He went out and slammed the door. I surveyed my surroundings. The hut seemed to me more doleful than before. The bitter odor of chilled smoke oppressed my breathing. The little girl did not stir from her place, and did not raise her eyes, from time to time she gave the cradle a gentle shove, or timidly hitched up on her shoulder her chemise which had slipped down; her bare legs hung motionless. "What is thy name?" I asked. "Ulita," she said, drooping her sad little face still lower. The forester entered, and seated himself on the wall-bench. "The thunderstorm is passing over," he remarked, after a brief pause; "if you command, I will guide you out of the forest." I rose. The Wolf picked up the gun, and inspected the priming. "What is that for?" I inquired. "They are stealing in the forest. They're felling a tree at the Hare's Ravine," he added, in reply to my inquiring glance. "Can it be heard from here?" "It can from the yard." We went out together. The rain had ceased. Heavy masses of cloud were piled up in the distance, long streaks of lightning flashed forth, from time to time; but over our heads, the dark blue sky was visible; here and there, little stars twinkled through the thin, swiftly flying clouds. The outlines of the trees, besprinkled with rain and fluttered by the wind, were beginning to stand out from the gloom. We began to listen. The forester took off his cap and dropped his eyes. "The--there," he said suddenly, and stretched out his arm; "you see what a night they have chosen." I heard nothing except the rustling of the leaves. The Wolf led my horse out from under the shed. "But I shall probably let them slip this way," he added aloud--"I'll go with you, shall I?"--"All right," he replied, and backed the horse. "We'll catch him in a trice, and then I'll guide you out. Come on." We set out, The Wolf in advance, I behind him. God knows how he found the road, but he rarely halted, and then only to listen to the sound of the axe. "You see," he muttered between his teeth. "You hear? do you hear?" "But where?" The Wolf shrugged his shoulders. We decended into a ravine, the wind died down for an instant, measured blows clearly reached my ear. The Wolf glanced at me and shook his head. We went on, over the wet ferns and nettles. A dull, prolonged roar rang out.... "He has felled it," muttered The Wolf.