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48 BY ORDER OF THE CZAR.

11 1 am not thinking of myself, but of these poor people ; more particularly this girl, her father, and the rabbi. Can anything be done for them ? "

" I fear me not. Petronovitch is cruel by nature and by policy ; Poltava is in disgrace for his leniency ; and your arrest, the death of one of the Emperor's officers at your hands, and in the Jew's house, so entirely justifies the change of Governors and policy that Petronovitch is mas- ter of the situation, and will be encouraged to take a big revenge. We are under martial law, and he hates the Jews ; indeed, it is hard to say whom he loves."

" I will follow the girl Anna," said the old man ; " good day, Sir Count."

" Au revoir J" responded the count. "Let us meet soon."

It was wonderful with what rapidity the old man, our unfortunate friend Ferrari, got over the ground. He soon disappeared in the wood ; and meanwhile Count Straven- sky cantered into the town of Czarovna, which he found under the influence of strange and disturbing incidents.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE AWFUL NEWS THAT CAME TO CZAROVNA.

WITHIN the few months previous to the change of Gov- ernors in the province of Vilnavitch, the chief towns and villages of Southern Russia were ablaze with riot, violence, and bloodshed. In the provinces of Cherson, Ekaterin- solav, Poltawa, Taurida Kiew, Czeringow, and Podolia there had spread like wildfire the idea that the Jews and their property had been handed over to the tender mercies of the populace, an idea that seemed almost justified by the inertness of the Governor-General in his treatment of the riots at Elizabethgrad and Kiew.