Before long we struck the road which we had travelled coming northand saw again the kindly rows of chopped down telegraph poles whichhad once so warmly protected us. Over the timbered hillocks northof the valley of Tisingol we wended just as it was growing dark.

We decided to stay in Bobroff's house and our companions thought toseek the hospitality of Kanine in the telegraph station. At thestation gate we found a soldier with a rifle, who questioned us asto who we were and whence we had come and, being apparentlysatisfied, whistled out a young officer from the house.

"Lieutenant Ivanoff," he introduced himself. "I am staying herewith my detachment of White Partisans."He had come from near Irkutsk with his following of ten men and hadformed a connection with Lieutenant-Colonel Michailoff atUliassutai, who commanded him to take possession of thisblockhouse.

"Enter, please," he said hospitably.

I explained to him that I wanted to stay with Bobroff, whereat hemade a despairing gesture with his hand and said:

"Don't trouble yourself. The Bobroffs are killed and their houseburned."I could not keep back a cry of horror.

The Lieutenant continued: "Kanine and the Pouzikoffs killed them,pillaged the place and afterwards burned the house with their deadbodies in it. Do you want to see it?"My friend and I went with the Lieutenant and looked over theominous site. Blackened uprights stood among charred beams andplanks while crockery and iron pots and pans were scattered allaround. A little to one side under some felt lay the remains ofthe four unfortunate individuals. The Lieutenant first spoke:

"I reported the case to Uliassutai and received word back that therelatives of the deceased would come with two officers, who wouldinvestigate the affair. That is why I cannot bury the bodies.""How did it happen?" we asked, oppressed by the sad picture.

"It was like this," he began. "I was approaching Tisingol at nightwith my ten soldiers. Fearing that there might be Reds here, wesneaked up to the station and looked into the windows. We sawPouzikoff, Kanine and the short-haired girl, looking over anddividing clothes and other things and weighing lumps of silver. Idid not at once grasp the significance of all this; but, feelingthe need for continued caution, ordered one of my soldiers to climbthe fence and open the gate. We rushed into the court. The firstto run from the house was Kanine's wife, who threw up her hands andshrieked in fear: "I knew that misfortune would come of all this!"and then fainted. One of the men ran out of a side door to a shedin the yard and there tried to get over the fence. I had notnoticed him but one of my soldiers caught him. We were met at thedoor by Kanine, who was white and trembling. I realized thatsomething important had taken place, placed them all under arrest,ordered the men tied and placed a close guard. All my questionswere met with silence save by Madame Kanine who cried: 'Pity, pityfor the children! They are innocent!' as she dropped on her kneesand stretched out her hands in supplication to us. The short-haired girl laughed out of impudent eyes and blew a puff of smokeinto my face. I was forced to threaten them and said:

"'I know that you have committed some crime, but you do not want toconfess. If you do not, I shall shoot the men and take the womento Uliassutai to try them there.'

"I spoke with definiteness of voice and intention, for............