“Remain with the party; I forbid you to go!” said the king.
To which Tyzenhauz answered,—
“Gracious Lord, give command later to shoot me for disobedience, but now I will go, for now it is a question of you.” And calling upon a number of soldiers in whom it was possible to trust in every emergency, he moved forward.
They halted at the other end of the defile which opened into the valley, and stood in silence, with muskets ready, holding their ears toward every sound. The silence lasted long; finally the sound of snow trampled by horses’ feet came to them.
“They are coming!” whispered one of the soldiers.
“That is no party; only a few horses are to be heard,” answered the other. “Pan Babinich is returning.”
Meanwhile those approaching came in the darkness within a few tens of yards.
“Who is there?” cried Tyzenhauz.
“Ours! Do not fire there!” sounded the voice of Kmita.
At that moment he appeared before Tyzenhauz, and not knowing him in the darkness, inquired,—