a race of giants or exceedingly fat men! Their carved bases spread
heavily apart, and huge dragon claw feet braced them on the floor
which, beneath and around the table, was carefully paved with stone.

At one side of the fireplace a great pile of wood was placed, broken
and splintered pieces picked up from the buildings which had been
shelled by the great guns of the enemy. Bits of oaken beams, pieces of
rare, highly polished furniture, and scraps of priceless carvings made
the pile which soon would go in flames to cook the wretched supper even
then in course of preparation.

A woman stood by the table, scraping scales from a fish. A heavy knife
was in her hand, and as she raised her dark and scowling face Ivan
recognized her and shuddered.

As she stood watching the entrance of the group at the door, scowling
and peering through the gloom, she looked to Ivan's eyes like one of
the furies of the French Revolution. All the history he had read of
that dreadful period was made clear and real to him. Ivan, closely
watched, and closely guarded from harm, had up to the time of the
bombardment of Warsaw, never come in contact with anyone out of his own
noble class with the exception of the Morris family. His father,
knowing the educational standing of Professor Morris in America, and
judging the whole family by his mild, inoffensive manner, had decided
to allow Ivan, his son, to learn English from The Professor. It had
not occurred to him, a man of many affairs, to suspect the presence of
an ingenious lively, mischievous whirlwind in the person of the
Professor's elder son.

When Ivan told his father with enthusiasm of the Professor's family,