The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-05-21

still | fear me. 1t will leak out. One
by one they will be told-they will be
tlocking to see thee. The attention
of the police will be attracted. l
wish. | wish Ivan had come to me.
conceal thee OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Thou art too fearful, my Marus-
cha" reply soothingly. And thou
seest it has become imperative to
seek aid Of others. only wish | had
insisted or doing so before l drew
this danger on Ivan. And as to my
safety. there is not a man of them
who would not render up his life
rather than betray me"
Not willingly. not wilfully, |
know. Vladimir: but what matters it
when they have. by their coming and
going, attracted those b~loodhounds to
thy hiding-place? 1t is a mistake, l
tell thee" persisted Maruscha.
How long wilt thou stay with
Pavel Yegorevitch?" she asks.
LAS short u time as pOssiblc,' I
reply. Il am quite strong now. and
the sooner l begin to make for the
frontier the better, by remaining |
only endanger my friends to no pur-
pose. Moreover, Maruscha, as l OK
planned to thee before, having ceased
TO approve Of the methods Of the
party to which | have hitherto be-
longed. my wisest plan is to escape
from it quietly and silently. l have
thought it out and to attempt any
explanation would be madness. l
could not make myself understood"
Maruscha signs as if she would on
cuse me to herself.
'Surely thou hast done enough"
she murmurs.
by no Means" I cry, vehemcntly
mo mar can ever say, i have done
enough in a good cause! Once its
true disciple, his liabilities to it end
only with his life. and my watchword
is now, as heretofore. Liberty And
it is for liberty thai | will fight to my
last breath! No longer, therefore.
car l be q slave Of a party whose
tyranny is as great as tho car him.
self! 1t is nihillsm | have served
slavishly, ab,ectedly. What it has
decreed | have done. silencing my
MISUNDERSTANDING the dictate
of the divine voice within my heart
which would have whispered: Thou
shalt not take God~givcn life. even
though it be that Of an enemYn'
''Then thou wouldst have us pear
tho cruel undeserved lash like slaves
like dogs!" Maruscha cries. her
eyes flashing fire. shall three parts
OF a nation lie %grovelling at the feet
Of a fourth, simply because that
fourth part has the power and tho
brutality to misuse it? Shall we not
rather rise as a man and take Il
ours by Divine right?"
'.Ah, Maruscha, if they would rise
as a man. But they are two parts
asleep and desire not freedom. and
the other part is too sudden and head
strong: defeating their object in
precipitate action. Believe me. when
we Russians are fit to rule ourselves
the lash will fall from the hands of
tyranny. 1t behOoveS us now to pos
sess Il souls in patience, working on
ourselves. and giving as little occasion
as possible for offence. then when we
+ ready for it. we will get what we
want without bloodshed-it will come
to us. We're we to succeed now in
wrestling the rod of iron from the
tyrart, we should quarrel for it
amongst ourselves. 1t would be an
exchange of %tyrannies. 1t is q difficult.
almost az impossible problem to
col, VIZ fh:. ~c {L~ usl~ - A.. "
dividual. How is it to be defined?
How bounded? Can any member of
any community said to be free? We
are weak and dependant animals, we
humans; to be happy we must
live in communities. which must
of necessity be governed by
laws. and laws bind and restrict. Con.
cordia, methinks, rather than liberty,
should be the watchword Of humani-
ty."
During my speech l have been fur
lively watching the varying express
sions Of Maruscha's face. 1t is a rare
study. When l say that it is beauti-
full, speak dispassionatcly. 1t is a
fact that the dullest eye must recog-
nize, for it is as fair as Il lily, lighted
by orbs large and lu,trous. and blue
as forget-me-nots. In repose its ex-
preston is one Of infinite gentleness;
yet in a moment-at a word it will
change, the rosy child-like lips will
meet the fair cheeks glow. the deli
cate nostrils dilate, and the eyes will
flame with the enthusiasm of Joan of
Arc. A strange nervous energy seems