The Next Step_

The following afternoon it seemed to Nona Davis that all Petrograd was
a-glitter with onion-shaped domes. The Russian priests explained that
these domes were really shaped like folded rosebuds, symbolizing the
church on earth that was to blossom in heaven. But to see them in this
fashion required a Russian imagination.

However, the effect was very beautiful, and Nona was glad to have her
attention diverted, as she started out to find the Cathedral of St.
Isaac. Some of the domes were of blue, set with stars to represent the
canopy of the sky. But Nona knew that the central dome of St. Isaac's
was an enormous copper ball covered with gold and that its radiance
could be seen at a great distance.

She had had great difficulty in fulfilling her engagement with Katja.
At first she had tried to deceive Barbara in regard to her intention,
being fully determined to continue her search for Sonya until she had
discovered her; nevertheless, it did not seem worth while to trouble
Barbara while she had no actual information to go upon. But Barbara
would not be deceived.

Nona suggested that she wished to walk for several hours and feared the
younger girl might become fatigued. In reply Barbara assured her that
there was nothing she herself so much desired as exercise, and as for
growing tired, Nona would the sooner be worn out, since she was the one
who had been ill.

Afterwards, while there were other excuses for her departure which Nona
struggled to invent, all were equally useless. From the first Barbara
had guessed her plan. Although she had seen nothing and knew nothing of
Nona's meeting with Katja the day before, she had immediately guessed
that Nona's desire for a solitary excursion was in some way connected
with her effort to find Sonya Valesky. And this effort the younger girl
continued to oppose.

So Nona had finally departed, leaving Barbara in tears over her
obstinacy and foolhardiness. She was very unhappy, but what else was
possible for her to do? Had Barbara been in the same need that Sonya
now was, surely no one could have persuaded her to turn her back upon
Barbara.

Katja was waiting and fortunately there were but a few other persons in
the Cathedral at the same hour.

As quickly and as intelligently as she knew how, the old woman explained
that Sonya was in a civil prison in Petrograd and was to be tried for
treason within another week. Katja had not seen her child, but had
received a