s."

"It was on the day after we got past the Russians. It was a strong place
with a hard name--Jaro something or other. The next day, as we were
marching along, we came across an overturned carriage. A coachman and a
woman were lying dead. On nearing it, I heard a little cry, and I
stepped out from the side of my company--I was a sergeant and was
marching on the flank--and I found among the cushions a little girl,
about six years old, who was already almost frozen to death. I fastened
her on to my back under my cloak, and carried her along with me. She
came round, and was a dear little creature. Well, I carried her all
through the retreat. Sometimes, when there was an alarm, I had time to
stow her away in one of the waggons; when there was not, she went on my
back into the middle of the fighting, and you know that was pretty rough
occasionally. However, we both of us seemed to possess a charm against
balls. We got on all right until the day before we were to arrive at the
Berezina. Then I went out foraging with some companions; they got into a
hut, lit a fire, and would not leave, so I started alone with her.

"I lost my way, and was found by a lot of peasants, who would have made
very short work of me, but the child stepped forward like a little queen
and told them that she was the Countess of Woronski, and that her
father was a friend of the Czar's, and that if they sent us to him they
would get a great reward. Thinking that it was good enough, they took us
to their village and dressed me up in peasant's clothes, and kept us
there a fortnight. Then the head man and the village Papa came with us
here by post. The child's father and mother had given her up as dead,
and their gratitude to me is boundless. It has been deemed unadvisable
to say anything about my ever being with the French, and I am simply
introduced by the count as an English gentleman whom he regards as his
very dear friend. I sent letters home to you and Aunt a fortnight since,
and if I had heard that the charge of murder was still hanging over me I
should probably have remained here for good. The count has already
hinted that there is an estate at my disposal. He is as rich as Croesus,
and he and the countess would be terribly hurt if I were to refuse to
accept their tokens of gratitude. They have no other child but
Stephanie, and she is, of course, the apple of their eye."

"Well, you have had luck, Julian. I did think that if you once got out
of pr