"That is hard to hear, Hope Ivanovna," he said quietly. "No such thought has ever entered my head. Still less the thought that I should ever have to tell you so. We thought only of you in the matter, but--it has miscarried. You see, we did not calculate on your coming out here." "Then you should have done," she said angrily. "Did you expect me to sit down and fold my hands and weep? How little you know of women!"--with most withering scorn. "It is true.... We thought to restore your happiness, and I was ready to give my life for it--and we have only digged a pit for you." "I must go back," she said, the brief fire burning out already, and she turned mazily towards the door. "I will go back to Serge." "Listen to me, Hope Ivanovna," he said, venturing a firm hand on her arm, which still shook from the storm. "I would hold my life as nothing if it could accomplish your wishes. But it cannot. It is impossible for you to go back at present. Yours was the last convoy of the year. There are no convoys back and the Shilka is closed. For your own sake, if not for Serge's, you must stop here for the present." "As your wife!" spurted the volcano once more. "Nominally as my wife--for your own sake and Serge's. For me--as the most sacred trust God ever imposed upon a man. You must trust me, Hope Ivanovna. You will have to trust me. There was a time when you would have trusted me without my having to plead for it--and I at all events have not changed." She made an angry gesture with her hand. "If it should become known that I am not Serge Palma, and that Serge is at large in the provinces, his chances of escape will be gone." "And you would suffer!" scorned the final spark. "Only in this way can I protect you from insult here--and worse. Kara is no place for a woman to live alone. Our guards are scum of the earth and have right of entry to all our houses at any time of day or night." The thought of Colonel Zazarin and her utter helplessness overwhelmed her and she dropped back into her chair. "What shall I do? Oh, what shall I do?" she moaned, and turned instinctively for refuge from the certain evil to the proffered help whose good faith she had never had reason to doubt before. "Paul! Paul! tell me what I must do." He was on his knees by her side in an instant, and taking her hand he said gently, "Only trust me, Hope Ivanovna. Trust me as you used to do and not a hair of your head shall suffer while life is left me." "Oh, I trust you! I trust you! But it is past thinking of----" "It will come all right if you will trust me, Hope Ivanovna. Serge is to send me word as soon as he is free, and then we can arrange for you to join him. Until then you shall be as safe here as if--as if"--Ah God! as safe as if she were indeed his wife! And he knew it and she knew it--"as if Serge himself was here to take care of you," was what he managed to say.