She laughed lightly. “Not all the way, of course,” she said. “Just far enough to get away from the city—down the railway far enough to get a train beyond where Zorogoff’s men are on guard.” “But how are we to get through the cordons of Cossacks?” “An American officer should be able to pass—if my father and myself have forged passports. They would not stop you—an American.” He saw the cleverness of her plan. It was a bold move. And the Kirsakoffs would not have to risk having their identity revealed to Peter during any quizzing at the railway station in Chita. Zorogoff’s passport officers would undoubtedly hold Katerin and her father if they attempted to board a train at the station with Peter—and the worst of it would be, the old general would most likely be addressed by his name in the hearing of Peter. But the sentries of the cordon around the city would be more easily fooled. In the first place, they might not recognize Kirsakoff at all if he were well wrapped in furs, and had his bandage about his face. Besides, they might be deceived by the false passports. “Is it intended that we should go by night?” asked Peter. “No, by day. The soldiers will not be so careful by day. By night, they might fire upon us, or hold us till morning in some guardroom while our papers were sent back to the city for examination. That is the advice Slipitsky gives. He says the best escapes are made by daylight, and the proper plan carefully worked out.” Katerin waited till Peter thought it over. He considered the plan, looking thoughtfully at the window. “You, as an American, can be liberal with the soldiers. Give them enough rubles to make them feel they want to please you, but not enough to rouse their suspicions. We will give you the money.” Peter found it hard to choke down the bitterness which rose anew within him as he listened to her elaborating her plan for his deception. He was tempted for an instant to laugh at her, and tell her now that he knew all he needed to know. Yet there was a queer comfort for him in listening to Katerin go on with her intricate scheme to save herself and her father by means of the enemy of her father. And Peter realized also that they probably did not contemplate going on to Harbin with him at all—they would slip away from him on the train, at some station—anywhere once they were clear of the district in which Zorogoff’s army held any power. “Does Wassili go with us?” he asked, thinking that perhaps the servant would be taken for the purpose of killing Peter once they had used him to get them free through the cordons. “No, Wassili will remain here.” “What is the first thing to be done?” he asked, as if anxious to get about the business.