Harold Lamb

“ Who are you, oùchar?”
“It is the White Falcon, Loboda,” Khlit responded moodily. “The Don Cossacks gave him that name, and I brought the lad hither from the Don to show him to the sir brothers in the Siech. The sword that was the blade of Kaidu is his because he can use it well—”
“If it had cut down Satan it would have served us,” Loboda whispered. “But that time is past. Not a blade but the wisdom of a wolf is needed now by the brothers who still live.” ”

“ Although it was clear that his mind was wandering and he was bleeding to death, no one could move him from the saddle until Ayub came and peered into his stained face.
“It's Pavlenko, by ——!” the big Zaporoghian shouted. “Many's the time we've dried out a barrel together. Come down, Pavlenko, and let the lads wrap you up. You were always a quarrelsome dolt. Here!”
Reaching out swiftly, Ayub caught the saber of the delirious warrior close to the hilt and pulled strongly. Pavlenko swayed and tumbled into the arms of his former comrade. ”

“ For months he had ridden beside the old wanderer, had shared blankets and porridge-pot with him; but now he saw that Khlit had been made leader of the Cossacks and he spoke to him as to the koshevoi ataman of the Siech.
“Father,” he said anxiously, “I have a kounak, a comrade who has been left at the fire because he is stubborn. As God lives, he must not be left to be tortured by the Poles—”
“A three-horse sled has been kept for Loboda. The horses are being fed, down the street. Bring it—put the Cossack in it, with the colonel. Take ten men from the Black Kosh. ”

“ If the quiet priest had not added his word to that of Loboda, Khlit would have thought the dying colonel was out of his mind—it did not occur to the wanderer that Loboda might be finding excuses for the defeat of that day. A Cossack commander is the servant of the Siech and his brothers. If he fails—as some must do—he gives up the baton of his own accord and no voice is raised to blame him. ”

“ A throng of men, a multitude of horses, had left their traces around the village. But the painted doors of the taverns were shut and barred; the horn windows of the cottages showed no gleam of light, though it was the dull twilight of a midwinter's day. ”

“ The Cossack who had reined in the sled at the gate snapped his whip and the three horses plunged forward, passing the motionless ranks, and vanished into the white curtain where Ayub waited with his ten. ”

“ And he turned with an effort, considering Khlit and the red-cheeked priest who held in both hands the ikon that hung from the silver chain at his throat.
“Will the Poles and the boyare follow up their victory?” Khlit muttered, pulling at his mustache. “Have they many squadrons? What kind of leader?”
The sight of Loboda who had reveled with him in the Cossack camp had brought back to the veteran the memory of the times when he had led the army against Turk and Tatar. He spoke to the priest but it was the colonel who answered.
“A leader? ”