The Washington herald., 1919-04-02
AND HERE IT CONTINUES

Yasha proceeded to remove our bed
from its corner. He next removed a
board in the lower part Of the wall
revealing. to my great astonishmeni,
a deep cavity in the ground unoer-
meath. Our visitor was invited to
make himself comfortable there. the
board was replaced and the bed re-
stored to its former position. fasha
and I went to bed.
We had barely put out the light
when there was heard a thumping
of many feet around the house. fol-
| lowed by loud knocks at the door.
The police were there, My heart was
in my mouth, but I feigned sleep
while Yasha opened the door. He had
! previously given me his revolver 10
/ hide and concealed IL in my bosom.
| The search continued for nearly two
hours. I was dragged ont of bed, ana
everything in the house was turned
upside down.
/ We denied any knowledge Of a po-
llitical fugitive. but the sherih took
Yasha along with him. However. he
was released a couple of hours later.
Upon his return Yasha let the man
out of the secret hole. supplied him
with peassnt clothes and food. har-
/ messed our horse and drove away with
| him before dawn. instructing me TO
answer 10 all Inquiries by saying that
/ he had gone to buy cattle.
On the outskirts of the town a
policeman. emerging from some dive
! in a semI-intoxicated state, observed
Yasha driving by. He attached little
| significance to the fact at the time.
/ but when he reported for duty in the
morning and learned OF the fugitive.
! he told that he had seen fasha leave
/ town with a stranger. l was doing
some washing when the house was
again surrounded by police.
| Where is your husband the sher-
in inquired. fiercely.
| Gone to buy cattle" / replied.
| "odievaisyar" (dress) he rang out
angrily. pleaded innocence. but in
a terrible voice he informed me that
was under arrest.
was taken to the detective bu-
reau. where a middle-aged man. who
talked very gently. and seemed very
mindful of my comfort, entered into a
! conversation with me and even invit-
ed me TO tea, which invitation ! re-
! fused He went about his work very
subtly. and / was nearly caught when
he asked me II had also met the
young man who had arrived at Our
| house at O'Clock the night before
| His information was
His Informal quite correct, but
/ tion was obdurately refused
Quite Correct. to admit his impli-
! cations. knew
nothing of the young man he spoke
Of. but my examiner was patient. He
was generous in his praise of my
help and devotion to the poor Prom
Sing me immunity. he urged me tc
tell the truth.
would not yield. and his patience
finally wore out Furious, he struc'
ne with a rubber whip a couple Of
times. I was enraged and addressed
him by some epithets that led to my
being locked UP in n cell where two
drunken street women were confined.
They were of the most abominable
sort, cursing everybody. They perse.
cuted me increasingly. 1t was a hor.
rible night that I passed there. The
stencil alone was sufficient to drive
one mad. I was greatly relieved wher
morning arrived, and / was taken tc
the office for another examination.
I continued denying. There were
1 tnreatS OF lOtlS Imprisonment. COaA-
iings. rebukes and attempts to extort
a confession from me- from which !
Learned that Yasha had been arrested
on his way back. before reaching
home. so that he did not know OF my
arrest. 7 was detained for seven days
at the end of which the authorities
having been unable to obtain anything
from me, set me free.
| Yasha was still in jail. and 7 started
out to visit various officials and bu-
reaus In his behalf. The chief OF
police Of the province was then ir
town, stopping in the house of friend
Of ours. I invoked the aid of the lat
ter in obtaining an interview for me
/ was finally admitted before a large.
ly built man wearing the uniform OF
a colonel. I fell on my knees before
him and pleaded my husbands inno-
cence, praying for mercy I was SO
unnerved that he helped me to rise
| and ordered some water for me. prom
Using to investigate the case and do
| justice
! went next to the Jail. hoping to
see yasha. But there I was Informed
/ that he had been sent to Nertchins'-
about eighty versts from Stretinsk.
1 did not tarry long in an effort TO
catch up with him. Taking along
/ 100 rubles, I, took the next train
10 Nertchinsk, just as I was, and
! Immediately upon my arrival there
sought an audience with the governor.
and was told to await my turn in
! the line. When my turn came the
governor. reading my name from the
list, asked:
We'll. what's your case?"
MY husband. your excellency, Yasha
Buk,' I replied.
Your husband, eh? How is he your
husband il your name is Botchkar-
eva?"
"By civil agreement. your excel
! lencv"
I'VE know these civil maria ges, -
he remarked derisively. There are
many like you in the streets" and
dismissed my case. He said il In the
hearing Of room fun OF people. Ny
blood rushed to my face, and l was
painfully hurt. It was with difficulty
that I got a card Of admission to the
prison, but how profound was my
grief upon being informed that Yashs
had spent there only one night and
had been sent on to Irkutsk.
| I had barely enough money with me
TO buy a fourth-class ticket to Irkutsk
| and sAu,osf no he1opC{nrs h,,t AZ,