The San Francisco call., 1904-07-03
CHAPTER XI.
AN OLD FRIEND AGAIN.

QenIS worth putting on paper Re
viewed my medical studies, and, by
hard work on my part and by con-
siderable leniency on the part of the
college authorities, l was enabled to
enter the senior class the following au-
tumn. That year marked change
in me. Another resurrection, so to
speak-a new spring after my long,
dreary winter. My almost withered
and insipid brain regained fresh vigor.
1 was filled with new hope, new
energy, and happy visions came be-
fore me. l was alive once more. And
the thirst for study and reading as
sumed its power over me.
During that year 1 came in contact
very little with the missionary Cav
MACK, nor did I see Razovski. With
the former 1 generally corresponded,
enclosing my abstracts, and the latter
1 was ashamed to meet. 1 felt guilty,
and a guilty conscience fears the look
of the innocent. When my conscience
rebuked me in the silence Of night,
when sentiments of truth and integrity
stirred within me, when tears washed
my checks because of the base hypo-
critical means by which I was earning
my livelihood, 1 would try to excuse
myself by saying that there was moth
ing wrong in my work itself-there
would be no wrong in merely trans
lating and making abstracts from the
Talmud, which was all l did.
AS 1 have said, 1 saw but little of
Gavniack. 1 had not met him for six
months, when one afternoon in the
spring, while I was out for a stroll,
met him by chance on Fifth avenue,
accompanied by a tall, broad-shoul-
dered, handsome young man. A
glance-and this young man and
pounced on each other and began
shaking hands.
"Dolgoff," 1 CALCULATED.
Ivan Petrowitch!" he cried, ad
dressing me by the name in the pass
port he had furnished me in Vilno.
Gavniack shrank back a step or two.
It was evident he found no pleasure in
the discovery of friendship between
Dolgoff and me. You seem to know
one another?" he said.
We're old friends" replied Dolgoff
in his gay, resonant voice.
While we were exchanging news
about ourselves Gavniack interrupted
to remind his companion that if they
fingered any longer they would be late
at the meeting of missionaries which
was to take place that afternoon.
Dolgoff excused himself, saying he
would rather spend the time chatting
with me- Gavniack hesitated a min
ute or two, then bade us farewell, and
Dolgoff and / went to my lodging.
He was a trifie changed, but was as
handsome as ever. He was now better
developed with soft black hair and
black eyes of the Jewish type, and in
all his beaming countenance showed
the same contentment as in former
days His smooth-shaven face had
that physical beauty which is rarely
seen in the face Of poets or thinkers.
so you have become a missionary"
/ said, referring to his present occu-
nation How did you come to that
Gavniack?"
THE same fnducement that made
you take the step" he said; at which
/ felt my blood ascending to my face.
II was confined in prison about year,
but I finally succeeded in escaping.
could not find any work to suit
me- One was too hard, another
too easy, and so forth. / was
soon helpless and starving. But
God has never forsaken me altogether"
He smiled. II came in contact with
missionary who began to fish for my
soul. It did not take me long to strike
a bargain with him, and l got the best
of 1t. For my soul was worth very lit
tie, and my body was the whole world
to me- / lived six months in luxury
and got some money to boot for my
worthless soul.
s'But soon tired OF Amsterdam and
went to Hamburg. had little expe-
rience in the business, and thought I
could speculate with my soul again. I
had never before appreciated what
valuable soul / possessed" He puffed
out a volume of smoke and chuckled
with some satisfaction. I'm that God
fearing city the price of my soul
trebled. I got several hundred for 1t
from nv godfather, who had big bel
ly and a small brain, and / also got
some money from the missionaries. 1t
never rains but it pours. nice Chris
tian girl fell in love with my black eyes
and curly hair, and she was frank
enough to tell me so. / did not object.
Who would? A girl is girl. She was
so innocent. so girlish, that | could
have taken her to the end of the world
had chosen. She believed in me as In
the Savior A short time afterward l
got tired of her love and kisses and
skipped to London, with the intention
of taking up some honest trade IN
fact. I wished TO repent But the idling
missionary life had got its hold on me,
and ! changed my mind. Well, specu-