e as death; a terrible suspicion flashed through her
mind. Mendel, too, was ill at ease.

"What do you want of me?" he asked.

"His excellency, the Governor, has instructed me to conduct you into his
presence," answered the soldier.

"For what purpose?" asked the Rabbi, anxiously.

"I do not know. I am simply to take you with me."

The greatest consternation prevailed among the little group. For a Jew
to be summoned before the Governor betokened no good.

"You would arrest my husband!" cried Recha, placing herself between the
soldier and the Rabbi. "He has done no wrong. You shall not take him!"

"Calm yourself, Recha," said the Rabbi, gently. "There is no need of
borrowing trouble. The soldier has not intimated that I am to be
punished. The Governor was at one time very friendly to me; perhaps it
is upon a friendly matter that he now wishes to see me."

Kissing his wife and mother-in-law and bidding them be of good cheer,
Mendel accompanied the guide to the Governor's residence. It was a long
walk through a number of densely populated streets to the animated
_podol_, or business centre. Hundreds of shops lined the streets, but
they were empty and deserted. The cholera had deprived them of their
customers and in many cases of their proprietors. Business was
practically suspended during the continuance of the plague. On leaving
the _podol_, the road led up a steep incline to the Petcherskoi. This
was the official portion of the town. Here stood the vast Petcherskoi
convent, a mass of old buildings, formerly a fine specimen of Byzantine
architecture, but now gradually yielding to the ravages of time. Here,
too, were the barracks, and the martial tread of the exercising
regiments rang out clearly in the September air. Beyond the barracks,
and by its high position commanding a fine view of the city, stood the
Governor's palace, an imposing pile of Russian architecture, which, when
Kief was still the capital of the Empire, was the scene of regal
festivities and despotic cruelty.

The ante-room of the Governor was filled with a motley crowd of
petitioners. There were deputations from the provincial towns, haughty
noblemen attired in lace coats and bedecked with badges, officers,
soldiers and _gendarmes_ in gorgeous uniforms. Mendel's courage sank
when he saw the formidable group before him.

"Remain here," commanded the guard who had accompanied him, "and I will
announce your presence to his excellency."

A momen