Her usually placid brows were knitted as she glanced quickly at Colonel Zazarin, in the belief that there was some mistake. He was watching her keenly, and she looked away lest he should see what was in her. "You must give me credit for doing my best to dissuade you from coming, Madame Palma," he said, with a gleam in the dark eyes. "It is a lonely life, you know, and a loose one. Convicts have no rights, you see. They are outside the law, though at times they make laws unto themselves. And the Free Command here has its own peculiar notions, and adapts itself to its own peculiar circumstances." Then the door opened, and a woman came in and stood staring at them. She threw off her hood and sheepskin coat, and revealed a shapely figure and a fine frank face, full at the moment of a great curiosity. "Ah, Madame Roskova, I have brought you a visitor. This is Madame Palma come out to join her husband," said Zazarin. "You are very welcome," said the woman, with courteously veiled amazement, and stretched a hearty hand to the astonished Hope. "The Doctor is up at the prison, but he should be in shortly. This will be a very great surprise for him. Can I offer your Excellency a cup of brick tea? Madame is quite ready for one, I can see," and she began to bustle about the preparation of it, poking up the fire and reaching down the samovar. His Excellency made a grimace, and continued to watch Hope Palma. She had submitted dizzily to Madame Roskova's handshake. She watched her movements through a mist--of the brain as well as of the eyes. What did it mean? Why was this woman here in Serge's house--in her place? Her face looked good. Her manner betrayed no confusion of guilt. What did it mean? "Da!" said Madame Roskova, after vainly trying to light a small lamp. "I forgot to fill it," and proceeded to haul out a tin of oil to remedy her neglect. "Ach!"--as the tin proved empty--"I will run across and----" Before she had got on her hood, however, there was a sound of heavy boots kicking against the doorpost to get rid of the snow, the door opened, and Paul Pavlof came in. In the dim light he could not at first see who his visitors were, but he expressed no surprise at sight of the official uniform. Surprise visits from the vigilant watchdogs at any time of night or day were a matter of course. Then, recognising the Governor, he took off his cap, and said, "Ah, Excellency, we are honoured." "I have brought you a visitor, Palma," said the Colonel. "A visitor, Excellency?" "Your wife." "My--God!"--and he caught her just in time to anticipate the Colonel. For, at sight of his entrance, Hope had sprung to her feet. And at sound of his voice she gave a little cry, and tottered two steps towards him, and fell. "Poor dear!" said Madame Roskova, full of sympathy. "The journey has been too much for her," and would have helped him.