The Washington bee., 1911-09-02
Sacrifice
By ANDREW C. EWING.

out the window, as he had been doing,
apparently dreading to see something
or some one. The train moved out
with accelerating motion, and the fast |
er it rolled the more relieved looked |
my fellow passenger.
Suddenly I heard him give a Smoth- |
cred cry. and, following the direction |
of his eyes, saw a man running like |
q deer to catch the train. The pas
sengeF put his head out the window
to see the end of the race, drew it in
and gasped:
my GodF
'Did he catch the train?' 1 asked.
''He jumped on to the footboard Of
the last car"
"My friend" I said, 81 judge that
you are a political refugee"
''Why do you think that?' said the
man, stiffening up.
'HThe man who ran to catch the
train is a government official. His
object is to arrest you"
''Who are your
"An American"
"Ah, Americans are our friends.
1 viii tell you That man, as you say,
will arrest me, and I shall be sent to
Siberia. Help meP'
"How can / do that2"
eve are not unIike-the same height,
both light hair and beard, both wear
glasses. Give me your travelling coat
and your golf cap and put on these
Russian clothes. When the train stops
an officer will come here to arrest me.
But by that time it will be night. l
shall pretend TO be asleep In my cor
! ner with the collar Of your coat pulled
ND about my face and your cap down
over my eyes. You say, with groan
of despair, 4 am caught at last, but
VIII not live to go to the mines!
While they are removing you shall
watch for an opportunity to get away
before they discover their mistake"
When the scheme was first proposed
to me I had not the remOtest idea OF
perpetrating it. But since it was an
hour before the train stopped he had
that time to persuade me. l should
have yielded, but I was not sure that
| L q
prisonment for interfering In the
mans capture. Before we had reach
ed the station he had promised If /
would take his place to see that the
American minister was made aware
Of the matter. and as the train slowed
down, not being able to resist his pa
thetic appeals, | adopted his plan.
All happened as he had predicted
As soon as the train stopped the coach
door was thrown open and a Lantern
thrust into the compartment True II
my promise, 1 cried out in Russian
SCI am caught at last, but l will no
live to go to the minesT"
was jerked out Of the coach anC
hurried away. What became of th'
political" [ did not know. wa
, taken into the station, given a close
inspection and the deception discover
ed. By the next train 1 was takel
/ back to st. Petersburg and thrown
into prison.
The next morning I asked for writ
! ing materials. which were given me
and wrote q note to the American min
, ister, stating that I was an American
citizen ir a Russian prison and askin
2 his assistance. The day passed and
2 heard nothing. A week, month, wen
by. I gave up hope and cursed my
= self for a fool
e One morning a young man came
see me, saying that he was from tn
embassy. I asked him why he had bee
so long in taking cOgniZance Of 10
/ note. He replied that no note had bee
s received, but the very next day attt
s nv arrest the minister had been Il
|. formed Of all that had happened. p
$ had since been trying to get the go
:. ernment to take the matter up. / hs
s been twice moved from one prison
d another, and each time the embass
: had been informed of my removal.
:. short. my note to the minister had M
5 been delivered but some one had bee
e keeping watch over me and infOr1nir
;, the minister of my condition.
e After another months hard work Il
It embassy succeeded in securing my T
> lease on condition that l leave Il
/ country Immediately. 1 was escortt
o over the line. wondering the whi
S whether [ had been a fool or a FL
fellow. had no sooner got bGyoI
the border than a man stepped up
me and said, 4 am to take you TO 4
IS count"
d Thanks, no. 1 don't want 30 |
e to any count. I've had enough Of tn
/ business"
IS But he persuaded me and took me
1t q bouse where l was received by-u
q man whom l had helped to escape. {
IS rushed forward and gave me be-
el hing and kissed me on both cheek
is When his transports had subsided
= said:
q 81 kept my promise. The governmel
tried to lose you, but my friends pr
vented. After you left me got o1
oY the car and escaped. I have bee
y hare ever since. I am noble. ric
p and half my fortune is yours.
- .eNo." I said. 'It feels so good
:. have made one sacrifcial act that "
:. can't pay me for doing it."
y But 1 found it impossible to get r
of the counts gratitude. went