New-York tribune., 1918-12-22

Of untarnished reputation and genuinely
revolutionary past, and in planting suspi
cion of one another in the hearts of its
enemies The first deed of the triumphant
revolution was to purify the atmosphere.
The books with the names Of all the spies
were now open to all; and the land read
from them eagerly the list of traitors to
liberty
member Of the editorial staff was read
ing the list in loud voice. At the sound
of several names there was a loud outcry
that dissolved in excited discussion These
were names of we'll known personages.
Among them was even the name of the
editor of a Socalistic paper.
The reader was in the midst of name:
Nahum Yakovlcvitch :" He came to
sudden stop and cried out, "What!'
He could not believe his eyes
The audience listened in tense attention.
With the keenest suspense they awaited
the last name. But a few, who were look
ing at the list the readers shoulders,
called out or whispered, 'Vilbushcvitch.
Nllbushevitch. Vilbushevitch!" !"
The hearers themselves could not com
prehend who Nahum Yakovlevitch Vilbushe-
witch was. Even Nilbushevtch had not yet
recognized his own name. But some one
was reading quickly the entry opposite Vii
bushevitchs name: "Proofreader Gave in
formation as to the personnel of the staff
of The Free Thought and also as to the
correspondents Of that newspaper. Salary,
twenty-five rubles per month. Goes also
under the names of Naumov and Kozlov"
All eyes suddenly focused upon Viii
bushevitch People began to shrink away
from him. The astonishment in their eyes
hardened to enmity and hatred.
Vilbushevtch turned pale. He could not
understand. 1t was impossible that it should
be he. Totally impossible. This was mere
lv a nightmare. Was it reality? Absolute
ly impossible,
But he noticed the glances Of the by
standers-hatred and enmity They re-
coiled from him as from a thing unclean,
as if he had been stricken with the pest.
Now it was all clear to him. 1t was really
he. The Nahum Yakovlevitch Vilbushevitch
on that list was he All understood it to
be so; so they all believed.
Tears welled up within him. He stretched
forth his hands as if he were lifting before
the eyes of his co-workers a great mis-
understanding. Surely they must see that
this all most unfortunate misunder-
standing. He had never been q spy never
drawn pay from the monarchy, never been
known as Naumov or Kozlov. He had not
even known that the name on the list
designated him.
He began to stammer, through terror
and tears
"a misunderstanding it's impos-
sible it's not assure
you :"
1t occurred to him that he must fall on
his knees before the whole gathering strike
his head upon the floor and swear grave
oath that he was innocent
But he felt that he was becoming hysteri-
cal, and that he would only make himself
ridiculous. SO he sobbed, bit his lips, took
his cap and left.
He neither saw nor heard anything in
the street. He did not look to right or left.
His eyes lowered to the ground, pressed
together by a grevous misfortune he
dragged himself home. He could not think.
Only few words echoed in his brain:
impossible! How? 1t can't BET" And he
felt that the terrible apparition of which
he had thought he was long free had
descended upon him like black mass and
crushed him completely. Like a ghost it
had come back from the other world to
torture him.
AS he entered his room he looked about
the walls with most pitiful expression
Did they already know of his misfortune? {?
But surely they knew that he was innocent
He sank into his bed, buried his face in his
hands and broke into bitter weeping
He did not wish to cry however. He was
ashamed of his tears Was he not man :?
Had he not been striving for some time to
mould a sterling character? He bit his
lips and sat as in a trance He was looking
back into the past and forward into the
future. What had really happened and
what he to do about it?
And the consciousness of his misfortune
weighed heavier and heavier upon his
shoulders.
TN THE winter Of 1915 the Ochranka (the
! Russian Secret Service) was exceedingly
desrous of knowing what was going on
IN the office of the revolutionary, Socialistlc
organ, "Ihe Free Thought; who were the
staff members, who gathered in the Office
and most important Of all whence came
the funds. 1t had been unsuccessful in
securing there a position for any of it's
agents The Office was very careful Whero-
upon the Ochranka resolved to force into
its service one of the papers employees
Its choice fell upon Vilbushevitch. Per-
haps that pale. nervous youth who had been
exempted from military service because Of
his weak heart had hoped that he
would be unable to endure and with
stand its power of manufacturing spies.
Or perhaps because as proofreader he
was sort of connecting link between the
odItONiQl DOM art1i nor,A