MAXIME GORKY
"Funny, eh?"
The sand crunched under Iakov's steps and they had to suspend their conversation. Iakov had brought a bag which he threw into a corner. He cast a hostile look at the young woman.
She went on munching her seeds. Vassili, seating himself on the wood-bin, said with a forced smile:
"What made you think of coming?"
"Why, I just came. We wrote you."
"When? I haven't received any letter."
"Really? We wrote often."
"The letter must have got lost," said Vassili regretfully. " It always does when it's important."
"So you don't know how things are at home?" asked Iakov, suspiciously.
178