a strong fist if you
are a fool."

Vassili did not reply, but watched the boat as it turned about and made
toward the beach again.

"You are right," he said finally. "Iakov will hear from me."

"I don't like him. He smells too much of the village," said Serejka.

In the distance, on the sea, was opening out the pink fan formed by the
rays of the rising sun. The glowing orb was already emerging from the
water. Amid the noise of the waves was heard from the boat the distant
cry:

"Draw in!"

"Come, boys!" cried Serejka, to the other fishermen on the beach.
"Let's pull together."

"When you see Iakov tell him to come here to-morrow," said Vassili.

The boat grounded on the beach and the fishermen, jumping out, pulled
their end of the net so that the two groups gradually met, the cork
floats bobbing up and down on the water forming a perfect semi-circle.

* * * * *

Very late on the evening of the same day, when the fishermen had
finished their dinner, Malva, tired and thoughtful, had seated herself
on an old boat turned upside down and was watching the sea, already
screened in twilight. In the distance a fire was burning, and Malva
knew that Vassili had lighted it. Solitary and as if lost in the
darkening shadows, the flame leaped high at times and then fell back as
if broken. And Malva felt a certain sadness as she watched that red dot
abandoned in the desert of ocean, and palpitating feebly among the
indefatigable and incomprehensible murmur of the waves.

"What are you doing there?" asked Serejka's voice behind her.

"What's that to you?" she replied dryly, without stirring.

He lighted a cigarette, was silent a moment and then said in a friendly
tone:

"What a funny woman you are! First you run away from everybody, and
then you throw yourself round everyone's neck."

"Not round yours," said Malva, carelessly.

"Not mine, perhaps, but round Iakov's."

"It makes you envious."

"Hum! do you want me to speak frankly?"

"Speak."

"Have yon broken off with Vassili?"

"I don't know," she replied, after a silence. "I am vexed with him."

"Why?"

"He beat me."

"Really? And you let him?"

Serejka could not understand it. He tried to catch a glimpse of Malva's
face, and made an ironical grimace.

"I need not have let him beat me," she said. "I did not want to defend
myself."

"So you love the old grey cat as much as that?" grinned Serejka, puffing
out a