274. A JACOBITE EXILE

four Cossacks he was taken by easy stages to Bercov, a
prison fortress a short distance from Moscow. He had
inquired from the surgeon who attended him for Dr. Kelly.
The doctor knew him, but said that he was not with the
army, but was, he believed, away visiting some towns on
the Volga, where a serious pestilence was raging.

Charlie remained but a short time at Bercov. His
wound was healing rapidly, and the surgeon who attended
him assured him that there was every prospect of his mak-
ing a complete cure if he would but keep his arm for some
weeks ina sling. He had nothing to complain of, either
as to his comfort or food. The governor, who spoke a
little Polish, visited him every day, and asked many ques-
tions as to his native country. On one of these visits he
said to him, “You asked me yesterday if I knew Dr.
Kelly, one of the chief surgeons of the army, who, as you
had heard, was at present on the Volga. You mentioned
that he was a friend of yours, and that you had made his
acquaintance when you were unlucky enough before to be
a prisoner in our hands. I am sorry to say that I have to-
day seen an official report, in which his name appears
among the list of those who have fallen victims to the
pestilence.”

“Tam sorry to hear that,” Charlie exclaimed; “both
because he was very kind to me and I liked him much,
and because in the second place I was sure that he would
have used his influence with the czar to obtain my exchange
as soon as possible.”

“It is very unfortunate,” the governor said, “ especially
as these exchanges are of rare occurrence. A few officers
may be taken prisoners on each side in the skirmishes, but
the numbers are too small to make the loss of any impor-
tance either to Russia or Sweden, and it is months since
either have taken any steps to bring about exchanges. I
myself have no influence. My appointment here is a sort