"I would bring hither the daughter of the chieftain, for I must quit my mountain home, my flocks and herds, and come to join you with my followers." "You speak wisely, Khan," said the Baron. "You shall be received with open arms; but you must also bring this son of Arslan Gherrei, and his youthful page, and also a Russian officer, who lately escaped when under sentence of death. I will, in return, promise you lands, flocks, and herds to supply those you have left." "You speak of Selem Gherrei, Russian," exclaimed the Khan. "It were easier far to entrap the savage boar, and bring him willingly along, than to bring alive before you any of the chiefs of the Atteghei. But I will try; and, if I fail, it shall not be for want of hatred and revenge to prompt me." "Bring him alive, if possible; if not, bring me his corpse, and you will be welcome. There are others I would secure--his squire, and a slow, heavy slave, who is probably about his person." "I have already said I will do my best to please you," said the Khan haughtily, "and now I must depart." "Farewell, until you return with your prisoners," rejoined the Russian. "Chieftain of Russia," responded the Khan, "you will see me soon again. I tarry not in my revenge." Saying which Khoros Kaloret strode from the tent with the same haughty air with which he had entered, and, mounting his horse, galloped off. "There goes a traitor," said the Baron, following him with his eye as he rode off; "and if there were a few more like him, we might soon rightly call the fair lands of Circassia our own. I think I can trust that barbarian, with revenge for his motive of action; and if he brings Arslan Gherrei's daughter, I shall have a hold upon him he cannot easily break through." He then summoned Count Erintoff to his presence. "Ah! Colonel," he said, as the Count entered, "I have at length a hope of punishing those who have hitherto escaped my vengeance." "I am rejoiced to hear it, General," said the Count. "We owe it as a duty to our country to punish those vile deserters, not to mention the indulgence of a little private revenge. But how is it that you hope to succeed?"