The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-30
Shadowed
By RUTH GRAHAM

DurlnH AnaL perlOu Wnen Ine ldte
Russian revolution was brewing Sonia
Katrovicb, a young wife of twenty.
lived in st. Petersburg at her home
with her husband. They were both
members of secret propaganda en-
bracing many persons whose object
it was to scatter printed matter in
tended to awaken the people to their
wrongs and incite them ~ rebellion.
There were a number of repositories
for this literature, and the home Of
the Katrovichs was one of them.
The police learned of the where
abouts of one of these repositories
and, as was their custom, instead of
raiding it at once, set a spy upon it
with view to learning what persons
went there, assuming that all visitors
were members of the propaganda. One
morning Nine. Katrovich went to
this depository that the police were
watching to take some revolutionary
literature there. The place was sim
gle room on the third floor of building
occupied for various purposes. Hav-
| ing finished her visit, Sonia opened the
door suddenly and just in time to see
man dart up the stairs leading to
| the next story above. She did not see
his face nor his clothes sufficiently to
mark him, but she knew instinctively
what had happened. The depository
had been discovered by thespolice aud
| she would be shadowed to her home.
Retaining her presence of mind. she
continued on her way, knocking at diff
| ferent doors as though looking for
some one. Receiving negative an
swer to her question, she passed down
and out Of the building.
Either she must outwit the spy or
both she and her husband must spend
the rest of their lives in Siberia. She
must not go home. and she must con-
trive to make her husband aware OF
what had happened. To gain time she
visited certain shops. The first shop
she entered man followed her inside
and looked over articles with the pre-.
tense of buying Sonia suspected him,
but was not sure that he was her shall
over till he followed her into another
store.
| After Sonia had visited several stores
she felt at liberty to enter one kept by
one Petrol, a member of the propa-
| ganda, without necessarily betraying
him. Calling on him for some gloves,
she while trying them on Informed
him of the situation that he might at
once get word of the danger to her
husband and he might remove the lit
erature.
When she left the store the man who
watched her approached her.
| Conduct me to your home" he said.
"What means this? she asked, af
fecting surprise.
After awhile he admitted the truth,
and she told him that she had gone to
the building for the purpose of finding
former servant Of hers but had been
misinformed as to the address.
II have no objection to taking you to
my home" she said, "and / will easily
prove to you that l am loyal to the
government. But I warn you that
have some very good friends who are
influential with the government, and i
|
At this the man assumed more re-
spectful manner and lifted his hat po'
litely.
"I am looking for certain kind Of
goods" continued Sonia, that / need
and shall be obliged to visit one or two
stores, then 1 will take you home with
pleasure"
| Sonia, being OF the better class, was
enabled to assume an Importance that
affected the official She went into
several more shops and kept clerks
hunting for the goods she wished. At
last she feigned to find exactly what
she wanted and on paying for 1t gave
the address of her home, to which 1t
was to be sent. The police official
noted the location. pricking up his ears
as she gave it.
1t would not suit Sonia's game to keep
the man too long. She must take some
risk 1t was nearly two hours after
she had left the menage with Petrol
that she told her captor that she was
ready to go to her home, and she led
him there In perfectly straight
course. But 1t was ali she could do to
bear up under the suspense. If her
husband had not received her mes
sage there was that in store for them
far worse than death. AS she went up
the steps of her house she almost
tainted, but with an effort she opened
the front door. No one was to be
seen. She opened door leading into
another room where her husband sat
at desk writing.
"Well, dear" he said without looking
up from his work, 'you have been gone
quite awhile" Then. raising his eyes
and seeing his wife's attendant, he
appeared surprised. Sonia knew that
had he not been warned he would have
doubtless turned pale.
YES" she said. II have been de-
layed In finding the goods need for
my gown"
She then explained her having an
attendant who needed to be satisfied
that they were loyal to the czar.
"That is very easy" said her hus-
band. 81 am at this moment writing