began to embrace
an old woman.

'Why don't you hug Maryanka? You should do it to each in turn,' said
Nazarka.

'No, my old one is sweeter,' shouted the Cossack, kissing the
struggling old woman.

'You'll throttle me,' she screamed, laughing.

The tramp of regular footsteps at the other end of the street
interrupted their laughter. Three soldiers in their cloaks, with their
muskets on their shoulders, were marching in step to relieve guard by
the ammunition wagon.

The corporal, an old cavalry man, looked angrily at the Cossacks and
led his men straight along the road where Lukashka and Nazarka were
standing, so that they should have to get out of the way. Nazarka
moved, but Lukashka only screwed up his eyes and turned his broad back
without moving from his place.

'People are standing here, so you go round,' he muttered, half turning
his head and tossing it contemptuously in the direction of the soldiers.

The soldiers passed by in silence, keeping step regularly along the
dusty road.

Maryanka began laughing and all the other girls chimed in.

'What swells!' said Nazarka, 'Just like long-skirted choristers,' and
he walked a few steps down the road imitating the soldiers.

Again everyone broke into peals of laughter.

Lukashka came slowly up to Maryanka.

'And where have you put up the chief?' he asked.

Maryanka thought for a moment.

'We've let him have the new hut,' she said.

'And is he old or young,' asked Lukashka, sitting down beside her.

'Do you think I've asked?' answered the girl. 'I went to get him some
chikhir and saw him sitting at the window with Daddy Eroshka.
Red-headed he seemed. They've brought a whole cartload of things.'

And she dropped her eyes.

'Oh, how glad I am that I got leave from the cordon!' said Lukashka,
moving closer to the girl and looking straight in her eyes all the time.

'And have you come for long?' asked Maryanka, smiling slightly.

'Till the morning. Give me some sunflower seeds,' he said, holding out
his hand.

Maryanka now smiled outright and unfastened the neckband of her smock.

'Don't take them all,' she said.

'Really I felt so dull all the time without you, I swear I did,' he
said in a calm, restrained whisper, helping himself to some seeds out
of the bosom of the girl's smock, and stooping still closer over her he
continued with laughing eyes to talk to her in low tones.

'I won't come, I tell you,' Maryanka suddenly said aloud, leaning awa