The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-03
THE DEsERTER.


The corporal in charge, who had been
drinking steadily, hiccoughed his anec-
dotes. yellow imps! That's what they
are, with teeth as long as your finger.
First they shoot and then they eat you.
UghI"
Stepanovitch shivered. He was reviv-
ing from the Stupor in which the events
of the past few hours had plunged him.
He had never expected to be called
upon-he a man just married It was
Why should he be
sent out to this far and perilous coun-
try called Manchuria, to be eaten by
these yellow goblins2 If what the cor
poral said was true, he would never
come back alive. Why had he been
such a fool, when the yellow card was
given him, to go to the depot and be
enrolled? Why had he not zone like
others-crept out in the night and met
the German agent who helped men to
cross the frontier and go in a ship to
country where there was much gold?
Was it too late2
The train rolled on through the frosty
flats 1t was a bitter cold night, but
the carriage was sitting. The other
recruits were asleep, or stupid with
fright. They lay back against the
wooden walls of the carriage with closed
eyes, needless of the Jolting. The cor
poral, who had. taken yet another drink
from his bottle, seemed to be sleeping,
too. He was a IeICS-tOOkllS Dicll III Ills
sleep. fiercer even than when he was
awake; but 1t was a thing to be thank
fuI for that there was a breathing space
from those monstrous stories OF MS
They hurt d mans inside, those stories
To get rid of the feel of them
tried to fix his thoughts on
Katfnka. She was a good girl and Ia
borious, and it was shame that She
should be Ieft-as good as widowed-so
soon. How she had wept when the yell
low card camel She had wept so much
indeed that when the hour for his de-
parting arrived her eyes had been quite
dry. He hoped that she would not for
get the instructions he had given her,
in case he came back; especially with
regard to any money she might save
1t was not likely that She would save
ANY, - cry few did i'm their village, and
katinka was a, hungry one always
That was perhaps why she was so
plump She was the plumpest girl FOR
miles round, and it was for this rea-
son that Stepanovitch had loved her.
Well, it was not to be supposed tnat
she could stay plump forever, especial
w with her man away. She would not
have the food. That was natural
to have much food When
ones man is aWay-and StepanoVllcn
did not regret that he had kept secret
from her the place under the floor in
which his savings were stored. She
might have been tempted to spend them
if She had known where they lay; and
then when he came back and heeoeu
them there would be nothing left
But would he ever come. back? 1t
seemed the question wodld fecur what
ever one fixed ones mind on. Inc ran
way carriage was altogether asleep
now There was nothing but SHORES
through the whole of it-snores that
kent time with the monotonous vibra-
ton of the train. StepanoVltch, VINO
was in the corner by the door, put ms
hand on the handle and turned it. He
IN
suddenly it was open. The tram Went
very slow; he could see that by look
ing through the veriest chlnk Ihat
caused no draught ana DISTURBED ~
sleeper. A man could drop into the
snow very easily and take no harm
Two days later, in the evening, ste
oanovitch stood outside the cottage II
which he had left Katinka. 1t seemed
1 year since he had lell Hel' .1 III
vas only two nights. He had walked
IN the time and run, too, except IN tne
iavlight, when he had hidden hlmseii
n a straw stack. He had eaten noun noun
ng and slept not wink All the tli i
while he walked and while he hid, ne
lad thought of this moment ana OF
What a surprise it would be to ka-
inka He would go very CAUTIOUSLY
n put his hand on her lips lest she
hol1Id crv out, and taking ms money
rry9, tba Mace under the floor beckon
Ter to 8v with him. That very nlsht
hev would cross the frontier with tne
leIp of the German agent; ana IN tne
morning he would sleep-sieep an tIle
way to the land or goa! Wila1 d
morning that would be!
IT seemed. however, as he STOOD
outside the cottage, that there was a
loise Within-quite long ana louu
loise as of some one sIIlslilg.
o,l1d not be that Katinka was singing
Nth him away, as she thought, among
ba yellow irnps in the Manchurlan
Nor, again, was II her voice;
t was a man who was SINGING w hsle
nan had the right TO be singing IN
stepanovitch licked his. lips, which
we're very dry with the cold wind and
vent to a crack he knew OF IN the
vail Of the cottage mere Was 49, q
ight burning on the table--a prlghI' |
"a sfeful light. so bright and so waste |
III that it showed everything IN the
DOM at a glance, the stone potue OF
-odka on the table, the ruDIes ne hdu
,iddan under the floor in the very !
,andlxercbief in which he had tied !
hem up-only it was united now, SO |
hat you could see the money qulle
learly, the man-StepanoVltch knew /
with ms pack 20 me
Loor singing. and Katinka looking at
i'm with large eyes. her chin upon |
Ter hands. as she sat at the table, |
lump and well liking IL ala not oc-
ur to Stepanovitch TO WONDER now
he floor: or what she had intended ]
8 do with the money. He was aware |
My that the man had his back to l
he door, and that he oStepanovitch. |
Iad a bayonet in his belt. He had |
brown his rifle away as soon. as he
ad landed from the train, but he had |
bayonet still. He crept round to the
oor very cautiously
Ten minutes later the deserter
anne out from his cottage He had
ot slept for two nights or more, and |
q, ...1i.la !. ll-ad tcArzror- "a the