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174 almost beside himself, wanted to throw himself upon his adversary; but the latter, spurring his horse, crossed the line, disdaining even to look at Kéraban; and then, followed by his escort, galloped away on the other road, which followed the right bank of the river.

"The coward! the wretch!" exclaimed Kéraban. "If ever I meet him again!"

"Yes; but meantime we have no longer a post-chaise," said Ahmet, looking at the injured vehicle as it lay in the road.

"That may be, nephew; but nevertheless I passed over first!"

This was Kéraban all over! At that moment, some Cossacks who were charged with the care of the road approached. They had seen all that had occurred.

Their first move was to arrest Kéraban. He protested, and his nephew and Van Mitten vainly interfered. Then came violent resistance from the man who, after breaking the rules of the road, was threatening to complicate matters by resisting lawful authority.

One can no more argue with Cossacks than with gendarmes. It is no use to resist. So Kéraban was carried off to the Sakario station in a towering passion; while Ahmet, Van Mitten, Bruno and Nizib, remained by the damaged vehicle.

"Here is a pretty state of things!" said Van Mitten.

"But what about my uncle?" said Ahmet. "We cannot abandon him!"

Twenty minutes later the train from Tiflis to Poti passed. They looked at it and—

In a compartment appeared the dishevelled head of Kéraban, red with fury, beside himself with rage, and none the less because he, for the first time in his life, had been compelled by the ferocious Cossacks to travel in a train.

But he could not be left alone in such a situation. It was necessary to release him from the consequences of the false step his impetuosity had induced him to take, and not to imperil the return to Scutari, by a delay which might be prolonged.

Leaving the remains of the chaise which was now useless, Ahmet and his companions hired a cart to which the postilion harnessed his horses; and then as rapidly as possible they proceeded to Poti; where they arrived in two hours.

Ahmet and Van Mitten, as soon as they reached the town, went to the police-station with the intention to release Kéraban. There they learned one circumstance which reassured them in a measure, and eased their minds concerning more delay.

Seigneur Kéraban, having been heavily fined for breaking the law and resisting its authority, had been put under the charge of the Cossacks and sent across the frontier.

It was necessary that they should rejoin him as quickly as possible, and with this view they sought to procure means of transport.

As for Saffar, Ahmet made it his business to endeavour to ascertain what had become of him. He had already embarked in the steamer which had quitted Poti for various ports of Asia Minor. But Ahmet could learn nothing concerning this grand personage, and he did not perceive the trail of smoke which hung over the steamer that was carrying the Seigneur Saffar to Trebizond!