The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-06-04

Inc lufrler, lies IN nluInS aC tno lOQB-
ing Of the law student, Ivan Ivano-
witch Kelinsky. In such case the
only wonder is that they have not
thought sooner Of the roo.
| glance around me in an access of
agitation-up the slippery incline Of
States. exposed to the full fury of tho
wind. If | could have clambered to
the other side l should be safe, but it
is out Of the question. 10 lose
my hold for a single instant would
be to be at once hurled to the sire e
below and killed on the spot. Yet
where / now stand, any n opening
the window could not fail to see me
that moment. And oh, my God if l
am taken, it is not myself alone who
will suffer!
I commence moving, by painful
inches, upward. drawing my hands
M after the other along the edge,
until by a random swing of my right
arm | hope to grip the pointed sum
nit Of the dormer roof. risk all on
the success Of this attempt and-suc-
coed! Had | missed l should have
fallen backwards.
The other arm soon follows. and l
Il draw my body up until l lie
pressed flat and close to the dormer
roaf. 1t is the best | can do. Here I
may chance to escape detection. 1t
is d vague chance. And here I re-
main in palpitating suspense.
In the pauses Of the wind I can
hear slight noise in the room below
me-the pushing OF q chair-the fall
ing Of something to the ground--the
drone of a voice.
My heart beats so violently, so
audibly against the States that they
g to beat in unison with it. heav-
ing up and down in regular pulsations.
l could almost fancy myself lying on
some mighty steam-propelled machine.
Whether minutes Or seconds throb
themselves out thus-for every beat is
the condensed anguish Of a lifetime
l know not. as | lie on my cheek,
staring with smarting eyes at the
place where a head might appear.
Yet though [ have been expecting it
m~omentariIy. when the faint click of
the window latch falls on my ear, and
the head is actually there. defined dis
tinctly against the sky. l get such a
schock hat l start violently and hear
myself audibly gasp.
The head moves round until the
face is turned on me! The eyes
pierce the gloom! 1 give myself up
for lost! .; 5ssa.E
Again. I mediate letting go my
hold. as die l must! 1t is only for an
instant. No, even though death-a
certain n this tlme-on the gallows
is before me (and I have tasted and
fully realize all It's horrors). by no
act of mine will 1 hasten the moment
of my dissolution. Strange, the man
utters nc word. and yet l could swear
that he sees me! He looks away up
toward a stack of chimneys that cast
their shadows over my q%uivering
body.
Of a sudden an exclamation escapes
him. | see his cap torn from his
head by a gust of wind and carried
high in the air. He watches it until
it is swallowed by the darkness, NUT
tiers an oath, and disappears.
Is it impossible that l am undis.
covered? l cannot believe it. and lie
expecting another head to appear, to
hear a voice commanding me to de-
scend from my hiding place; but time
goes by on heavy, fainting wings, and
the window remains closed.
And that at last, is the tramp of
the police officers below in the street.
growing gradually fainter, until it
dies in the distance. I breathe a
prayer of thanksgiving.
It is Maruscha's small head, blown
about by ringed wavelets Of hair:
which next starts up against the sky,
and her voice gasping out my name
in an intense. awful whisper
''Vladimir"!
She cannot see me. her gaze sets
out in a distracted. dubious search.
raise my head. She utters 4 low cry
of joy
Il am here, Maruscha." 1 call to
her.
..Ah-h-h" What a long: deep
sigh Of relief was that which rose to
my sweet loves lips.
Then, 'Oh. Vladimir. be careful.
Hold fast! Take time"
She stretches out her hands toward
me. though she cannot help me, while
l slowly and painfully descend. Once
my foot slips forward and she utters a
scream of terror.
l reassure her. Fear not, Marus-
cha. l keep a firm hold. and hold.
ing 1 cannot fall"
And once more I stand in the room.