The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-05-21
WITHIN AN ACE.
CHAPTER ".
They are Upon U.s."

a hand on both OF my shoulders and
looking down a~nXiously in my face.
'Certainly | am-much stronger
than when l came to II e a week ago"
l reply, with a smile. Il should find
no difficulty now in walking the length
of the Arcade. l walk it many times
in the day in the room here"
because thou wilt have to make a
move again" resumes Ivan. 1t is
no longer safe for NEE here. To-day
my landlord met me as | left the house
and asked me who ! had staying with
me; though l know not how he has
discovered thy presence here, l said:
"A cousin who is merely passing
through the town en- route to Nov
gorod.' He asked your name. l was
taken abac!l as thou mayst imagine,
but fortunately the first lie led up to
the second, and the name of an actual
cousin came to me and | pronounced
It. So nov thou art Waldemar Nico-
laivltch Alikanotf! He next asked to
see thy papers, and / said. AS you
will, little father: but my cousin
leaves Petersburg tomorrow. | will
bring them at once for your inspec-
ton, and l made as if l would Mount
to my room. All. we'll. trouble not
he said then. If he goes so O it
matters not. Only you know how
strict the authorities are at present.
1t is we landlords who suffer if aught
is found amiss.'"
What hadst chou done had he in
sisted on seeing my papers?" / in
CURED. wondering at his temerity.
The best | could; pretended they
were mislaid, and thus put him off
until l had got thee away" He laughs
lightly. 1T is an awkward case, this
OF thine" he continues. Thou art
in the world and yet not of it. Thou
hast no longer a certificate Of birth.
nor hast thou a name. A passport of
residence, therefore, thou canst not
obtain"
Il know" I interrupt hastily. A
strange feeling of isolation is at my
heart II am wiped out. l have no
habitation here-no name-no bust
ness on the face of the earth"
THAT is nonsense. Only as soon
as possible thou must be out of Rus
sia- Meanwhile. what is to be done
for the present? Before tomorrow
some safer place must be found for
thee He pauses and muses. awhile.
Il have thought Vladimir he re-
sumes at length, that it we're we'll to
make known thy existence to our sec
ton. Thou knowest they are to be
trusted to n man. What joy there
will be among them when they know
thou art alive! They will all be
ready to die for thee! And among US
we can easily conceal thee. Thou
canst pass from one to the other until
thou art able to venture on fiji light"
Il have always advised it." | re-
spond. Long since l would have
shown myself to them but for Marus-
cha She thinks there is risk in so
many knowing it whilst | am in the
country"
Ivan shrugs his shoulders. II sec
no alternative. Something we must
risk, he says, adding hastily, Though
| see no risk in it. There Is strength
in unity. and are we not as one man
in purpose?"
He takes up his hat. The sooner
thou art away from here the better.
What thinkcst thou of going first to
Pavel Yegorevitch'" he asks.
Il would trust Pavel as my own
soul'' l reply ~fervently, for | like
the man. His is a silent, deep nature
i always mistrust the glib tongue
a man who makes no professions.
slow and deliberate both in speech
and action, but having once chosen a
course is not to be turned from it.
There arc those amongst us who blus-
ter and talk much and are ready to
rush impetuously, thoughtlessly, even
to certain death. Inferior heroes
these, who must be wound up to a
state of frenzy ere they can act. The
true hero is he who first deliberates,
then acts after mature consideration.
Such a one is Pavel Yegorevitch
Klendovsky. A friend of such stuff
will prove as true as tempered steel!
Thou wilt lock thyself in," said
Ivan, from the door. And if any
one, I've Maruscha, should come and
knock for admittance thou wilt keep
as silent as a shade until they depart.
Adieu, | will not be long"
He goes. and l turn the kew and
throw myself upon the bed. My
mind is perturbed. and l would think.
AS l lie. with my hands clasped
above my head, thinking. my eyes
fixed on the bit of sky cleaning gray
through tine small dormer window,
the being of all others l most long for