. I am speaking the truth, I was
blind then. The