ly inhaled
the smoke-laden air which was wafted in from the corridor and through
the cabinet door. But there was a long wait before her, for the
secretary, who was to deliver to the guard the order for her removal,
forgetting the prisoners, engaged one of the lawyers in the discussion
of an editorial that had appeared in a newspaper.

At five o'clock she was finally led down through the rear door. While
in the waiting-room she gave one of the guards twenty kopecks, asking
him to buy for her two lunch rolls and some cigarettes. The guard
laughed, took the money, honestly made the purchase and returned the
change to her. She could not smoke on the road, so Maslova arrived at
the jail with the same unsatisfied craving for a cigarette. At that
moment about a hundred prisoners were brought from the railroad
station. Maslova met them in the passageway.

The prisoners, bearded, clean-shaven, old, young, Russians and
foreigners--some with half-shaved heads, and with a clinking of iron
fetters, filled the passage with dust, tramping of feet, conversation
and a sharp odor of perspiration. The prisoners, as they passed
Maslova, scanned her from head to foot; some approached and teased
her.

"Fine girl, that!" said one. "My compliments, auntie," said another,
winking one eye. A dark man with a shaven, blue neck and long
mustache, tangling in his fetters, sprang toward her and embraced her.

"Don't you recognize your friend? Come, don't put on such style!" he
exclaimed, grinning as she pushed him away.

"What are you doing, you rascal?" shouted the officer in charge of the
prisoners.

The prisoner hastily hid himself in the crowd. The officer fell upon
Maslova.

"What are you doing here?"

Maslova was going to say that she had been brought from the court, but
she was very tired and too lazy to speak.

"She is just from the court, sir," said one of the guards, elbowing
his way through the passing crowd, and raising his hand to his cap.

"Then take her to the warden. What indecencies!"

"Very well, sir!"

"Sokoloff! Take her away!" shouted the officer.

Sokoloff came and angrily pushed Maslova by the shoulder, and,
motioning to her to follow him, he led her into the woman's corridor.
There she was thoroughly searched, and as nothing was found upon her
(the box of cigarettes was hidden in the lunch roll), she was admitted
into the same cell from which she had emerged in the morning.

CHAPTER XXX.

The cell