to negotiate about the ransom. This, however, of course is
divided among his comrades."

"But if the person is poor?" asked Feodor, indignantly, "if she cannot
pay?"

"Then she belongs to him who has won her; he must decide on her fate.
He is--"

The major stopped suddenly. The other officers raised themselves in
their seats, and listened with breathless attention.

"I think I hear the signal," whispered the major. He had not deceived
himself. A shrill, piercing whistle sounded a second time. The
officers sprang from their seats, and broke into a loud cry of
triumph:

"Our Cossacks are coming. They have caught something! Come, come, let
us throw the dice."

With fierce eagerness, they all rushed to the table, and stretched
out their hands for the bones. Immediately a deep, expectant silence
ensued. Nothing was heard but the rattling of the dice, and the
monotonous calling of the numbers thrown. Feodor alone remained at his
place, lost in deep thought, and his tortured heart kept asking itself
the question, "Could it be her whom the barbarians had captured and
ill-used?" This question burnt in his brain like a red-hot dagger,
upsetting his reason, and driving him almost mad with anger and grief.
Still the rattling of the noisy dice went on--the calling of the
numbers. No one took notice of the young man, who, in desperate
distress, his clinched fist pressed against his breast, paced up and
down the farther end of the room, uttering broken words of anger and
grief. No one, as has been said, noticed him, nor did any one remark
that at this moment the door in the background of the hall was opened,
and six Cossacks entered, bearing a litter on their shoulders.

Feodor von Brenda saw them, and, with deep compassion, he regarded the
veiled, inanimate figure lying on the litter, which was set down by
the Cossacks.

"Colonel von Brenda," cried Major von Fritsch at this moment, "it is
your turn."

"Oh, he is too sentimental!" laughed out Matusch. "Is not that the
fact, colonel?"

Feodor remained musing and pensive. "It is a woman," said he to
himself--"perhaps a young and handsome woman like Elise. How if I
should try to save her? I have luck at the dice. Well, I will try."
And with a firm step he approached the table. "Give me the bones,"
cried he. "I will throw with you for my share of the booty."

The dice rattled and tumbled merrily on the table.

"Eighteen spots!"

"The highest throw!"

"Colonel von Bren