The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-12-29

In my past | lie painting, bruised, half
naked, voiceless, with a CHASTITY mark
about my neck-an object to turn from
with shudderiug horror-on her thresh-
old. And after? Her brave heart con-
querei her dread! She took me in, put
me in her own white bed. nursed me.
A great sob lifts my breast, and breaks
the stiffness. She looks up startled, and
the needlework falls from her fingers.
I try to stretch my hand toward her
see her / cannot for tears-but it falls
powerless on the counterpane-
"Maruscha," I falter, "let me-let me
kiss thy handI"
She flies to me. my hand, my lips!
What thou wilt; but weep not, Vladi-
mir"
She kisses me wildly, not thinking
what she does, but only Of pacifying me.
Thou hast been ill-very Ill; thou
must not excite thyself-it Is bad for
thee. Think not of the past, 1t is over
all over, and thou art with me! Think
how 1 have striven to nurse thee well.
and thou wouldst undo all! File on thee!
Thou hast no pity for me"
Talking thus. she takes her handker-
chief and dries my eyes, sweeps the
nalr from my DrOW ana lets ner ungefS
rest on 1t caressingly.
She seats herself on the side of the
bed. / possess myself Of her hand, n
holding it against my lips, my spirit
slips away into the sweet oblivion Of
dreamless sleep.
CHAPTER ".
NV life is a succession of deep and
tranquil sleeps and blissful awakenings
to the discovery Of Maruscha's pres
ence.
And she Is my willing slave in all
things save one / may not even hold
her hand for long, or carry 1t to my
lips. II / venture on the latter, she
gently but firmly withdraws 1t, casting
ON me such q look Of fond reproach that
1 am fain to blush like q school girl at
my temerity.
Maruscha avoids all mention Of that
awful chapter in my life. the subject
abstained from questioning her. though
1 am consumed with curiosity to know
how my sudden appearance out Of the
grave, as it were, had affected her.
She evidently fears, too, that the dis
cussion Of SO painful a theme would in
jure me In my still weak state, for I can
see that she has enjoined Ivan-the
only member Of our section besides her
SELL who knows Of my existence-not to
let me talk Of 1t to him.
When I would speak of 1t. be has
different ways Of eluding me. he win
rise hastily. as though something had
just occurred to him about which he
must consult Maruscha; or he will pre-
tend not to hear me, and put a sudden
question, as:
HAS Maruscha read thee Pushkin's
latest poem7 MOI Then 1 must bring
it to thee; it is gloriousr"
feel inexpressibly sad to-day. and
Maruscha shares my feeling. As she
sits beside me, her sweet, fair face,
dow. ncast, over her work, / guess that II
is only my presence. that keeps her from
weeping. Her swift needle glances In
and out Of the linen she has on her Jap.
She is finishing a shirt for me to take
with me, and there is not much time
left now. Ivan comes for me this even
ing, and we leave together when the
darkness falls.
1t has been heaven to me, this calm,
blissful period Of convalescence-all too
short, and here is the end Of it. and the
beginning Of fresh struggles with the
world.
This move has been talked of for some
days past, Ivan has been urgent, and
my soul responds to his wishes. What
ever Maruscha may say. there is danger
in my sojourn with her. Though The
-4~l ~ ~. - ->->--.--
and accepted ~joyfully by my pure-mind-
ed love, W. feel that it is one that must
be put an end to as soon as possible. A
sob escaped her, and in my desire to
comfort her / assume an air Of cheerful
ness 1 am far from apprehending.
This is no parting, Maruscha. I go
but to Ivan, and whilst l am there we
shall see each other daily. Let us not
meet trouble half way. And when the
parting comes there will still be the pros
pect Of our reunion. The world is wide.
and surely I shall find some spot under
a free sky on which to build a modest
little nest for thee and me. Think Of
that time, dear heart Hope for the
best"
"Ah, IL thou vast blu safely out of
this terrible land, then l might hopel'
Maruscha sighed.
Il have great faith In the FUTURE" l
cry. "a man is not snatched from the
very waters of death only to be cast
back again like a worthless weed. There
is some special end in these sudden acts
of Providence. Thou wilt see this, my
second life will not be wrested from me.
L sit down again and draw Maruscha
to my side.
"Maruscha," / continued. 81 ave been
thinking much Of our future whilst 1 lay
there, and Of how thou wouldst help
me to make it worthy. That other life
was all wrong. / made nothing of it"
vladimir" interrupts Maruscha. and
her eyes shine like stars. Thou gavest
thy life for the great CAUSE"
And what has it availed? Ii the
world the better for my sacrifice? The
tyrant still Expresses. Liberty still turks
in secret places, and will continue to do
SO. And why? Because as a nation
we are not ripe for liberty. One-half
Is asleep, the other il in the thrall of
consuming passions, and nothing at
tempted In the heat of passion can have
good results. Conviction must have ma
tured into steady calm ere action Is pro-
ceeded to. 1t has ever been a mad. blind
rush at the enemy"
Filled with a noble enthusiasm" puts
in Maruscha- ''Oh, Vladimir, thou art
indeed changed. The cause, then, is moth
ing to thee nowY" She looks mournfully
up at me-
Not so. Maruscha- 1t Is as ever, ev-
erything to me. / love liberty more Il ian
life: only my opinion as to how to attain
it il changed. Hitherto / was at the