Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-05-07
Katia shook hands with him coldly,

and they went into the dining room.
"You have been to see your knight
errant off by the steamer" Kroutikov
asked, smiling.
A sudden sense of disgust came over
Katia.
II have been to see him off-yes,"
she answered abruptly, "perhaps by
steamer, perhaps by railway. Why do
you want to know?"
She raised her eyes to his with look
so icy, 80 full of enmity, that he was
thrown off his balance completely. He
had intended to talk to her severely and
reprovingly, to explain to her how i'm
prudent, to say the least Of it, had
been her behavior in openly helping
to escape a criminal wanted" by the
state, but the words died on his lips.
"Katia, what has come to you? Why
do you talk like that? What are you
angry about?" he asked in trembling
voice.
go away! Leave me alone I can't
bear the sight of you'll
"Katia, what do you mean? I don't
understand you. What have I done to
you?' he faltered in bewilderment.
He really loved the girl, as people
who have been somewhat knocked
about in life and know themselves to be
not quite spotless, love exalted, ideal
istic beings who, in becoming theirs,
restore to them their own best nature.
But Katia mistook his agitation for a
final proof of guilt.
"And you dare to ask me? You want
me to say what you have done? I can't.
/ am ashamed-ashamed for
myself and you"
She could say no more. She was chok-
ing with tears of bitter shame and in
dignation. Hiding her face in both
hands, she laid her head down on the
table and struggled with her sobs.
Kroutikov understood.
"You think that Uniformed against
this-Vladimir, he said, "but you are
mistaken.
Katia hastily raised her head.
WHAT" she whispered, hardly dar-
ing to believe.
81 did not hear of the search in your
house until today" Kroutikov contin-
ued. 1.-The police accidentally found out
where your visitor was hiding. The en-
gine driver of goods TRAM saw a man
lying on the railway line who jumped
up and ran when the train passed him.
The police, hearing of this, went to the
spot to collect information and found
that two shepherds had seen man who
had told them that he wanted to hire a
horse and trap. In the wood leading to
your house his knapsack was found, and
that was enough, especially as your
family is marked one on your brothers.
account. I only heard about it all this
morning. The governor purposely kept
it from me in consideration for my feel
ings, but he tells me that he gave or
ders to the police to behave as courte-
ously as possible and spare you and your
mother all annoyance. hope his in
structions were obeyed?"
Katia made DO answer to this ques-
tion. She felt herself annihilated.
Kroutikov's triumph was complete. He
could have improved upon his victory
by reproaohing her for ever suspecting
him of treachery, but with her he was
honest He remembered, quaking in
wardly at the thought, how near he
had been to what she had accused him
of. He came up to her with gleam of
real emotion lighting up his severe
face.
"Katia," he said, 'don't be SO upset
about it, Don't look like that. Let US
be as we used to be. know am not
worthy Of you. have come through
many experiences in life, and there are
spots enough on my soul, 1 know. Give
me your hand. Love mel With you I
shall be better, purer man."
"Forgive me, forgive mel did you
wrong!" she said, laying her hand in
his.
He put her hand to his lips, and
their reconciliation was complete.