We were received with great fear by the settlers.

"Thank God!" exclaimed the hostess, "we thought . . ." and she broke off,
looking at her husband.


CHAPTER X

THE BATTLE ON THE SEYBI


Constant dangers develop one's watchfulness and keenness of perception.
We did not take off our clothes nor unsaddle our horses, tired as
we were. I put my Mauser inside my coat and began to look about and
scrutinize the people. The first thing I discovered was the butt end of
a rifle under the pile of pillows always found on the peasants' large
beds. Later I noticed the employees of our host constantly coming into
the room for orders from him. They did not look like simple peasants,
although they had long beards and were dressed very dirtily. They
examined me with very attentive eyes and did not leave me and my friend
alone with the host. We could not, however, make out anything. But then
the Soyot Governor came in and, noticing our strained relations, began
explaining in the Soyot language to the host all about us.

"I beg your pardon," the colonist said, "but you know yourself that now
for one honest man we have ten thousand murderers and robbers."

With this we began chatting more freely. It appeared that our host knew
that a band of Bolsheviki would attack him in the search for the band of
Cossack officers who were living in his house on and off. He had heard