Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-06-27
ABILENE WEEKLY REFLECTOR ABILENE, KANSAS June 2 9N-WE PAGES

'PerhapS you nave heard ABOUT tnl
affair, or you may have seen me some
time, Semenovitch?'
How could help hearing. Tn,
worlds full Of rumors. But it's lont
since, and l have forgotten what dit
hear"
Perhaps you have heard who killed
the merchant" asked Aksenov.
Evidently It was be In whose bat
the knife was found" answered Maka
Semenovitch with a laugh.
Aksenov felt sure that 1t was thi!
very man who had killed the merchant
He rose and walked away. All tina
night Aksenov kept awake.
"And it's all that scoundrel's faul.,'
be cried.
A fortnight passed. One night as HI
was walking about the prison he saw
some earth falling from under one o.
the beds. Suddenly Makar Semenovitct
appeared from under the bed and look.
ed up at Aksenov with frightened
face. Aksenov tried to pass without
looking at him, but he seized Aksenovs
hand and told him how he had dug
hole under the wall and had carried th'
earth out inside his top boots, which he
had emptied every day on the way wher
the convicts were taken to their work.
"You just keep quiet, old man, and
I'll lead you out, too. But if you blat
| shall get whipped to death, but II,
kill you first"
The next day when the convicts were
led out to 60 to their work one +, Of
them was noticed by the soldiers
emptying earth out Of his boots. The
prison was searched and hole found,
The prison inspectors came and began
asking everybody who 1t was that had
dug the hole. Every one denied hav-
ing any knowledge Of it. Those who
knew did not betray Makar Semeno.
witch, knowing he would be whipped al
most to death for 1t. Then the in
spector turned to Aksenov, whom he
knew to be a just man.
"You are a truthful old man." he
said. "Tell me, before God, who had
dug that hole"
"Aksenov looked at Makar Semeno.
witch and said, II can't say, your
honor. God will not let me tell you.
Do what you like with me, the power is
In your hands"
That night when Aksenov had gone
to bed, just as he was beginning to
doze, he heard some one come up and
sit down on his bed. He peered
through the darkness and recognized
Makar.
Aksenov sat up and said, What dc
you want? Go away or I'll call SOL
der"
Makar Semenovitch bent close over
Aksenov and whispered, Ivan Dmltrie-
witch, forgive me. | killed the mer-
chant and hid the knife among your
things. | meant to kill you, too, but |
heard noise outside, so | showed the
knife In you bag and jumped out of the
window. For the love Of Cod forgive
me! | will confess that | killed the
merchant and you will be forgiven and
will go home"
ut Is easy for you to talk, but what
have I had to bear?" said Aksenoy,
Where am to go to now? My wife
Is dead, my children have forgotten me,
| have nowhere to 90 to-"
Makar Semenovitch did not rise, but
bent his head against the floor and
cried, Ivan Dmitrlevltch, forgive me!
The whip was not so hard to bear when
they flogged me as 1t Is to look at you
now. And you have had pity on me
and you did not tell--for the love Of
Christ, forgive me, cursed fend that I
am" and he began to sob.
When Aksenov heard him sobbing
he. too, began to weep, and said, God
will forgive you. May be | am a humid
red times as bad as you.
And suddenly he felt his heart grow
light, and the longing for home no
longer oppressed him, and he no longer
had any wish to leave the prison, but
only longed for his last hour to come.
In spite of what Aksenov said Makar
Semenovitch acknowledged his guilt.
But when the order for his release
came Aksenov was already dead.