The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1913-11-10
PART II

Continued From Saturday,
Shen went with him to the head
of the stors. closing the door be-
hind her.
DO you think he is seriously
ill?" she asked.
I do not KNOW" said Odeskalki.
but l am afraid SO. What 1 want
to say is this. Do not hesitate to
call on me IL you run short of
money. I have saved up nearly a
thousand dollars. Furthermore,
1t would be a pleasure for me to
do you a good turn. I will come
again tomorrow. But you must not
confine yourself entirely to the
house. Perhaps / will make you go
for a walk with me. Is it permit
ted?"
He had taken her hand aid raised
1t to his lips. If he kissed it with
more ardor than mere friendship
permits, Olenka did not know. She
was very grateful to him for his
offers of help and for the kind tone
which he had adopted.
How I have misjudged this
mani" she thought.
Openta was waiting for return
with greedy eagerness.
But what did he say to your"
he asked almost ENORMOUSLY.
He spoke altogether kindly"
said olenka, Offering help, and
even loan If necessary. I tell you
he 6nac utf ho
habit when people are in trouble"
Didn't I always tell you he was
a good fellow at bottom?" said
Openta.
II doe'd lige hib." said the old
man.
Oleskalki came nearly every day.
For the most part he wore smil-
ing mask. Sometimes he insisted
on taking Olenka for walk
Sometimes he head the papers to
Openta and the old man. Mean
while Openta got little better, but
he could not use his legs without
suffering torment, and his savings
were nearly all gone.
The weather was bitter cold; pro-
visions were high, and more wood
went UP the stove chimney in the
form of smoke than Olenka cared
to think about. But through 1t all
she preserved her charm and her
cheerfuness. But Odeskalki, If he
had wished, could have told of
moments, carefully screened from
the Opentas, when the anxiety
which was torturing her came to
the surface. Once, as they were
mounting the last flight OF stairs,
having returned from short
walk, she began to sob. Odeskalki
caught her in his arms and held her
until she painted for breath. She
seemed pre-occupied and not con-
cerned with what had happened.
That same day Odeskalki inform
ed the Opentas that in the future
he would have to work on the day
shift and that it would not be pos
sible for him always to come up
early enough in the evening to find
them awake.
"It is a pity" said Openta, chat
your lodging is not in the neighbor-
hood somewhere.
II don't see," said Odeskalki,
"why I do not live with you and
bear a portion of the expenses. But
do not invite me unless you wish"
Two nights later Stanislas Odes-
kalki came for the firm time to
pass the night under the same roof
which covered Olenka, and old man
Openta whispered to his son:
IL doe'd lige hib.'
On a certain evening, when old
man Openta was sleeping heavily,
Odeskalki spoke to the young
Opentas of matters which were
troubling him.
will either of you deny" he
said, that you reached the end of
your resources two days ago and
that I am bearing all the expenses"
Neither Orloff nor his wife was
able to deny this.
TT is nothing" continued Odes-
kalki. Let things be as they are
until Orloff is well. But there is
one thing which 1 cannot endure
much longer. And that is the hos
tility shown by Orloffs father. He,
-