The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-09-28
DEAD TO
II THE WORLD
tOriginal.l


/ shall give no true names in this
story / shall call myself Alexis Oil
zoff, which is a confession that l am a
Russian. Zen years ago l left Russia
for America. l was twenty-five years
of age. l had Joined the nihilists, and
the fact had been discovered by my
father, who convinced me that l was
In error and sent me to America, hop
Ing that my youthful indiscretion might
pass harmlessly by my entering new
field
My first summer in the warmer ell
mate spent at the seashore. One after
noon l was lying on the shore on my
back, my straw hat shading my eyes,
looking out over the waves beating up
against the rocks below. Far to the
left l could see a white line of foam
making succession of graceful curves.
My cheek was famed by steady sea
breeze laden with that salt odor which
has always been to me SO delicious.
Hearing q footstep, l raised myself
from my reclining position, and, seeing
a young girl approach, stood, hat in
hand, waiting for her to pass me. Then
suddenly recognized her as the daugh-
ter of a gentleman living on an estate
adjoining my fathers in Russia.
Alexis"
Lisa! What brings you herew
ITO this particular spotY You.
saw your name on the hotel register
and have been hunting for you ever
since.''
But what brings you to American"
fancied she was trying to hide some
emotion as she replied: "Oh, read Of
the independence of the American wO-
men and the fields of labor open to
them. I couldn't sit and twirl my FIN
gers waiting for my father to find me
a husband. I wish to make a career
for myself"
But Lisa, do you expect to make q
career for yourself at summer re-
sort?'
mo. / have just arrived and have
been told that 1t is the dull season in
the cities. came here to pass the
time before buster season warrants
my applying Tor WOrK.
The meeting with Lisa was like a
breath of air from home. She had
long ago been playmate of mine, and
l had fancied that l was her favorite
among all the boys. Ny father was
supplying me with means. and Lisa
seemed to have all she needed. She
prudently left the hotel and took a
room in farmhouse near by. This
saved us from criticism, for we were
constantly together, and she was with
out a chaperon. Thus spending our
time, one day out in a pleasure boat,
the next lying on the dunes watching
the ever varying features of old ocean,
it is not remarkable that my boyish
fancy returned to me as mans love.
Lisa was very different at different
times. If l spoke to her about her
plans for the future. her methods Of
procedure in making career, she
would say, thine enough for that
when return to the city" When we
strolled in the country she was moody;
when we sat upon the shore she was
lost In dreams. 1t was only when we
We're out on the ocean speeding under
a twelve knot breeze that she seemed
to throw off some unpleasant remem-
brances that haunted her and was
herself. Once, when we were in great
danger from storm that came up sud-
denly, she showed an exhilaration Of
delight.
One evening l went for stroll alone
on the beach. Lisa and I during the
afternoon had been there. She had
started to run, and l had run beside
her. Now / walked over the course we
had taken. Seeing letter on the sand,
I picked 1t up. 1t was addressed to
Nina Vasaliyitch. The Russian name
attracted my attention. AS the enyel-
ope was broken, l took out the letter
mechanically and glanced at it as a
whole. was surprised to notice that
there was no heading. One word stared
me in the face-my own name!
Self preservation is the first law Of
nature. l read the letter. 1t Informed
Nina Vasalivitch that during the pre-
VAOoo DPlluS AdO OCCu Sce1l III III
adelphia.
What did it mean? The evidence
pointed strongly to one conclusion, but
it was an indefinite conclusion. put
the letter in my pocket and, going up
on to the Dunes lay down to try to
recover my composure. The moon was
lighting up the beach, and presently I
saw figure coming, woman. She
was walking over the course Lisa and
! had taken during the afternoon. l
lay hidden in the sage grass, and when
she came nearer saw Lisa She was
looking for the letter.
I arose and went to her Here Is
what you are looking for, Nina Vasa-
livitch," / said. II suppose you have
been sent by the nihilists to kill me-"
l could see her whiten in the moon
light No" she said, 81 have not
been sent to kill you, but to order you
to kill another"
In this sentence read my death war
rant staggered.
Alexis" she said almost in a wall,
u have not delivered the message be-
cause l could not thus strike you. To
lay l determined that l would do tho
sv2.,, ox-