382 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.
band he was following, but with a desperate hope that it might be so.
Whether he had not spoken loud enough to command attention amidst the clanking of chains and the miscella- neous orders and exclamations, his excited interrogatory passed unheeded.
" Is this Captain Karakazov's command?" he shouted in French.
No reply ; but there was a movement in the ranks which attracted his attention.
" Captain Karakazov ! " he shouted again at the top of his voice, his fellow-passengers now regarding him with both surprise and alarm. An officer who had been busy receiving the reports of some subordinate turned somewhat angrily towards him.
" I am Captain Karakazov," he said. " What is your business, sir, with me ? "
" Thank God ! " exclaimed Dick. " You have a prisoner, Philip Forsyth," at which moment one of the exiles fell forward from a group and was caught with difficulty, but with great solicitude, in the arms of a woman, who, turning towards Chetwynd and the officer, disclosed to the English traveler the weird face of the woman in the Gold Medal picture, the scene of which flashed upon Dick with a strange terrible realization ; the winter background of lurid light, the snow, the bearded prisoners, the hooded woman, the mounted guard, the thoughtful student, the woman at bay. Before the officer in command had time to say another word, Dick Chetwynd was on his knees by the side of Philip Forsyth.
" Great God ! " he exclaimed, whispering into the ear of the woman, " the Countess Stravensk y."
She looked at him with a tearful light in her great violet eyes, and placed a finger upon her lips, with a gentle sibil- lant " Hush ! "
