"There is more where that came from," said Ivan. "If you are hungry,
why don't you go eat your supper."

"Eat?" said the soldier bitterly. "Who knows how many hours we have
been on guard here? I guarded a door in there all day, and now they
have sent me here. The Captain is so enraged that he thinks nothing of
us, nothing!"

Ivan leaned carelessly against the wall and shrugged his shoulders.

"What happened?" he asked, idly.

The soldier laughed. "It is funny," he said. "You are nothing but a
boy, so it will not hurt to talk to you, and I have been silent so long
that my tongue's stiff. Besides, this is good cake. Well, know then,
little brother, that some people were brought here last night with
suspicious papers on them. An old man, a boy and a beautiful girl.
The old man would not explain the mysterious words in his little book,
and they threatened him with death. He did not believe it. Did I tell
you he was an American? He was. These Americans never fear. They say
simply, "Kill me? That is impossible. Postpone it, if you please,
while I write to the Consul!" Always it is so. Well, that old man, he
could not be made to realize that Captain Handel is absolute ruler now,
right here. They were brought to the state dining-room this morning,
and the Captain told them straight what he intended to do. It was
death for the old man and the boy, and he would spare the girl." The
soldier laughed. "I and one other were guarding the door, so we
heard. Presently the two Captains came out. As they left the room
Captain Handel called back, 'Half an hour. Just half an hour,
understand!'