Ivan has been convicted of murder, flogged, and sent to Siberia. How will he cope with the grave injustice done to him?

For twenty-six years Ivan lived as a convict in Siberia. His hair turned white as snow and his beard grew long, thin, and gray. All his mirth went; he stooped; he walked slowly, spoke little, and never laughed, but he often prayed.

In prison Ivan learned to make boots, and earned a little money, with which he bought The Lives of the Saints. He read this book when there was light enough in the prison; and on Sundays in the prison church he read the lessons and sang in the choir; for his voice was still good.

The prison authorities liked Ivan for his meekness, and his fellow prisoners respected him: they called him “Grandfather,” and “The Saint.” When they wanted to petition the prison authorities about anything, they always made Ivan their spokesman, and when there were quarrels among the prisoners they came to him to put things right, and to judge the matter.

No news reached Ivan from his home, and he did not even know if his wife and children were alive.

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Another chance encounter is about to rock Ivan’s world. Come back on Thursday to find out what happens.

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Story adapted from “God Sees the Truth, But Waits” in Walk in the Light and Twenty-Three Tales by Leo Tolstoy