Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1894-01-25
ICONTlNuED.l
CHAPTER XXXNIT
THE TIDE BEGINS TO TURN,

Gordon when Ieter ScnemNl was gone.
YES. and the class istypical of the whole
genus of government officials. Every one
of them is to he bought With men of his
rank the process is, as you see, simple
enough. With men of higher grade the
bride must be higher, and one has to EN-
ploy II little tact That is the only diller-
ence. You might have bought yourself off
HI ~. Petersburg had you known how to
! handle the minister
In that case why should we not get
| back to Englands'
~ have thought of that. But you haven
enough Every official ON the road to the
frontier would have to be briDed.
but have enough money in England
"How are you to get itY'
Write for it, The letter could he ad-
dressed to Schemyl'
Ivan Dontrcmembcr laughed.
"Not a letter comes into 5chemyls hands
that has not passed throm,h dozen on the
road Every official is % the lookout for
means to bleed another. Your letter
would We opened to a certainty, and Peter
Schcmyl would be forced to hand You over
to some one else You would never get
your remittance. though in time, by pay
ing one and then another, you might at
last get away. but it would take years, and
we haven't II day to lose. Twelve hundred
rubles and c25 English''-
He made a mental calculation, then,
shaking his head, said:
~ am afraid there's no chance for you,
but can ask Peter Schemyl. Yes, will
90 back and have a dram with him on the
strength of having sold loaf to advan-
tagc. Give me a few kopccks. have
spent my last.
Gordon took the loose silver from his
nd uniting If i'm Ivan IOoni re-
bcrs hand said
"Whatever arrangement you make with
the fellow, YOU will bear one thing in mind
we take YOU with us. or we stay with you
and share what we have in equal parts till
all is gone
Ivan Doutrrmember looked gruvcly in
Gordon, face for a minute, then, with
smile. turned and left us in silence.
\ long time elapsed - more than two
hours, | think before We saw him again.
When at length he returned, we saw by lis
quick, firm step and the animation in his
deep sunk eyes as he drew near the fire that
our case was not hopeless.
81 had to make the rascal drunk on his
own liquor" he said, in explanation of his
long absence. a. he threw himself down on
the ground beside rs. That's n long Job
with Russian peasant, even when he helps
himself at your expense. There was no get
ting a word of truth out of him while he
was sober: would not on any consideration
no. not for all the gold in the world-bc-
tray the trust placed III him by the govern
ment; preferred death to di-honor and all
the rest of it. However, little by little as
he grew more and more drunk he cOniesse
to having Mt different times got five cXiles
out of Siberia and two Of them across the
frontier. Finally he let me know exactly
what it cost him to get these two to Berlin
that is what ! wanted to find out. As |
expected, the cost is greater than your
means will GLOW You to pay.
''IIow much'" Gordon asked in q tone of
anxiety, still tin9ed with hope.
"The cost Of getting one from here to
Berlin j., roughly, 5oo ruhleS."
THAT means 800 for the 3, and we
have but r., But there are the English
notes. Won't that make euough|
'Nut enough for two. did not overlook
the English notes"
but, my dear fellow, you said
THAT it cost Peter Schemyl 800. ! be
leye it, He spoke in the honesty Of drink.
Nou cannot expect him to do an act of
charity for nothing"
Il suppose not
"He run, a certain amount of risk and
must be paid for it, like any other honest
uan of enterprise. If the cost is 800, he
would rcqu>rc al least 800 for his bencvo-
leucc Virtue must be rewarded, and the
virtuouS always look for 100 per cent ON
their Investments"
AN internal sci of thieves growled
Gordon, thinking Of government officials
rather than the representatives Of virtue.
There no screNlng linn down amy Way:'
None What pressure can we bring To
bear: You are at his mere y, and he viii
make the most OF it, naturally. He knows
that he shall get every penny you have foI
food. and twothirdS Of it will be cleaI
proEU, lie taxes the minimum amount o.
risk. and it costs him nothing except IL
occasional bottle Of vllainous spirits II
blind those who might find that he is tax
Ing in more bread than his family has becl
in the habit of consuming
There wasan interval Of silence, and heI
Gordon. turning to Inc with = sigh. said
"Well, my dear girl, I'm afraid you vii
have to 20 alone
looked at him and then at Ivan Don't
remember in mute establishment, Iva
was regarding GoruOn with a curious loo
On his face, but was not surprised
Il 20 alOne' said / at length, with bate
breath
Il don't see any help for it, for it's cea
neither Of us can 90 with You.
1t isn't going alone I'm thinking about
Us leaving you behind, said l.
'Oh, don't you bother about us. If thi
Old rascal will take YOU to Berlin for ,0O
rubles, We shall still have 200 left An
thai VIII carry us on capitaly-eh, oil
chappie>' lac asked, turning to Ivan Don't
remember and clappng him Familiarity o
the shoulder, as though he had made u
his mind to break down all barriers and be
gin rs they were going on in perfect brotl
ernood and good fellowship