The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1916-03-02
A Russian Effort
to Lose Himself
By EUNEG BLAKE

Peter Trolenco was a member Of one
Of those circles that sprans up in Rus
sia some forty years ago when nihal.
ism wal first heard Of. They took their
name from their underlying principle
that nothing in government which sx-
listed should continue. The Latin word
for nothing" is Mhil.
There was great secrecy in those cir
cles, the members Of one circle being
completely ignorant Of those in aneth-
er. Peter understood that di6srsnt
circles worked In harmony through
their chiefs, but beyond this he had 10
information whatever. And yet st.
Petersburg (now P%etroSrad). whore ho
lived. was full Of nihilists.
Peter was young. and there wa
something captivating in all this mys>
terry. But n night there came to him
a terrible awakening. Lots wsc
drawn to decide which one Of the CTR
Gle should assassinate the chief OF po-
lice, and Peter drew the fatal paper.
on which had been sketched a dagger.
all the rest being blanks.
All the romance attending the secret
meetings, the DISCUSSES, tho many in
genious plans of the propaganda Of nj
hilism, shrlveled before this tsrrtbls
deed which Peter was required to CON-
NIT and from which there wa NO -
cape. He might dee to the ends Of the
oorth hut uorlA novnu L~@- -SA~
some one. possibly hla best fr1snA,
would strike him.
To add to his horror, no loved. Q
young girl. to whom no was expecting
to be married. Nina Dimitrie6 was 1t
the time preparing her trousseau. Pc
ter feared that his misfortune. which,
IN any event, would break their b.
trothal, would kill her.
He spent a long while in making up
his mind what to do and finally dscid-
ed upon flight. He would leave Rus
sia disguised and 60 to a land whore
he would be lost to the world. But
what action should he take in refer.
once to his betlothed? After weigh.
Ing the matter, dreading the shock hs
would cause her by telling her what
had happened, he decided to disappear
from her as mysteriously as from 9TH
ers. He would conhde only In hts
mother.
A few days after he had drawn tho
dagger he began q journey to tho boe>
der. Disguised as a beggar, he Travelled
by night and begged by day In the
towns through which he passed. What
money he took with him. added to what
he received from charity. enabled him
to reach Genoa and take passage for
America.
For five years the fugitive kept
changing his residence, avoiding the
large cities SO far as possible, think
ing to lose himself more effectively In
the country. But whenever he came
near a Russian he moved on. He dared
not write to his mother for fear h1s
letters would DO intercepted. but b.
fore leaving Russia he had laid 4 plan
for communicating with her at long In
tervals. Finally he received word from
her that a friend of his In the circle to
which he belonged had informed her,
~ N"S . w. A40 AAA0e ~ III
had been sent to assassinate him.
One day Peter appeared in a small
town in Missouri to receive. cOmmu.
nication expected from his mother.
What was his astonishment to see
walking on the main street Nina Dimi-
trien. The sight staggered him. Gould
it lie possible that the girl he loved had
been sent out to kill him? He bRnish-
ed the thought and ran toward her.
Seeing him, she gave him a meaning
glance and passed on.
Peter followed her and presently saw
her drop a bit Of paper. Picking 1t up.
he read, Meet me at IL on the bridge"
The town was ON the bank Of 4 small
stream spanned by a single bridge.
This fixed the place. At the hour ap.
pointed he went there. Nina soon ap-
peared, and the two were clasped In an
embrace.
Then Nina told her story. After hts
disappearance she had wormed the -
cret from his mother. But it wa mo-
till Nine. Trolenco told her that an
emissary had been dispatched to XIII
him that Nina decided to join him In
his exile. The immediate reason for
her coming was to yarn him against
this person who had been described to
his mother. Nina knew the man who
was to avenge the circle. but he did
not know her. Indeed. she had ssen
him In the town that day.
What was to be done? Nina declared
that she would remain with her lovsr,
protect him 80 far as she might BE-
able and die with him il she could not
a " him. The danger was imminent
Besides. II they left the town they
would be followed. They talked to-
gether a long while, discussing various
plans, and finally adopted one that bid
fair to accomplish the desired result.
The stream flowing beneath them
was a tributary to the Missouri river.
Beyond the Missouri were the plains.
then unciviixed. Arranging to meet At
a point in Kansas. they separated. Pc