New-York tribune., 1885-09-20
thought of these things; but as I sad before am

! to be fit 10 90 on Nobody knew about him, not
even the members of my own family, for IL was
doing foolish thing, had sense enough to run as
little risk over it az possible Feodor Stepanoytch
for that my convict told me was his name enllght-
ened ME some few points of his personal history:
| His native village was, lie said in the government
of Vladimer and he had left it to get work III the
town of Ivanova, where there are factories. Every
man tries TO mako out good case Tor himself, so
did not feel myself bound to place Implicit reliance
on FeOdors statement that he had never committed
anything that could properly be called crime
According to his showing. the sole source ot his
troubles had been difference with an onrddnik- q
police agent do not exactly remember the partlc-
| ulars. but, of course. there wa' u woman IN the
business; blows had passed. and the oaradnM nad,
| By false charge procured Feodor's condemnation
| to Siberia for life. This. say, was his story.
Feodor told me tl.at his place pf exile had been
somewhere far up the country and OF the seventies
he had had to endure and of the tyranny OF officials
he spoke bitterly. After making his escape, the
priyations and dangers he had undergone before
reaching Eka erinburg we're such rs should not
have beliey oil from his words, had they not been
verified by his appearance.
For Russian he appeared to me to be not
9nintelligen fellow, aud pointed out TO nm the
lvanOva-a distance of net less than twelve hun
drod verss from EkatorinGurg, as the crow flies ;
and advised him. as he was used to niil-work to
stay and find employment where he was / was
weak enough to offer 10 help hip. and see what
coud be done in the way of getting passport Tor
him. But the fellow bent on going forward.
He resolved. he said, to see his family again.
and he WAS resolved TO see Pasil Makar0h. This
MaEaroif was. | found the ourGdait to whom
Fcodor attributed his troubles, and it seemed 10 me
that this particular hankerng to see thus person
meant craving tO have his revenge. confess that
when | had learned this much, felt no desire to
detain my friend FeOor longer than was necessary.
| was glad to give him something more cecent IN
the way of clothing than he bad brought, and a
tribe in money to help him on bis way, and to be
rid OF HIM.
never expected to SEQ him again, nor wished to
do so and was somewhat started when a few
weeks later among a gang of couyicts which were
hniu cbeH htr n
town on their way eastward, / reo'gnlzed Stepan0-
witch. / was standing close by when he passed, and
was so much surprised to see NM t1at somewhat
imprudcntly, perhaps, spoke TO him BY name. But,
will you believe 1.-THE ungratefn dog stared mo
in the face. and marched sullenly by without word
or sign of recognition. " SO much'' thought |. " Tor
grattudew
Some months later. when the nex summer was
getting well advanced we had Ouenlght an a. arm
Of hrc. Many of tho newer mills ~ EkaterInbnrg
are of stone but the man building OF ours being
comparatively old, was of wood was thing 10
blaze mp like box of matches: I was not, how
ever in the main building that thet lire had broken
ont. but IN some sheds connected with the main
building by range OF shopping 1his last VAS
stone-built bu, as i'll luck wouldhaye 1t. covered
with wooden shingles.
good many people were soon got together.
mostly our Own hands, and directed and enc0ur-
aged them as we'll | could get the fire under.
But they were n stolid heavysct Of fellows, those
Russians. and the way in whio they take care not
to over-excrt themselves at ire IS enough to drive
an Englishman wild Yet thee were some few who
worked well, and one felW III particular, i
noticed. n ragged fellow. begar took him to be.
who really worked splendicy: and IN n way that
ought TO have made many0f those whose daily
bread depended on the xiatence OF tho mill
ashamed of themselves.
What between tho apathy those lazy scoundrcls
generally, and want of waer, II was soon plain
that the sheds which wee on ire could not be
mill itself. The danger of nc main building was
increasing every moment r the lire was beginning
30 mako its way along theihingled roof OF which
spoke
I could see what had tbe done-.h0se shingles |
had TO bc stripped of had ladder reared |
against the building. ant called for volunteers 10
mount IT, The height of tat roof from tho ground |
was considerable, and tlltiire was every moment !
getting moro and moro had upon IT. To strip of |
the shingles would be n hal JOS, and a hot one and
Il Is not TO bo denied. n dsgorous one. Not one of
those cold -blooei rascal@ no had eaten our bread
for years wond come forurd. stoo at the foot of |
the ladder. and told thenl was going up myself. |
1 offered twenty roubles-{ty roubles-to any man |
who would hclp mo. Buit was of no use.
Just when | was was aug TO mount alone. the
working 80 vigorously. cae running up. lie had
been too busy In another nee 10 know what WIS
going forward sooner. Thi was scarcely time for
taking any particular notD OF peoples looks yet
had an impression that was not altogether
stranger To me.
lie looked Up to the nf TIE delay Of those
few minutes had given hrfnl advantage TO the
frr. There is death up Tire" he SAID is saving
this mill so rd3 importan;o your
"It il s burned. | am "A Egar. Every kOperk am |
worth is in IT, hundreeoLbles II you will help
q We can talk OF the rcarl a(terward" he sa,d
as he sprang past me and the ladder like u cat
| was following too eaely, perhaps 10 be care
full and | am heavy a. round broke. aud
down | came with knee much twist, d thai |
ulJ sc"rrciv stand II "a no io',gsr l., 80 ,,,
power 90 climb to the root
But from where proPpedi self nGainsta wall.
doing enough for three or fouoIdnary men You
should have seen how ho senho shingles rafting
down seen from below. he ,med at times To- Lo
,,tft fra al I,,, Ia, |
without minding IL. j never an Englishman-
let alone Russian-go to II VI Il better will
heard the people round me say Il ho worked more
like a tend than mortar man I'd so he did lie
handled the burning wood as thGh his fingers had
been iron instead OF flesh ana ne, and scarcely
rouud his face. He never apeaf 10 rest or STAY |
for breath till lo had succeeded cntting of Nh,
communication between the Ere az he mill
/ made the men below set the lad' as bandily os
they could for him TO get down, ane did his hest
TO reach H. Bnt no must have 6eetlitc used up. 1
ith the smoke Anyway he lost b9oeStainOoe un
down he went through the raitcrsad crashed U
among the burning rubbish below. as an ugly t
fall. a
We got him out as well as we could Id sncb \ t
seorched. smoke-blackcned, smashed! copv Of v
Gods Image should never wish to see,in. Bnt n
he was still alive. and to the proposal larry him
straight to the hospital said, No; taiim into "
INV House" So they took him IN. Il
After we had got tho fire quito under.l made e
na all '%S MSsTs as0I tey Sa% laid o 70 the
come round Dlt Dy Inat I'uto, IL rra ~, open NJ
his eyes but u seemed 10 ino tn"v az ,o ] 'e HOke I,
had not elt nm huo" po"'tl l;ott;",i "a .hs,lum. Il
lie spoke, however, more distinctly tnaiI ght 81
have been cNpecteu, "nu h'S "i'' H"0'''~Y vas III
whether the mill was safe. "
told him that owing to his pluck 1t was. "a io
surprised to find that he recognized my yolceI ~
stili more when 30 named my name. You dtt -,
Inny mrp he said-and indeed ii was not lif n, m
that any one should know such crushed
shameless mass of cindcr rs he was" You do \
know me-FeOdor Stepanoy!tch. ihey caught II %
and took mo back. | knew you when you spoke III
me in the street, but dared not answer lest theB
should suspect YOU OF having befrlended me. :,
have escaped from them again. and am going home
TO Iyan0ya must see my wife, and that Villain
Makaroh"
He lay a little. and then added: ~ am glad
was here to help you Tonight ! am gad they ula
not tako me again before | got here. l do not