The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-07-09
WITHIN AN ACE.
CHAPTER X--CoNTISUED.

tie father With this he takes the
mar apart and whispers to him, dur.
Ing which the listener chances repeat
edly in my direction, his small ewes
beginning to twinkle. and his mouth
widening to a grin. Sometimes he
puts a question.
At length the confabulation m
to an end, and the ]innkeeper. after
signing to us. leads the way through
a passage. and opens the door of q
small dingy room at the back of the
building. We enter: and he leaves us,
shutting the door
"Ihoma Fedoreivitch is a safe
man, observes Yerack, know
lngly. That kind Of a man is
always safe. so long as you grease
his palm. Thona and l have had oar
little transactions together"
The return of the landlord. bearing
a tray with breakfast diverts the
Jovial Cossack's mind from the alb
stract to The concrete. The repast
consists OF beef: raw salt herring.
preserved mushrooms. and white
bread.
All, l am as hungry as a hawk:"
says Yerack. taking up a herring by
the tail to hold it over his mouth, and
crunch it up.
take the opportunity to ask for
writing materials and, if it is to be had,
a stamp. as it is still too early for the
post-otfice to be open.
Certainly, Holy Father, p" responds
the landlord. with a twinkle IN his
beady eye. Il can furnish your Holt
ness with all"
Another burst of laughter from both
the Cossacks. whilst the speaker
crosses his hands on his breast and
bows low before me ere he goes. lie
brings me the paper in his dirty
finger and thumb. 1t is creased and
soiled. the pen splutters and the ink
is OF the consistency and color of mud,
but they suffice me to write these
lines:
'On receiving this lose not an hour
in procuring thy passport and starting
for Berlin. Make no halt anywhere,
but travel day and night hope to
precede thee, and will await the ar
rival OF all trains from Kouigsberg.
Should l be deferred. seek our brother,
Conrad Rosen. Steln-Strasse. No.
70. who will advise and assist thee.
II possible. send warning. Indirectly.
to Ivan and Pavel. All is known and
searching inquiries will be made. I
am sale and we'll and with friends.
Thine until death. V.
read yer what | have written. It
is sufficiently explicit. and | have no
fear but hat Maruscha will obey my
ln]unctions to the letter, if she can! |
quake to think of the risk: for: should
the faintest suspicion of being impli-
Gated IN politics attach to her, she is
lost. They will open her letters and
this will cause her immediate arrest.
However, thee is no help for it. God
help US; it is our only chance!
AS l am folding and addressing it.
Yerack draws a chair to the table,
close to my elbow, and with slow
elaboration and an expression of
supreme dissatisfaction. takes from
his tunic a large. bloated-looking
p~ocketbook, out of which he abstracts
a folded paper.
Now, Nikor Andreivitch Tchere-
vim" he says, mounting his words
with an unctious intonation. in
reply to your appeal for permission of
leave OF absence on the plea Of ILL
health. l have the pleasure to hand
over to you from the Archimandrite
of your diocese this paper, which you
will perceive entities you to a months
sojourn abroad.'
l take the paper he holds toward
me, and unfold it. Sure enough,
there is the ecclesiastical seal. the
wavering signature of the aged
Church dignitary, and on scanning it
l find that here indeed is a formal
leave Of absence to MY ailing son.
the Reverend and Holy Father Nikor
Andreivitch Tcherevin. extending
over a period of one month, to enable
him, by medical advice, to drink the
waters of K~issingen." l suppose l
look my amazement, for Yerack,
watching me, begins to grin, and ex-
ecute a series of knowing winks
Kalatch, who has come up behind
my chair. spells it out slowly and ex-
claims:
by all the blessed saints! I be-
lieve thou art in league with tie
devil, brother! Tell us about it. How
hast thou procured it?'
Yes; how? Who is Nikor Andrea
vitchP" l manage to stammer.
This eem too much for Yerack.
He throws himself back and INDUCES
in one Of his mighty roars.