Page:In the name of a woman (1900).djvu/323

 which I did not understand, and said in an unnecessarily harsh, strident tone:

"You have played us too many tricks for me to dare to take your parole not to escape, sir; and if you are treated with indignity you have yourself to blame for it. Bind the prisoner's hands behind him!" he said roughly to a couple of men near; and a murmur of approval came from the troopers standing around, mingled with a good deal of strong Russian.

"I protest against the outrage!" I shouted, and commenced to struggle. It was useless, of course, and I was held, and my hands fastened behind me. "Where am I being taken? I demand to know."

"I'll demand you," said Wolasky, in a voice of passion; and, seizing me, he pushed me forward to where a horse stood riderless.

"Excuse this farce," he whispered; "but it is necessary;" and he covered the whisper with a loud imprecation and abuse of me. I was so astonished that I forgot to resist. "Struggle," he whispered again; and then I set to work to play my part with a will, and fought and struggled so desperately as they were forcing me to mount, that the Captain appeared to lose his temper, and struck at me, taking care, however, that the blow spent itself in the air.

"Watch him," he ordered, "and at the least sign of treachery, shoot him like a dog. It doesn't matter whether he reaches Tirnova alive or dead, so long as he does reach there;" and again some of the soldiers clustered about, laughed and oathed in evident glee.

I rode between two troopers, whose horses were fastened to mine by light chains attached to the bits, while each man held a rein; and, as we started in this alarming fashion, some ruffian shouted after us to keep