The Dickinson press., 1892-12-10
BY J.E nvoooe X.

no~ant OF his presence, OF his existence,
rather than renew the acquaintance under
such circumstances of unuttcrable misery.
His iacntity could be easily concealed. He
all clothed alike in hidcous grey loos-
fitting coat, with large yellow diamond
in the back. this being the badge otshame
and degradation which Russia impos-
rs upon all her children whom she sends
into exile and slavery. 1t was not likely,
But, quite apart from his dress, his APP
prurancc has greatly altered A very short
period of the misery and suffering which
nm exile to Siberia entails sutlices to alter
man. With lew exceptions, the face takes
ON an expression OF profound melancholy.
which is the result OF hopelessness. Then
the extremes OF ciimate-1he heat OF sum
mcr and the intense rigours of winter-set
up n premature ok OF age. But. added to
these things, MoShka had allowed his
beard To grow. so that even ii lie and
Rachel had suddenly come ace TO face it Is
extremely probable She would have quite
failed to recognize him. And so, wher he
his decision was that she should remainin
Ignorance OF his presence there.
Thus the days came and went. When-
ever he saw her he would gaze after her
like one who was held in spell by some
strange bower of fascination that deprived
NM Ol All Nulltloll, anu Wllel SHE idu Id.s-
ed away ont of his sight, the tears would
gather i'll his eyes, and II great ritting sob
would we'll up from his heart as il the love
ich he kept bound there was struggling
to break its bonds. and cry out "Rachel,
Rachel, beloved one.
And dur.f all this time Peter Halakhin
wa, pressing his ol!ous attentions on Ra-
cnel, and, as already sta'ed. Moshka was
aware of it. He would have been strange
man indeed il he had not experienced some
pans OF jealousy, notwitlsI anding that he
was Il convict. But what could he do? He
could have done this. He could have
braned Balakhn with one of the working
something of the kind-and then have
dashed out has own life or have rushed up
on the rifles OF the senlrirs. But what then?
Would it not be cntailing a bit er legacy of
misery and woe To Rachel? She would
learn the story. She would know its
cause, aud her feelings would be outraged,
l,,r heart rent in twain. And so, hard us it
lie lricd TO subdue the pangs-to deaden
them altogether.
But, oh, it WAS so hard, and yet he prayed
ceasclcssly for strength to endure and suit
fer, and yet he silent. Herein did he dis
play his nobility Of nature Tor the man
who conqlers himself gains n great vic.ory.
All, il Rachel had only known that her
lover was there, how she might have COM
torted him, how they might have comfort
ed each other, and have lightcned their
misery. But lie saw ii, to hide himself
from her, and her thoughts were constantly
turnc to the lonely island where she be.
lieyed her lover and her father We're. And
everyday that was swept intothe past shctelt
thnnktuli orthough it was day oflteg gone
it brought her nearer to the spring, when
the Arc.ic cold and the winter SHOWS would
loose their hold of the earth, and the birds
would sing and the flowers bloom again.
Then would the journey be resumed, and
the wearyng period OF tsuspense would give
way to a certainty, even though it might
be the certainty OF death.
Ii was hard, very hard to have to wait
there inactive, and witness the daily scenes
of human suffering which she was bound
to witness, and to see men treat their fellow
men as they might have treated the wild
beasts OF the jungle, by claiming them, and
lashng them into subjection. and exercis-
ing sleepless vigilance over them, ready
on the instant to shoot them down if they
showed the slightest disposition to be re-
lractory or to rend their bonds.
one day poor Rachel did actually see
young man barbarously shot because his
outraged pride getting the better ofhi dis
crejon, he resented with a blow some
instant at the officers command. the rifles
of the scntries were raised, and the hap!ess
and chained victim was shot with no more
conjunction than they would have shot q
mad dog.
Rachel saw this inhuman-no, this very
human-scene with her own eyes; and she
wcpt and weeping, she thought
oh, Lord God, in Thy wisdom Thou
hast made all men; but Thine enemy, the
arch tiend. has nut n demon into their
hearts that they may outrage Thy glory
and insult Thine own image"
Slow y, slowly. the winter passed. The
days began TO lePngthen, and the Artic
feeble. In Tie sheltered spots the snow
disappeared and the blades of grass were
been pushing their way up towards the
light and heaven. Rachel rejoiced for am
other phase OF her misery was drawing to
close.
She had allowed Peter Balakhin to sup
pose that he was winning her affections,
although her senses revoItcd against the
deception she had had to practise. But the
end Justified the means. Through that
deception her own position and the
position of her friend Catherine had been
| rendered much more endurable, tor Peter
had supplied them with many things that
J they could never otherwise have got; and
through his influence Catherine had been
enabled to frequently see and converse
| with her husband Paul; and during those
! interviews they plotted and planned for the
future, SO that Peter was fooled to the top
of his bent though he knew it not. Truly
"two desperate women can do much fol-
those they love-"
AS the spring approached Peter began to
press his attentions more assiduousiy npon
Rachel. and when she met Sim with the
argument that she was Jewcss and he q
Christian, and that he, wearing the Cars
uniform as he did, would bring himself IN.
to bad odor with his superiors il he mar
ried her, he answered That love could ex:
list wi hout marriage. Then did she feel
that she hated him with hate beyond
words, but still it was important that she
should still continue to deceive him tor YET
little while longer.
One afternoon she had been to the prison
with Catherine, who had received q permit
to see Paul. AS they returned the day was
closing. and Balakhn met them OH theil
way. lie told Catherine that two was com
pany, three was none, and she, taking thu
hint, proceeded alone. and Balakhin ant
Rachel walked round by the free convic
settlement. overhead tile stars shone witt
dazzling clearness, and away to the nortl
the aurora burned with splendor tina
was like the splendor of heaven.
language of the "lovc, as he called it. tha
he bore Tor his companion. He alluded Il
the near date when she and those wlt
were to be forwarded on would take thei
departure for the east, and he tried to per
suadc her TO remain behind with him; am
at last, carried away by his feelings, h
seized her in his arms and tried to kis
her But at that moment, out OF the dee
shadow of hut. man rose up as il b
was phantom and had sprung out of tn
earth. and with terrific blow he felle
l'alakhin to the ground, where he lay stun
ne,i likean OK that is snitten with tn
slaughtcrer's axe. R,chcl would hav
cried out in alarm. but the man seized he
by the wrist and hissed into her ear
Hush; be silent as death. am Moshk
Umanski'
(Io BE CoNTINUED)