"Ah, ha! sit there, hide thyself! I will find thee." And he felt with greater force than ever how dear she might become to him, if she would be kind even in a small degree. Meanwhile bells sounded; and a few minutes later, in the fog, still dense at the earth, though the sky above was blue, appeared the dim outlines of the train, which, as it approached, became more clearly defined. The engine, puffing interrupted clumps of smoke, rolled in with decreasing movement, and, stopping, began with noise and hissing to belch forth under its front wheels the useless remnant of steam. Pan Stanislav sprang to the sleeping-car; the first face at the window was Litka's, which at sight of him grew as radiant as if a sudden sunbeam had fallen on it. The little girl's hands began to move joyously, beckoning to Pan Stanislav, who was in the car in one moment. "My dearest little kitten!" cried he, seizing Litka's hand, "and hast thou slept; art thou well?" "I am well; and we have come home. And we'll be together--and good-day, Pan Stas!" Right behind the little girl stood Pani Emilia, whose hand "Pan Stas" kissed very cordially; and he began to speak quickly, as people do at time of greeting,-- "Good day to the dear lady. I have a carriage. You can go at once. My servant will take your baggage; I ask only for the check. They are waiting for you at home with tea. Pray give the check. Panna Plavitski is here too." Panna Plavitski was waiting, in fact, outside the car; and she and Pani Emilia shook hands, with faces full of smiles. Litka looked for a moment at Marynia, as if hesitating; after a while, however, she threw herself on her neck with her usual cordiality. "Marynia, thou wilt go with us to tea," said Pani Emilia. "It is ready, and thou art fasting, of course." "Thou art tired, travelling all night." "From the boundary we slept as if killed; and when we woke, we had time to wash and dress. In every case we must drink tea. Thou wilt go with us?" "I will, with the greatest pleasure." But Litka began to pull at her mother's dress. "Mamma, and Pan Stas." "But, naturally, Pan Stas too,--he thought of everything. Thanks to him, everything is ready. He must go with us, of course." "He must; he must!" cried Litka, turning to Pan Stanislav, who answered, smiling,-- "Not he must; but he wants to." And after a moment all four took their places in the carriage. Pan Stanislav was in excellent humor. Marynia was before him, and at his side little Litka. It seemed to him that the morning brightness was entering him, and that better days were beginning. He felt that henceforth he would belong to an intimate circle of beings bound together by comradeship and friendship, and in that circle would be Marynia. Now she was sitting there before him, near his eye, and near the friendship which both felt for Pani Emilia and Litka. Meanwhile all four were talking joyously. "What has happened, Emilka," asked Marynia, "that thou hast come so soon?"