New-York tribune., 1918-12-22

thing still worse was in store for him,
but he could come to definite thoughts,
as if he had been struck heavy blow over
the head.
The open automobile INTO which he was
thrust quickly covered the distance between
his house and the Ochranka Department.
Too quickly, indeed, for him to gather hs
wits, but not too quickly for tho halt
dressed fellow to be chilled to the marrow
by the biting frost of Russian mld-w'nter
night. When he was conducted into the
warm headquarters his one feeling was
that he would like to lie down and fall
asleep. They placed him, however, before
an official with a large drooping red
mustache, angry eyes that glarcd from
under thick, shaggy eyebrows, and power
full, broad hands from which it was easily
to be recognized that their owner took
delight in slapping people and giving them
one the jaw" The officer began to
curse at once, in deep bass voice strongly
redolent Of brandy. using the most vulgar
oaths and banging the desk with his power
full fist.
$50 we've got you at last, you so-andso
and this and-that! What did you imagine?
nothing would happen? That you'd be
left to your own sweet ways? That you
could do just as you pleased, and that
were asleep at our job? big mistake
you so-and-so-! We don't sleep
and neither will you sleep hereafter
Enoughl All over, We'll show you,
you II We'll finish you soon enough!
We've handled boldcr heroes than you
. You don't believe it, hey? YOU!
Don't dare to open your mouth! = .
DO you sec this?
And under Vilbushevitch's nose he shook
large, powerful fist.
Vilbushevitch was dazed. If he were to
be placed back into bed it would have been
easy to convince him that it had all been
asdream. All he knew was that he must
come to his senses. Perhaps make violent
effort to understand it all. But he was pow
erless. He heard the rantIng of the officer
and had understood nothing A flood of wild
words and curses. But what did all this
have to do with him? He was even unable
to consider whether this wasn't mistake.
He simply stood there, his legs shaking
under him, and he felt that his teeth
would commence to chatter from his inner
chill and excitement. And when he boheld
under his nose the powerful fist a shudder
passed over him and he began to shiver
in earnest He shook as if he had been
seized with malaria, and his heart pounded,
pounded away if it would burst.
The officer brought his fist down with
thunderclap upon his desk, which stood
between him and Vilbushevitch, and show
ing two angry, bloodshot eyes, he began to
shout more wildly than before.
GLOW did you come to be proofreader of
The Free Thought? Who got you the
position? What connections have you with
that tramp-the editor?"
These were silly, simple questions mere
Jokes. So easy to answer. The position
was perfectly legitimate one and he
had procured it through an advertisement
IN the paper. AS to the editor he had no
dealings with him at all except such as those
required by his work. Yet Vilbushevitch
answered nothing; his teeth knocked to-
gether, his heart palpitated wildly and
hammers pounded away at his head. And
the questions seemed to him to be the
most astonishing ones; difficult, impossible.
unanswerable. He seemed to himself
dangerous criminal who had been caught
AGAIN the heavy fist thundered upon the
desk making the papers dance and the
writing materials rattle nosly.
so You are silent! You refuse to
answer, you --! But we'll make Won
answer Well see that you talk, all right,
Even II you rot here in captivity! Yon,u
have to answer!"
suddenly, with greater fury and savarerv
than ever, the officer beloved: "Who CANA
10 see that tramp of an editor to-davo
"hom did you see to-day in that contemnt;-
Die printing shop of yours? Answer,
None of your dumb antics, now! Answer,,
Nllbushevtch fell in swoon
Wheh ne came to himself there ,varo
Two moro men at the desk, and three pairs
Oh eyes glared at him sternly, penetratinqlv
lnquisltorally. But now he felt somewhat
more at ease He knew that he was NOT
dreaming, but that he was ho;nn osl,oa
something and that he must renlv uo
knew too, that the questions woro doo;dou.,
SIMPLE, and to answer them was inst 90
s'ip'e' BUT he felt so weak, and his heart
palpltated and tugged so STRONGLY and bo
"o"i" so grady have lain once again with
eyes closed, IN the oblivion of his swoon
lie mad felt so comfortable 50 ouiet and
peaceful va"
The officer shouted at him in tone of
command "Stand up,n
Vllousheviteh arose slowly and the off,
Ger continued "A fine hero, who falls in
FAINT And pokes his nose into affairs that
ne ought to keep away from. But now
youll have TO speak, my boy. Do Won
know Barinov-Maxm Petr6vitch Barinovq
You know him, all right. He is a freouent
visitor to your papers office Do Won tro,u
him ?" N''o"
NO. Vilbushevitch managed to wbisnor
Another thunderclap upon the desk