Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1882-03-01

"Of the first day, have no remem-
brance. 1t did not consist Of hours,
but of moments, each separate and
distinct-of ideas only born to die. In
word, for the first twenty-four hours
I was crazed. The second day found
me cool and helpless. made my plans.
Obey I must, for my wife's sake and
my own; Jelikof must die that we
might live.
"For five hours l debated where to
do the deed; then, still uncertain,
walked into the verge of the town, and
as l walked some one joined me--Lo-
diski.
Tomorrow" said he, inquiringly.
"To-morrow = l returned. 1T must
be tomorrow for one of usl' and I
shuddered.
"We stood space in silence; then
the man came closer, and placed his
hand upon my shoulder.
"Listen. 1t is hard, it is danger
Gus. Capture means death. Here is
money. You must flee instantly the
work is done.
"Unwittingly I thrust the gold into
my bosom, and repeated after him:
az must fee instantly! And my
wifeY
az will care for her until your re-
turn
"In single breath my brain cleared,
the dread cloud that for two days had
Swallowed it passed, and knew the
hand that had worked my ruin. / was
to become an outlaw, in order that my
wife might be the spoil of this monster.
"What power it was that held my
hands know not. The rage in my
heart, the frenzy to seize the accused
one at my side and tear his throat out,
all but overpowered me, and it was
only by superhuman effort of the will
that remained silent.
"'The deed must be tomorrow, con-
tinued Lodiski, and the only place
where you. can find Jelikof alone is in
the bell-tower. Thither he goes each
evening before the curfew rings, to
watch the change of guards upon the
opposite river bank. You can conceal
yourself there, and strike him down.
1t will be hours before he is missed,
and you will have time for fight
II bowed my head. l dared not
trust my tongue. 1t might be that 1
should strike too soon. Deep within
my heart the determination to kill was
well fixed but, unknown to my chief,
the victim had been changed.
"T will join you at the foot Of the
tower after curfew. See to it that it is
after-the endp Lodiski concluded.
"My blood leaped.
"1t is well,' replied; and he left
me.
"That night told my wife all, and
her love stood the test. Ere morning
dawned, under the escort of faithful
servant, she was at the Volga Dernstam
Ia landing ten miles away; and when
the early sun kissed the reaches of leve
land about our town, it found her on
the deck Of river steamer, bound for
Astrachan.
Cali day long l gathered my little
store of goods, and late in the after
noon sold them for gold to friend-a
Nihilist like myself-who secretly con-
veyed them to his home. Then as the
light waned and it drew toward night,
thoroughly disguised, and armed with
pair of pistols and my dagger, l
skirted the town, and came at last to the
lonely watch-tower where hung the
great bell that rang the curfew. Ere
the ringer had entered the tower from
his supper, I was secreted in the loft
near the window.
at was not my intent to kill Jelikoff.
If he came, l could confess all, then
descend and wreak my vengeance upon
Lodiski below, and flee the country; or
if he came not, the end would be the
same. Still bound by my oath, and en-
vironed by thousand spies, / dared
not flee until night. And Lodiski
must die
"Alone in the grim tower l waited,
and the bats about me squeaked, and
the damp wind of the steppes swept
mournfully in and kissed my hot cheek.
The moments passed
Suddenly nameless dread fell upon