The mother knew that they held meetings in the woods and the marsh; that squads of mounted police galloped around the village, that spies were crawling all over, holding up and searching single workingmen, dispersing groups, and sometimes making an arrest.

She understood that her son and Andrey might be arrested any night.

Sometimes she thought that this would be the best thing for them.
Strangely enough, the investigation of the murder of Isay, the record clerk, suddenly ceased.

For two days the local police questioned the people in regard to the matter, examining about ten men or so, and finally lost interest in the affair.
Marya Korsunova, in a chat with the mother, reflected the opinion of the police, with whom she associated as amicably as with everybody: "How is it possible to find the guilty man?
That morning some hundred people met Isay, and ninety of them, if not more, might have given him the blow.

During these eight years he has galled everybody." The Little Russian changed considerably.