The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1897-06-11

words come slowly
'Ah--indeed. you are fond of walk
ing an accomplished pedestrian, and
doubtless a true votary OF nat,,ra T
congratulate you on your good taste,
SIR then to his nephew, Yet I un-
uerstood thee to say hat thy friend
a complained of fatigue, Andrei
Ilotrovitch"
expect Andrei Piotrovitch to call
1oa 10 witness to the truth Of his living
assertions instead of which he sars-
Said | SO. Nasili Grigorievitch?
surely not? You must have taken me
up wrong. said that | was fatigued.
1 could scarcely say so of my friend
hein Ivan - Ivan Feodoreivitch."
mere his unclo's gaze being removed
from him the perverted iackanapes
"lnks and makes a grimace at me.
Iva Feodoreivitch." he repeats. with
emphasis and another wink, .can
walk his fifty versts a day as easily as
you can take a pinch of snuff. my
uncle!"
1t is evident to me that since he is
comfortably installed in his uncle's
carriage and the embarrassment of
the meeting is tided over, Andrea
f~lotrovltch would not be sorry to part
from me. | a be Of no further use
to him. and to be obliged TO maintain
with a stranger the semblance of a
close intimacy would only be trouble
some. 1t is we'll. Thus he assists
my design.
Indeed! A manly accomplish
mont observes the governor, making
me a stiff bow. Presently he asks
me. Are you making any stay in
kovno, Ivan Feodoreivitch:y"
vince at the name the Young fool
has fathered me with, and to which |
am compelled to answer, No. Your
excellency, l am merely passing
through"
'Ah. well. if we are not to have, the
pleasure Of your company, Ivan Feodo-
reivitch. | have the honor to wish
you good day." and the governor
raises his cap with another stiff bow,
to which respond.
:Au revoir, Ivan Feodoreivitch!" ex-
claims Andrei, with an audacious grin.
: The m~an-servant shuts the carriage
door: swings himself to the box. and
in a few moments J. stand alone in the
road. God be thanked" l murmur.
with a sigh of relief.
| step. out after this, and the verst
stones crop up quickly one after an
other. AS | pass each. | think to N.Y.
self with increasing satisfaction: ''One
more verst nearer to Maruscha!' And
Notwithstanding a growing sensation
of discomfort in the region OF the stom-
ach, | feel happy. The sun is a couple
OF hou S journey from the horizon
when | enter the suburbs of the town.
Before | have advanced a hund ed
yards meet a police officer; who seems
to regard me curiously. | like not
police Offices, an1 l wish this
one good day. in passing:
on which he salutcs me respect
fully. Another hundred yards and l
meet another who appears to be
strangely interested in my outer man.
Politeness costs nothing, | think, as |
greet him also. and have the satisfac-
ton to observe that his manner OF re-
spending is deferential. l advance
into the town until the houses begin
TO take the form Of streets. and ! feel
the round boulders of the pavement
under my feet. Then L ask my way
to the general postol1ice, of a respect
able-looking citizen.
| am directed to the usual square,
thanked IN all sides by government
h, i1jtnr rro- ,,Irco ~ ,, o,xn.,
the spread eagle, and in the centre OF
which rises an equestrian statue
probably that of Peter the Great. L
am presently entering the posto lice.
In ascending the steps my eyes rove
up the street. and arrested by the
sight of the two officers l met in..the.
suburbs, who are just turning the,
+ together. ;'They both look
toward me.
Well there is nothing EXTRAORDINARY.
in two gendarmes walking together.
nor is thee anything. remarkable in
the fact. that. they HAPPEN simultane-
only to direct their eyes toward me.
But it is strange that they should have.
turned and followed me, for when l
met them they were both walking in
the opposite direction. "t.
Bah! 1t is accident-pure accident. :
l think. shaking myself free from the
vague uneasiness that is creeping. on
me. There may be a score of reasons
for their return to town. Aud | push
open the swing door of the LEFT Let
ter Department"
"A letter Tor Waldemar Nicolaivitch