re you came from."

And the dark, broad silhouette of the priest moved back silently and
quickly and disappeared. Day was breaking: the snow turned whiter, the
figures of the people became more distinct, and the forest--thinner, more
melancholy.

"Gentlemen, you must go in pairs. Take your places in pairs as you wish,
but I ask you to hurry up."

Werner pointed to Yanson, who was now standing, supported by two
gendarmes.

"I will go with him. And you, Seryozha, take Vasily. Go ahead."

"Very well."

"You and I go together, Musechka, shall we not?" asked Tanya Kovalchuk.
"Come, let us kiss each other good-by."

They kissed one another quickly. Tsiganok kissed firmly, so that they
felt his teeth; Yanson softly, drowsily, with his mouth half open--and it
seemed that he did not understand what he was doing.

When Sergey Golovin and Kashirin had gone a few steps, Kashirin suddenly
stopped and said loudly and distinctly:

"Good-by, comrades."

"Good-by, comrade," they shouted in answer.

They went off. It grew quiet. The lanterns beyond the trees became
motionless. They awaited an outcry, a voice, some kind of noise--but it
was just as quiet there as it was among them--and the yellow lanterns
were motionless.

"Oh, my God!" some one cried hoarsely and wildly. They looked about.
It was Tsiganok, writhing in agony at the thought of death. "They are
hanging!"

They turned away from him, and again it became quiet. Tsiganok was
writhing, catching at the air with his hands.

"How is that, gentlemen? Am I to go alone? It's livelier to die
together. Gentlemen, what does it mean?"

He seized Werner by the hand, his fingers clutching and then relaxing.

"Dear master, at least you come with me? Eh? Do me the favor? Don't
refuse."

Werner answered painfully:

"I can't, my dear fellow. I am going with him."

"Oh, my God! Must I go alone, then? My God! How is it to be?"

Musya stepped forward and said softly:

"You may go with me."

Tsiganok stepped back and rolled the whites of his eyes wildly.

"With you!"

"Yes."

"Just think of her! What a little girl! And you're not afraid? If you
are, I would rather go alone!"

"No, I am not afraid."

Tsiganok grinned.

"Just think of her! But do you know that I am a murderer? Don't you
despise me? You had better not do it. I shan't be angry at you."

Musya was silent, and in the faint light of dawn her face was pale
and enigmatic. Then suddenly she walked ove