bullet was in his head.  There were no more than two men killed, I know it; so you may feel sure, when you hear that all were killed in the house that it is a lie.  Somebody must have been burning things in the stove long before—­maybe in the daytime or the early evening; the stove was almost cold,—­the Reds got something out of it, I did not see what it was.  When I understood that the whole family had been taken away, dead or alive, or had somehow disappeared, and that there was nothing for us to do, I took Philip and we rushed back to Syvorotka.  The trucks and the chauffeurs were all gone.  In the garage we found Syvorotka tied with a rope and shot in the spine, and bleeding from scratches and other wounds.  From the appearance of the garage we understood that there had been a struggle, but he could not speak comprehensively; all we got from him were moanings, separate phrases and words like “treason,” “run away,” “leave me die here,” etc., etc.,—­he was decidedly raving and very weak.  We helped him as best we could and came back to the city at about five in the morning and Philip went to Nachman’s.  They both reported that shortly after two o’clock, three of the trucks passed on the highway to Sysertsky Works.  Some people were in them, and the Nachmans thought it was our affair, for the rumors had already reached them that the family had disappeared or had been executed.  This Sysertsky direction is more or less correct for I know from Syvorotka that supplies were lately being sent continuously with him to Tubiuk.  This way also went Syvorotka’s woman.

S-y and all the rest left,—­some people say in the evening, some early in the morning of the 17th.

Maybe something could be told by Syvorotka if he ever survives his wounds, and if the Reds do not find him and finish him before they leave, for he is under suspicion.  He still is unconscious, and has fever.  All Philip and I know is that either all our organization has failed to succeed, or we were all betrayed and sold, or that you intentionally detracted our attention from the truth.

This letter will be given to you by Mrs. Nachman who is going tonight to Ufa.  As soon as the Reds leave Ekaterinburg we will both follow,—­we are hiding now,—­and will report on the facts that we witnessed and the rumors we heard.”

END