have procured a Cossack’s dress. In any
And now here Is for thy Journey, and I
other • thou wouldst surely look like a
have dona with thee.”
Cossack iu disguise. With a bushy beard
H e takes a thick packet o f notes from
from ear to ear Mud a quarter of au
his pocketbook, aud without counting
“ archiu" off thy mustache, methiuks thou
them divides them into two equal parts
wilt pass. ’
and gives me one. Though I am obliged
**I would thou wouhlst make haste and
to be still farther hia debtor to the
A
Story
of
Russian
Rower
let me rid myself of these soaking duds!" j
amount o f my jouruey, 1 shun to take
replies Kalatch, with irritation, while I
advantage o f such reckless liberality. I
By
M A R C U S
E A S T L A K E
his teeth knock together like castauett I
begin to count the notes, resolved to ac
“ 1 am certainly sickening of ague!"
cept what I stand in absolute need o f
H e gropes amoug the sacks and bring»-
and no more. They seem to be ail twen
up two bundles, which he presents to us
ty-five rouble notes.
1 separate four
respectively. It is one of the most diiti
1 from the bulk.
cult
things
imaginable
to
make
a
com
i 'l l A F T E R X III.
the legs aud is actually pulling me bark!
“ These will more than suffice,” I say,
C H A P T E R X I V . —(Continued I
such a woman! Brave and true. Y'e
plete change o f toilet iu u cart on top
I look around me and shiver.
The 1 hear him say:
"W ell,” says Yeraek, at length, “ thou raek. but for whom I should not he in holding the remainder toward him. " I t
o
f
a
pile
o
f
sacks,
while
three
horses
■olid masonry o f the walls is oozing with
“ Ah. just in time, Anton An tone! vitek!
art good enough to show in a caravan the land o f the living, for I owe my life is well for thee, my frieud, that thy
damp, which envelops me, enters my Not quite smart enough, my brave. Ha. are tearing full gallop with you through at the fair of Nishi-Novgorod. Thou art
head is firmly fastened on thy shoulders,
to her as I owe it also to thee!”
the
darkness.
However,
necessity
has
lung«, and literally permeates my being, h a!" as he drags me to the ground.
a big man, brother, and w-hut with the
"W ell, well, i f that be so. I grant or thou wouhlst certainly give it away.”
drowning my spirits, loweriug my vi
And while I am struggling, dazed and | been known to make a mau accomplish long gown and high cap o f the priest,
I try to smile at him as I speak, but
thee, there are— there may be different
tality aud extinguishing hope in my bewildered, to my feet he has rushed wonders.
thou lookest gigantic.”
sorts.
Though, for my part, I have my trembling lips render tlie attempt a
W
hat
bliss
it
is
to
lie
still
among
the
breast.
to the door, unlocked it, and by the dim
H e takes me by the ana and twists me kuown but the one— the cat-like sort, I failure.
A warden brings me my allowance of light thut illuminates the corridor 1 see sacks with a dry skin, after the wet about, viewing me from all sides, aud
His reply is to snuteh all the notes
sleek and fawning and false, stroking
away, and his countenance grows even more grave.
bread and a jug of water. He informs him seize some one by the arm, jerk that clothes have been stowed
you with velvet paws in which sharp from me with comical fierceness, roll
me that I can have tea if I choose to some one into the cell and lock the door listen to Kalntcb describing in his terse,
“ The priestly garb is a mistake,” he claws are hidden wherewith to tear you them up. aud stuff them into the inside
pay for it, and shrugs his shoulders again.
powerful diction, his adventure with the mutters, “ it adds to the height, which
0
pocket of my kaftan.
unaware. 1 like not the feline tribe."
warder!
And
how
Y'eraek
enjoys
it!
when I tell him that I have no money.
“ Enough of this fooling!” he exclaims.
is already conspicuous enough. A ll eyes
"Just 111 time! Just In time to help
H arin g spoken, he protrudes his up
On lighting my lamp he leaves me.
"Good—
good;
well
done!”
be
interpo
will dwell on thee. Not that it matters,” per lip, making his bristly mustache “ Not another word will I lieur on so
me." 1 hear him repeat, with a strange,
A fte r a while I stretch myself on the wild, exultatiou iu Ids voice.
lates, slapping his leg.
he adds quickly. "S o that thou art easy stand out. He looks very fierce and bit paltry a subject. W hat is more to the
bed, where I lie staring at the light.
Meanwhile a dull, smoke-gray streak and composed they may stare their fill.
Then there is a short, fierce struggle
ter, uud though I answer nothing, I purpose, let us settle what is to he done
A t times I groan aloud, I wring my in the dark. The bed creaks under a has been widening on the horizon, and Thy own mother might stare at thee un
think, “ Assuredly thou hast had some next. It will he best that we pnrt here.
hands, whilst the swept of anguish pours falling body. • * • A cry o f "h elp !” now 1 can make out the details of Y'e- til she grew blind, she would never know
Thou wilt go on foot into the town—
cruel experience, my friend.’
from my body. And thus the night wears that is instantly smothered, followed by ra<-k’a dress where he sits before me on thee to be her sou!”
Iu a few moments, however, his face straight up this street, taking the first
away— the ghastly, fevered night, whose gasps and groans.
the front o f the cart, and also the head
“ That she would not!” endorses Ku- reassumes its habitual expression of turn to tlie right, nnd in the market ia
hours seen» to lengthen out more and
What means It? Who Is the vanquish of Kalatch emerging from the sucks, iatch.
complacency, and he says to me, “ Now, both the postoffice and the posting sta
more as they crawl toward the pale ed? Is it the Cossack who lies groaning surmounted by the tall Cossack's cap.
Now Yeraek leads tlie troika into the my son, get thee something to eat and tion. Arrived at Y’ ilna, drive direct to
dawn.
H
is
profile
is
between
me
and
the
hori
tlie railway station. W ith moderate driv
middle of tlie road and unyokes the ad let us to business.”
on the bed or that other one? In vain
To-day is little more than a wretched my eager eyes try to pierce the dark zon, so that his hooked nose and the vance horse, which he ties with a hal
H e places food before me; standing by ing thou wilt he there in time to catch
repetition o f yesterday, only I feel it ness. It Is as black as pitch. The Cos bushy heard are marked out against the ter to the back o f the cart.
tlie evening express. And let me remind
nnd watching, with over-satisfaction,
less. 1 have become apathetic. I have sack's voice reassures me ut length.
growing light. Though they eoutiuue to
thee who thou art.
Forget not thy
" I t looks not usual for a troika to be while l make it disappear.
lost the mental energy to think strongly.
converse
together,
1
no
longer
gather
the
drawing a cart o f this kind,” he ex
"1 hare him!” he limits.
“ Thou hast doue well,” he observes, priestly dignity. Keep also a bold front,
substance
of
their
conversation,
for
1
For hours I sit on one spot and move
plains. "Thus it will appear as if the when 1 have eaten my fill aud pushed the for thou urt secure. The passport w ill
Another groan and a gurgling sound.
not, or I stand ut the grated window
assuredly he enough, hut hesitate not to
"Y’ou were going to spoil our little think of Mnriischa, und how soon I may- beast were being led for sale. N ow we plate from mo.
gazing vacantly at the river and the game— what?” says the Cossack with get a letter dispatched to her. 1 cannot shall do.
W e are traders journeying
show the leave of absence. The two
passing craft.
help
feeling
a
consuming
anxiety
about
together will at once put to flight the
to the fair at Vilna, aud thou art u
rutting irony; am) there is an uupleusant
C H APTE R XV.
About midday the sky darkens and it thud us a head being knocked against a her, though I keep assuring myself that priest who has honored us by accepting
least shadow of doubt. There is just the
Y’ eraek draus a chair to tha table,
begins to rain. It is a straight, steady wall.
she
is
safe
from
interference
liutil
the
fact of thy haring no luggage that might
a lift. W e proceed leisurely, for we have
“ Where are you, my brother?
close to my elbow, aud with slow delib
land-rain without wind, and the monot Come here quick!”
inquiries
subsequent
to
my
trial
iu
St.
no haste; tlie fa ir only begins to-mor eration, aud au expressiou of supreme arouse suspicion. • Here, too, thou canst
1 feel my way to
onous patter of the drops on the water ward the voice, and uiy hand comes iu I ’ etersburg should be instituted.
easily hoodwink them.
Thou w ilt de
row. A t tlie same time, brother, so im
comes to me, mingled with the creaking contact with the arm o f the Cossack.
“ Yeraek." 1 say at length, "where are posing is thy appearance, that thou look satisfaction, takes from bis tunic a large, scribe it— go to tlie luggage van for the
biuated-lookiug pocketbook, out of which
o f the rafts and the husky calls of the
we
at
present?
It
is
necessary
that
1
est out o f place iu a cart with trading he abstracts a folded paper.
purpose o f identifying it— excite thyself,
"In my trousers pocket you will find
boatmen.
a match box. Strike a light," he dic get to a post town as soon as possible.” Cossacks, and therefore at Borlitch we
"N ow , Nikor Audreiviteh Teherevin,,” get into a towering rage because it is not
A fte r my midday meal they take me tates. “ 1 must see what I am doing
“ W e are ubout ten versts from Bor- had better part company and thou wilt
he says, mouthing bis words with au uuc- there; threaten to lodge a complaint
to walk for a quarter o f an hour in a here.”
liteh,” replies Yeraek. without looking proceed with the post.”
tuous intonation. “ Iu reply to your ap against the railway servants for their
court that is partly covered in, and again
around.
“ But, my good friend, this will cost
neglect in not putting it in tlie train
I comply, and bcc a ghastly sight. On
I shake off my apathy to observe the
“ I must Beud s letter from Borlitch,” money, and I am without a copec!” 1 peal for permission o f leuve of absence when it is addressed and properly label
on the plea of ill health, I have the pleas
faces of the two gendarmes who pace his back on the bed, his body convulsed, I say.
cry.
ure to haud over to you from the Arch ed; make a great stir, and give special
at each side o f me. They are stolidity his face purple and swollen, his tongue
“ Bah— nonsense!”
exclaims Y'eraek.
“ I have enough and to spare!”
imandrite o f your diocese this paper, orders as to the forwarding of it with
personified.
My eyes dart now at an protruding from his mouth, is the war impatiently. “ This is not a time to write
“ Y'eraek, how can I take so much
out loss o f time.”
official, now at a passing warden, with der. The Cossack's fingers are tightly letters! It Is bud— bad— to send w rit from thee?” I exclaim, deeply moved by which you will perceive, eutitles you to a
" I promise thee to nse my utmost abil
mouth’s sojouru ubroud.”
*
a vague hope that the Cossack may twisted in the collar of the prostrate ing through tlie post! I believe not in tlie Cossack's generosity.
"T h y devo
1 take the paper he holds toward me. ity, brother,” I respond. “ Nor am I a
throw himself in my way and give me a man’s uniform, aud the Cossack's knee this letter writing, it bus lost many u tion I can never repay, but the money
novice. 1 have had some acting to do in
and unfold it. ¡Sure enough, there is the
significant glance or sign. In vain. Aud is on his chest. li e is to alt appear man!”
thou art laying out on me I may some
my time.”
we are treading again the damp corri ances lifeless.
"Yeraek, when I tell thee that the day be able to refund. Give me some ecclesiasticul seal, tlie wavering signa
"Another thing I would mention,” re
“ H e will tell no tales,” observes the
dor and the gendarmes leave me in my
safety o f one to whom I owe my life is address to which I may send i t Surely ture o f the uged church dignitary, and sumes the Cossack. “ I fain would hear
Cossack. Aud the smile with which lie
on
scauniug
it
i
find
that
here
indeed
is
cell.
endangered through me and that the— in time I shall work for the means to pay
a formal leuve of absence to: “ M y ailing o f thy safe arrival. One line will be
The clock In the chapel tower of the regnrds his senseless foe is truly dia the individual knows not of it, therefore my just debts.”
son, the Reverend and Holy Father enough— ‘ Arrived safe!’ ‘A ll well,’ what
prison tolls the hour of midnight.
i bolic. “ Y’et lie might come round. Shall without being warned cannot escape it,
"B a h ! K eep thy mind easy and make
thou wilt. Only address it not to me, I
count the strokes mechanically, sitting I make sure?” l i e draws a small stiletto thou wilt recognize that I cannot argue not a mountain o f a mole hill! W hat Nikor Andreiviteh Teherevin, extending am too well known fur a scamp; more
over a period o f one mouth, to enable
on the steel with my head against the from the bosom o f his coat and suspends this point with thee.”
are a few roubles to me? I have neither
over. I am tiuder surveillance o f the po
humid wall. The filial stroke is still quiv it in mid-air.
The Cossack gives a dissatisfied grunt, kith nor kin, aud w-hat shall I do with him, by medical advice, to drink the wat lice,” he chuckles, shutting up his left
I suppose 1 look
ering iu the air when I hear a faint . I stay his hand.
but says no more about it.
Presently superfluity? L et me put a trifle o f it to ers of Kissingen.”
“ Slay him not,” I say. “ I f he be really he informs me that we pass through Bor
my amazement, for Yeraek, watching eye. “ Let me see,” he continues, with
click.
a good use. I have taken a fancy to
me, begins to grin. Kalatch, who has sudden gravity. "From Y'ilna we pro
dead, God speed his soul. I f the life is litch on our way to Vilna. “ W here thou
Am I dreaming, or is there really a
thee, my son. 1 beg thee, let a lonely
come up behind my chair, spells it out ceed to Minsk, on our way to the East.
still in him, leave him the chance o f it. w ilt take train direct to Königsberg,” be
pair of gleaming eyes looking at me
man have his whim!”
Arrived at the Province of the Don,
slowly uud exclaims:
H i » death will not benefit us.”
adds quietly, as if it were the simplest
through the trap in the door? Is that in
Y'erack's voice shakes a little as he
“ Humph; less trouble to have given thing in the world my passing the fron
“ Tell us about it.
H ow hast thou where I am a native, we will pause until
very truth a hand holding something to
speaks. H is face is averted. W hat can
I have disposed of certain properties.
him his quietus,” he murmurs, hiding tier. •
procured it?”
ward me? 1 stagger to my feet, staring
I reply to this? Nothing. My trembling
Our final destination will he the K irg-
away his knife again. “ W e cannot leave
“
Yes;
how?
W
ho
is
Nikor
Andrei
“ T o Königsberg?” I repeat in amaze. lips refuse to form even a word
with all my might.
of
liez Steppes. There we will pitch our
him thus. W e must tie his hands and
viteh?” I manage to stammer.
“ Y"es; that is the program. And thou thanks.
The hand beckons impatiently. In two
Silently I wring my benefac
gag him, or he might set the dogs on us w ilt arrive safe aud sound in tlie Prus
This seems too much for Yeraek. H e tent. They will scarcely follow us there.
strides I am at the opening! I grasp
tor's haud.
sooner than we expect.”
throws himself back and indulges iu one Send, therefore, thy communication to
sian town without a single hindrance.
cold, rough iron! It is a file! A face
It is still very, very early when we
Minsk. I can always induce some sleek
W hile he talks he loses no time. He The officials at the frontier will doff
of his mighty roars.
Is advanced no that 1 can see a long
reach the town, yet before we arrive
produces some strong cord from his pock their caps at thee and say, 'God speed
“ H e knows not his own name!” he government clerk to rail for it at the
drooping mustache, ns black as jet, and
at the inn where Y'eraek halts we have
et and hinds the man's wrists together thee. H oly Father!’ ”
echoes.
“ Ah, Nikor Andreiviteh! my postofflee and fetch it to me.”
a pair of red lips which pronounce one
encountered many people, but all of the
Hereupon he takes up the pen, nnd
behind his back. A fte r which lie pro
poor
K
ik
o
v
; it is indeed time something
A long silence ensues. Kalatch’s head lowest orders. I have had to respond to
v^ord, “ W o rk !" And the trap is closed.
with great solemnity, forming each letter
ceeds to gag Ilia gaping mouth with a disappears from the range o f my vision,
was doue for thy health.”
I clutch it, I hug it— the little instru
many greetings, and am made thorough
handkerchief. " I t Is cleverly done,” he
Ere I huve time for further question, with his lips the while, he writes on one
and ere long loud snores rise at inter- |y uncomfortable by the obvious sensa-
ment that is to give me liberty! The
chuckles. “ I was quick. Y’ ea. In an in villa near me. Yeraek slackens the pace
he produces a fam iliar lookiug little of the sheets of paper. It is n slow and
reaction from the deepest depths o f de
tion I create. I feel relieved to enter
stant I had him! Once he had got away o f the horses to a steady trot, and thus
greenback, the sight o f which makes my laborious task. I receive the paper and
spair to sudden, full-fledged hope, for
the dark fore-place o f the inn, with its
to give the alarm, though we might still we proceed until we come to a long
heart jump; aud this time, without any read: “ dimltri petrovitch herzen Minsk
a moment overpowers me. I sink on the
small, dirty windows, and I hear Yeraek
previous speech, he puts it into my hand. post restaute."
have escaped by the window, I would bridge thrown over a stream. H e pulls
edge of the bed and find relief in a suc
give vent to a sigh which I know is of
Y’ eraek sticks nut his lips and watches
not have given the snuff of n candle for up at the side of the road.
It proves to be u passport made out
cession of gasping sobs.
Then I get
relief.
me whilst I rend it.
our chances of landing at the other side
in
the
name
of
this
same
Nikor
Andrei
"Come, rouse thee, Kalatch,” he cries.
mastery of my emotion, and rise with
The innkeeper comes yawning to meet
“ Thou canst make it out? Y'es?” he
viteh, traveling to Germany. 1 read the
save into, the arms of the gendarmes. “ Get down and stand by the horses'
compressed lips, burning to commence
ns, from an inner room, putting up bis
description of myself as I now appear, inquires.
It was even the best thing that could
heads.”
my task. First I deliberately put out the
blouse. H e stops with one arm above
“ W ith perfect ease. It is very dis
in a sort of stupefaction. 1 cannot take
have happened that he should have come;
light, after which I mount the stool and
tinct.
Kalatch, still half asleep, stumbles his head as he sees Yeraek, and his in my good fortune nil at once.
*
for now, I reckon, they will not be likely
.work* Even when the dawn began to
brows go up. They are evidently old
“ Now embrace me, my son, and go thy
Age— thirty.
to find out that the bird has flown lie- over the edge o f the enrt, and mechan
glimmer I dare to continue it, until every
friends, these two.
way.”
fore 5 in the morning, and by then they ically does as he is told.
Height— above average.
"Y es, it is myself, Thoma Fedorei-
bar is sawn through top and bottom,
“ Now give me the clothes, Vladimir
YVe kiss each other on both cheeks
Eyes— brown.
will find it a difficult task to get near
leaving only a thin, untiled surface to
viteh,” says Yeraek, grinning from ear
enough to him to strew salt on his tail.” Alexandrovitch.”
H air aud beard— brown and curled. and he releases me. The same ceremony
the inside, so that a single thrust will
is gone through with Kalatch. I thunk
I dire among the sacks and fish up to ear. “ And I want to drop a word
W hile speaking Ilia quick, nervous fin
Complexion— fair aud fresh colored.
cause the entire grnting to give way.
in thy ear, little father.” W ith this he
him for the service lie has rendered me,
gers nre busy tying the knot at the the two wet bundles. H e takes them
Nose— aquiline.
I am examining my handiwork with
from me, and looks anxiously lip and takes the man apart and whispers to
back o f hia victim’s head.
Grasping the precious talisman, and to which he will not listen.
comparative composure, for l have grown
Having satisfied him him, during which the listener glances re realizing what it means to me, my ex
“ I was glad of a reason for pitching
"T here now, thou art fixed up— war down the road.
confident during my undisturbed labors,
peatedly in my direction, his small eyes
ranted not to go off!” he continues apos self that it is deserted, he hurries up
citement becomes so great that I can up the accursed job,” he says. “ 1 could
when the unexpected click o f the opening
beginning to twinkle, aud his mouth wid
trophizing the insensible man. “ Adieu, stream and is soon lost to sight in its
no longer sit still. I rise precipitately not have stood it much longer.”
trap mnkes my heart stand still with
ening to a grin. Sometimes he puts a
The Cossacks accompany me to the
my friend, aud a good recovery! And tree-fringed windings. In about ten min
aud fall to pacing the floor, while 1 vain
sudden dismay, whilst the sweat turns
question.
outer door. I shake hands with both in
now out with the light nnd let us start. utes he returns without the bundles.
ly
struggle
for
speech.
Joy
and
grati
icy cold on my brow. I have, however,
A t length the confabulation comes to
“ Sunk them in u pool,” is tlie laconic
Yeraek will think that all is lost.
tude strike me dumb, nnd like a woman silence, fervently pressing tile hand o f
the presence of mind to let the tile slip
an end, nnd the innkeeper, after signing
In lesa than five minutes I am cleav reply.
the tears rush to my eyes aud flow down Y’ eraek. nnd hurry away into the town.
up my sleeve. 1 dimly descriy the points
Thanks to Y'erack’s pass nnd letter, I
I am on tlie rond, stamping up and to us, leads the way through a passage, iuy cheeks.
ing the cold, hlnck water, striking out
o f the Cossack’s black mustache thrust
and opens tlie door o f a small, dingy
am able to continue my journey without
blindly for tin* opposite shore.
In my down to stretch my legs, about which
A
t
length
I
go
up
to
Y'eraek,
and
plac
through the aperture. I noiselessly speed
room at the back of tlie building. W e
rear cornea the Coaaack, gasping nnd tlie long silken skirt of the kaftan is
ing my iiiiuds on each o f hik shoulders, molestation. I pass the frontier in safe
toward him.
flapping. My appearance must lie start enter, and he leaves us. shutting tlie 1 look down into his broad, jovial face. ty, nnd. at Inst I am out of Russia, a
spluttering.
“ llo w much have you done?" he whis
door.
free man.
Tlie river is not wide, nnd I already ling, for as Yeraek catches sight o f me.
“ Thoma Fedoreivitch is a safe man,” There comes a strange stir iu it, but in
pers.
(T o ha continued.1
au instant lie jumps to his feet nud
feel the hank. Groping for a hold, my he utters n little cry e f surprise, which observes Yeraek, knowingly.
"T h a t
“ Finished." I whisper in reply.
hand comes in contact with a branch, attracts tlie attention o f Kiilateli, and kind o f man is always safe so long as laughs boisterously.
“ Good. Give me the file."
A H a w R e c r u it.
"H u, ha, ha! Come, friend Nikor, if
by which 1 pull myself up. '11 ic Cos- he. too, laughs at me. I break into a you grease his palm. Thoma and I have
1 hand it to him and lie thrusts it into
M ajor General H enry C. Corbin, w h o
laugh at the open-mouthed wonder on
thou wouhlst catch the evening express
suck is close oil my heels.
had our little transactions together.”
the breast o f his uniform.
Again he
is to succeed General T a ft in the P h il
“ Catch hold of this branch!” I whis their faces.
The landlord returns bearing a tray iu Vilna. thou must liestir thyself.”
bends down to me and murmurs the one
(T o be continued.!
Meanwhile 1 have sufficiently mastered ippines, was reared on a farm in Ohio,
per. bending it down to where I hear him
with breakfast. The repast consists of
word: “ To-night!"
my emotion to say:
gasping.
and takes a great interest in recruits,
raw salt herring, preserved mushrooms,
1 go over to the bed, and fling myself
T h e O lit I,a ily an il th e L a w y e r
“ Yeraek. my friend— my noble friend! particularly If they be front his o w n
So hastily is It snatched from me that
and white bread.
on it with a sigh of supreme satisfaction.
A certain law yer, fumed fo r high
I almost lost u>y balance. 1 recover my
“ Ah, I am as hungry as a hawk!” says Thou wouldst escape my thanks. And State.
•*lt is done— my task is tiui*hed. With
self to find a dark object rising at uiy charges, hail incurred tlie enm ity o f an Yeraek, taking up a herring by the tail the gratitude o f my life long is all I may
a single thrust of my hand I can make
“ T h ey are amusing and pathetic, the
feet.
old lady on account o f the same. W ish to hold it over his mouth and crunch it give thee. Gcuerous Yeraek; she. too
for myself an outlet from this foul den
rn.w recruits from the farm s and v il
—
how
she
will
bless
thee
for
what
thou
"O n w ard!” he pants, taking the lend.
ing to get even w ith him she consult u p .
to liberty. A few hours aud 1 shall be
lages o f the W est,” said General Cor
A little more scrambling, and we are ed him about d ra ftin g her w ill.
As i I take the opportunity to ask for writ hast done for us! Would that she were
fre e !"
on the road. The Cossack hurries me site was a very w ealthy old lady with- tng materials, aud if it is to be had. a here to thank thee in her sweet, gracious bin recently, “ And they make, in the
It is the very longest day o f my life! along a few paces. Then a form steps
w ay!”
end, the best soldiers in the world.
And when at last the shades begin to out from the trees and silently confronts on t,near relatives, she had many char- stamp, as it is still too early for the
“ L et be, let be. Thou canst not im
"B u t a t first they are too ingenuous,
itab
le
associations
to
benefit,
aud
t
ie
postofflee
to
be
open.
gather and enshroud me, 1 cast myself us. It is Yeraek!
, _
, ,,
’
, .
“ Certainly, H oly
Father,
responds agine how I have enjoyed this escapade. too boyish, too naive. F or instance:
down on iny bed utterly spent with the
accurate d ra ft o f the w ill required th# landIor£ with a twinkle in his beady T o have tricked them so cleverly! Ah,
“ An Ohio lad was doing his first sen
burden of it. anil my woru-out system
P H A F T E R X IV .
much patience, skill anil tim e., Am ong eve » j ean furnish your Holiness with only to have seen the face o f that warder
try duty. T o and fro he paced. T h e
lull relief in sleep. When I awake
M y companion utters one word In a the provisions she made a generous b e-; a‘u.”
this morning when he entered the cell!
the lamp is burning once more, ami my language unknown to me. and Y’ eraek
landscape was fertile and lonely and
Another burst o f laughter from the Ho, ho! That skinny little prefect. How-
■upper atiuula on the table. I ent up nil retreats Into the black gloom o f the quest to tills la w y er and nominated
small he would look when they told him quiet, and the young recruit, ns he re
him
executor.
A
fte
r
the
execution
o
f
Cossacks,
while
the
speaker
crosses
his
the food that has been brought me, ns trees. There is a stamping o f horses and
H ow he would fume garded the green fields, fell into a rev
the w ill she called fo r her bill, where- hands on his breast aud bows low before o f the tragedy!
1 luive doue systematically all day, and the muffled
rolling of
well-greased
aud stamp! Oh, it is splendid, splendid!” erie.
H is pleasant inland home rose
upon
the
law
yer,
w
ith
the
vision
o
f
">«
ere
l>e
goes.
H
e
brings
me
the
pa-
take a Ionic pull of water. A fte r which wheels. My sight having grown accus
"B u t I want to know how thou earnest up before him. H e thought o f his fath
• a
• .|
4I
nor in his dirty finger and thumn. It is
I »cat myself opposite the door and wait tomed to tlie darkness, I can make out am ple
fees in the prospective sett e- 1
__________________ , by the documents, and in so short a
*
„
'
\
greased and soiled, the pen splutters and
er and mother, his school days, hia
breathlessly, braced for the moment of a “ troika" and some sort o f vehicle as ment
o f the estate, and the m em ory of
js c f the consistency and color timei too?” interrupts Kalatch, impa
s w eeth eart
action.
they emerge on the road. W e quickly the generous bequest, told the old lady o f m„d, but they suffice me to write tiently.
"In the midst o f his dream the ma
Suddenly, without the »lightest warn climb into the latter, which proves to be that under the circumstances he should these lines:
Y'eraek gives a contemptuous snort.
ing, I am startled by the grating o f the a cart laden with sacks o f wool. Yeraek
jo r passed, and the youth forgot to
charge nothing, but finally to satisfy j
"O n receiving this, lose not an hour "W h a t a fuss thou makest about so
key in the rusty lock, and directly the springs to the seat in front, and away
"One salute.
In procuring thy passport, but travel small a m atter!" he responds.
t'ossack enters; changes the key to the we speed as only a Russian “ troika" can. her business scruples, made out a re
“ ‘ Don’ t yon know w ho I am, sir?*
would think thou hadst been bom and
day
and
night.
I
hope
to
precede
thee,
Inside, and locka us in!
For the first
Nothing saya Y'eraek to either o f us ceipt In full to date fo r one dollar, and will await the arrival of all trains bred a thousand miles from Russia, aud he said in a terrible voice.
time I see iny stranger friend. A single until between us and Kovno lie many whereas the smallest sum he could from Königsberg. Should I be deterred, knew naught o f the customs of the coun
" ‘No.’ said the recruit, softly, and.
glance at him inspires me with confi versts, and the bartvii land is ail about have properly charged
would have seek our brother, Courad Rosen. Stein try. Roubles— roubles— ronhles! What
thinking it was a friend from home—
dence. Binall, almost dwarfish; meager, us. Suddenly he observes:
been one hundred dollars.
Strasse. No. Tfl, who will advise and is there in Russia that cannot be bought
sonic friend o f his fa m ily — he asked in
colorless. Ids fa<* and form are yet iu
"W ell, brothers, so far, good.
And
T h e old lady marched home with her assist thee. I f possible, send warning, with Russian roubles? I rustle a hand
a gen tle voice:
•
■tinct with energy and nerve.
now for the transformation scene. Thou. w ill, set herself to work, copied it out Indirectly, to Ivan and Pavel.
A ll is ful of dirty rouble notes, and without
"B e a d y ?" he whispers.
Vladimir Alexandrovitch, as thy hands
“ ‘ Do you know me 7 ”
carefu lly word fo r word, leavin g out known and searching inquiries w ill be a word of persuasion a government clerk
"U nite,” I respond promptly.
are white and thou hast something o f a
t"**1*-
" I am safe and ~ with
'**" friends. writes out the passport to my dictation.
On th e In s id e ,
"Y o n can swim?”
clerical air about thee"— here ha gives the bequest to the la w y er and nom- Thine
A H oly Father prepares the other docu
until death.— V .”
g a new executor.
"I.ik e a fish."
vent to a sly chuckle— "art to tie trans lootin
“ No.” said F arm er Corntnssel to th o
,
. . . . .
I read over what I have written. It ment from oue he has in his possession
“ Come then.
Y'on first; I
follow. figured into Russian priest, with purple,
In the course o f Urns she died, and ,, inm cient|y explicit and I have no fear and hands it to me with a 'Bless thee, summer boarder, " I don’ t b elieve all I
Rtraight across where Y'eraek awaita us.” silk kaftan aud flowing looks; not fo r the disgust o f the la w y er at the con- but that Maruscha will obey my instruc
my son!’ And never a remonstrance save see In the newspapers.”
I am on the stool preparing to thrust getting ■ bean) that would graea a pat t e d * at the w ill was so great that he tions to the letter, ft she ran!
when 1 pressed a little token of my grat
“ W h y not?”
out the grating.
riarch. It testa with thee to play thy inadvertently let out the secret, to the
A s I am folding and addressing it, itude into his palm.”
“ W ell, you see. I ’ ve advertised a ll
"T ow ard you! Toward you! Full the new role wall. Art thou satisfied with
"Thou must have spent a fortune over the com forts o f home a fe w times m y
huge delight o f his brother lawyera.__ Yeraek cornea behind me and looks over
bars inside." whiapera the Coaaack. " I t i t r
me. Yeraek." I say remorsefully. The s e lf."— W ashington Star.
my shoulder.
will make less noise.
Aud by all the
"Yeraek, my friend, I have no word« Is s ile '# M onthly Magazine
“ Humph!” he grunts. “ A woman; I weight o f so many obligations oppresses
■aints. the ligh t!" he darts to the lamp wherewith to thank th ee!" 1 exclaim
me.
Too (Sanguine.
thought as much.”
N e c e s a a ry A d ju n c t.
and puts It out. and is atandlng below warmly.
I turn on him wrathfully, with an an
FMna— And a fte r our m arriage I am
"A n d i f thon hadst knocked the life
Passenger (on ocean liner o f the fu
me ready to receive the grating from my
“ Bah. I merit no thanks. I f I save
gry retort leaping to my lips, which, out o f me that time, as I deserved, what
goin g to keep a cook.
haud.
thee, it will be Ufa for life. I like to be
remembering how nse would my money have been to me ture!— W ill yon please direct me to m y
B elle— Yon ere too recklese. my deer. however. I cheek,
Already I am drawing myself np to the level with people. And for thee, brother
much
I
owe
to
this
brave
fellow. I even then? Moreover, I assure thee, that I stateroom ? It's Xo. 727.
Edna— Reck lesa?"
•tone edge.
M y head la through the Kalatrh. at the leopard cannot rhauge
Clerk— I t ’s about h a lf a m ile a ft-
summon up a smile.
speak truth when I aay I have more than
aperture when— what was that? A fa hia «pots, and thon art always a Coa
B elle— Y'es. Y'on should say you are
"Y e s, a woman, thon old mysogynlst, I need. Trust Yeraek for looking after T ak e trolley car on starboard ptoin-
m iliar click! The Coaaack baa ms by aack confessed, avary Inch o f the«, I going to try to keep a cook.
■ who yet art the son o f a mother. And himself. H e knows how far he can go. cnade.
By Order of the Czar