the cathedral of Kalmar. Then he returned, unmolested,
with booty and fame to Kronstadt.

Upon arriving there he considered it his first duty to deliver an
account of his actions to the Admiral of the fleet. At that time the
shore at Kronstadt was covered with a great number of small huts
inhabited by the workmen in the port. As Captain Feodor leaped ashore
from his boat, a girl, who had been watching the spot for some time,
came out of one of the huts and approached him. The girl was young and
pretty, and was dressed in the picturesque costume of the Volhynian
women. She hurried up to the officer and seized his hand to kiss it.
He recognised her immediately as his little son's nurse.

"What!" he exclaimed in surprise. "Mashinka! Why, what brings you
here?"

The girl raised her finger to her lips and glanced timorously round
about. Only when she had assured herself that there was no one
listening did she begin to speak.

"Oh, my Master!" she exclaimed in a low tone; "have a care! Muffle
yourself in your cloak! If you are recognised here you will certainly
be taken!"

"Taken!" cried the Captain. "What foolishness is this, Mashinka? Why
should any one wish to take me, think you?"

"Why!" echoed the girl. "To make you dig for lead in the Urals, most
likely. You are an outlaw!"

"Are you raving, woman?" asked Feodor. "What crime have I committed?"

"That you will soon learn," replied Mashinka. "Last winter did you
not shelter Krazinski in your house?"

"Krazinski! Why, he was a dear friend of mine--a brother-in-arms of
the old days."

"That may be. But now they say he is a conspirator."

"But what is that to me? I knew nothing of that then. He came to the
castle for the hunting, and after having had as much of that as he
wanted he went off again. But I see I had better go off to the Court
at once and tell them all about the matter."

"Nay, Master; go not there!" whispered the girl imploringly. "There
you have a most powerful enemy whom your death alone will pacify."

"An enemy! Who is he?" asked Feodor in surprise.

"Your brother," replied Mashinka.

"What! Zeno?--he whom I loved so much that I made over to him my
inheritance and even the title of Count as well, reserving only a
minor's portion for myself?"

"Ay; and now he means to have that portion also," said Mashinka. "He
has seized your castle in the forest; and even that seaman's whistle
at your breast--he has already been promised that."

"Wel