The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1909-04-13

Yet avarice rather than cruelty Is
the dominant trait of his nature. The
most astonishing stories are told OF
his greed for money.
Translated into English, the fol.
lowing is said to have been what
passed between Patrin and the young
convict:
you think to impose on me7"
But / am indeed III"
"Shlrker!"
The work is beyond my strength;
l am unused to anything like it. I
cannot endure the chill. 1 was numb
from cold all day"
Patrin rose deliberately and took
step forward. You say that to
mel"
only give me work that I can
do"
Hold your tongue!"
II would rather die than walk in
that cold water again"
Thereupon Patrin struck him in the
face with his fist, knocking him down.
For some moments Gregoriev lay
senseless, but was reused by kicks
from the two soldiers who had
brought him up to the chiefs room.
He regained his feet. Patrin stood
regarding him with a scornful smile.
But there is a point at which human
nature turns desperate. Hoping that
they would kill him on the spot, and
making little doubt that they would
do so. Gregoriev sprang suddenly at
the chief, and clutching both hands IN
his beard, thrust him backward with
all his strength. Patrin shouted to
the guards; but Gregoriev had him
going rapidly backward To the left
OF the table was an open doorway,
and just outside this flight of stairs
leading down to the street, where.
as 1t CHANGED, three horses stood
saddled. Before the guards could
seize him, Gregoriev pushed the gi-
gantic body of the chief through the
doorway. The next instant they both
went headlong down the flight of
with them. Such was the impetus of
their fall that Gregoriev shot under
the belly OF one OF the horses. land
ing in the street beyond the animal
The soldiers carbine flew clear over
the horses back. Patrin himself
had fallen underneath the other two,
believing for help and threatening
them all.
Leaping to his feet, Gregoriev
snatched up the carbine, his first furi-
GUS instinct being to shoot Patrin.
Wild thoughts OF escape then flashed
into his mind He turned, and see
ing the stockade gate open, made a
dash for It,
The soldier who fell with them had
broken his leg; the other rushed down
the stairs and fired as Gregoriev ran
out at the gate. A sentry at the far
corner OF the stockade also fired, see-
ing a convict running toward the
woods. More than dozen shots were
discharged after the fugitive, but evi.
IDENTIFY with bad aim.
Gregoriev reached the border of the
forest which still surrounds Alexand-
rovsk; and although the whole gar
rison was turned out, he got away
so fast and far that they failed to
overtake him. The magazine of the
carbine which had so fortuitously
fallen into his hands contained Ave
ball cartridges. Strange to say, tuo,
the intense excitement of his adven-
ture with Patrin appeared to act as
cure TO his illness!
Ultimately, he made his way to a
village of Giliaks, in the north part
of the island, nearly two hundred
miles from Alexandrovsk and with
these people he lived for two years.
The dog Chuff was given him by an
old Giliak hunter of the village, who
had trained him from a puppy.
With the possession OF Chuff, Gregg
REV began life as a sable-hunter:
and gradually, as he accumulated
these beautiful peltrles. the hope that
he might use them as means OF
escape took root in his mind.
His assiduity as a hunter now knew
no bounds. Throughout the winter,
Intense as was the cold there, he
ranged the taiga. penetrating noun
tain Businesses of the interior where
even the hardy natives had never
gone. They called him the tireless
one. Chuff also appeared to gmbibe
something OF the high, ambitious spir-
1t of his master. One day ne caught
three sables.
AS result OF his two winters hunt
ing with Chuh. Gregoriev had ninety
three skins, each stretched on a thin
strip Of fir wood.
But how was he to escape from this
Isolated hyperborean island. surround
ed by stormy seas. since no one was
permitted to leave at the ports ~
Dui and Alexandrovsk save by official
permit?
The plan Gregoriev finally resort.
ed to was to disguise himself as
Giliak hunter and apply to the prison
chief in person, relying on bride
OF sable-skins TO obtain tho ns:p sary
permission. That he dared approach
Patrin again after the asperities OF
their last meeting speaks much for
the boldness and resolution OF Gregg
riev's character.
His two years 7esidrrce among tho
Giliaks. however. had enabled him to
simulate the bearing and dress OF a
Giliak hunter to perfection 10 had
picked up their language: anG by
this time his hair had grown long and
shaggy. BY making use OF a dscoc-