Page:By order of the Czar.djvu/50



38 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.

guarded her father in an upper room of his house prevented her from seeing him ; but there was no officer to bar her way to the humble lodging of Losinski, whither she flew for counsel and advice.

" Oh, if we could but leave this place ! " she said. " If my father gave them all he possesses, would they release him and give us our liberty to go forth and starve? "

" Be comforted, my dearest," said Losinski, " we have only one resource, our Heavenly Father."

" But will He hear us ? Oh, will He hearken to our prayers ? "

She was distraught, the poor child mad with fear, and with a dread she dared not speak of. Petronovitch had addressed her in soft, if not kindly words. She would rather he had spat upon her.

" God will surely help us," said the rabbi ; " it cannot be that so much true religion, such a good and honorable life as your father's, shall not find approval in His sight and therefore protection ; and it cannot be that such love as He has permitted me to be blessed withal shall be blighted."

" Oh, my dear love," exclaimed Anna, " I sometimes fear we are not His chosen : that after all we did crucify Him whom we should have accepted ! "

" Nay, Anna, thou art beside thyself! "

" Surely I am," she replied, wringing her hands ; " pass- ing the great crucifix by the church, it seemed to me as if the eyes of Him in His agony sought mine, and that He pitied me."

" For God's sake, Anna, no more of this, lest the judg- ment of Heaven fall straight upon us."

" Say not ' lest it fall/ dear love," said Anna ; " surely it has fallen. I am homeless, my father a prisoner, and I am going mad, for I know they will take thes from me. Hark ! they are coming 1 "