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BY ORDER OF THE CZAR. 283

of camps. He knew when to put out his gloved hand ; when, his grip of mail. Among women of society he was greatly admired ; he had the dash, and daring, and the knack of making the boldness of an unscrupulous lover appear to be merely the frankness of a soldier.

Petronovitch was what men call successful with women, and he regarded the impression he had made upon the Countess Stravensky as not the least gorgeous feather in his cap, and her love not the least renowned of the memories he hoped to enshrine in his unholy storehouse of past victories. He was on the march to that goal of illicit pleasure which now occupied all his wicked hopes. The outposts had been captured,- the citadel would capi- tulate at discretion. .

Know Anna again ! Who could possibly recognize in the lovely and distinguished Countess Stravensky the victim of devilish conspiracy and lust whom Petronovitch had last seen broken and bleeding on the way to the hospital, through whose portals men and women went to their deaths or to everlasting exile in Siberia.

So far as Petronovitch was concerned the revolt of Czarovna was as old and forgotten a story as was the memory of his reception of the queen of the ghetto at his palace on the night of Losinski's arrest and judicial murder. General Petronovitch had risen to distinction and place since then ; had marched roughshod through Turkish villages, and with fire and sword over rebellious multitudes away in Central Asia ; had shaken his red right hand at the English flag ; had offered to carry his victorious Cossacks right up to the Indian frontier and onwards ; had been forgiven by his Imperial master for rash and impolitic speeches in very admiration of his daring and bravado.

In short, Petronovitch was a famous soldier and patriot of the mighty north, with whom, should the long forecasted