"Ay, here's a wench--a fine one," said one.

"My respects to you, miss," said another, winking at her. One

dark man with a moustache, the rest of his face and the back of

his head clean shaved, rattling with his chains and catching her

feet in them, sprang near and embraced her.

"What! don't you know your chum? Come, come; don't give yourself

airs," showing his teeth and his eyes glittering when she pushed

him away.

"You rascal! what are you up to?" shouted the inspector's

assistant, coming in from behind. The convict shrank back and

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jumped away. The assistant assailed Maslova.

"What are you here for?"

Maslova was going to say she had been brought back from the Law

Courts, but she was so tired that she did not care to speak.

"She has returned from the Law Courts, sir," said one of the

soldiers, coming forward with his fingers lifted to his cap.

"Well, hand her over to the chief warder. I won't have this sort

of thing."

"Yes, sir."

"Sokoloff, take her in!" shouted the assistant inspector.

The chief warder came up, gave Maslova a slap on the shoulder,

and making a sign with his head for her to follow led her into

the corridor of the women's ward. There she was searched, and as

nothing prohibited was found on her (she had hidden her box of

cigarettes inside a roll) she was led to the cell she had left in

the morning.




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