The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-07
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memDered their situation and felt
sad.
1--WE have both fallen into one
trap, Klimin. i. All the same,
I'm glad that it's with you and
not with any one else that shall
spend the last night of my life.
!. But I'd be still more glad if
you were not here just now, but
up there where that shooting is
going on. /. (. How did you fall
into their hands?
"Gornuikh found me and sent me
to the Commission, but the lads
had not waited for me in the Com
mission, but had retreated, fight
ing as they went, to the railway
station. Probably that's why l
heard the shooting not from the
direction Of the Commission but
as if it were on one side, further
to the left. 1 fell into an am
bush close to the Commission.
They shot me in the right Shout
der. My arm hung loose at once,
like a whip. Or they would never
have got me alive. They recog-
nized me at once, of course. Who
of that filth does not know
Klimin? They knocked me about
pretty badly. But now, Stalma-
khov, it looks as if they had too
much on their hands to think of
us. Such a fire has started from
the direction of the railway sta
ton, it's clear enough they are
finding things hot, or they'd never
have left us in peace. But did
you find Karaulov?"
'No. :. He had gone off some
where. They got me with an am
bush, too. But / laid one of them
out all the same. The third shot
meant for myself but it missed
fire. They kill you, that's nothing.
But they will torture me badly.
/ did the corn collection thruout
the district. So far they have not
recognized me. But how want
to smoke, Klimin. It's more than
can bear. And, more than /
want to smoke, I want to i've"
He tried to laugh but could not,
and broke off with a sigh. 'Klim-
in, you are here, and already I'm
thinking of being saved. That's
because you did save me from
death once. Remember, during
the collection of provision toll?"
81 remember. 1t was nothing"
"No, brother, it was not moth
ing. The moose was round my
neck when you rode up with your
lads. / was then expecting death
for certain, but you brought saliva
ton. Perhaps it'll be the same
now"
'No. It seems this time we are
really done for, Comrade Stalma-
khov. | remember it well now,
and pale you were when we were
cutting the ropes off your wrists
with a sword. That was when we
became acquainted"
"True. A year and a half I've
known you. After that we worked
together on the District Commit
tee. !. 1 always liked being with
you, and always wanted to say so,
but when we met, it was never
more than Good day. Goodbye
OF Give me a light and that was
all the talking we did"
Both were silent. The shooting
over towards the railway station
grew more distant, and sounded
duller, and duller. What with
blows, loss of blood and anxiety,
Klimin was seized with WEAKNESS.
He lay on the floor and touched
the colo flagstones with his fore
head. And he thought of how in
this cellar of the Cheka many hum
dreds of people, sentenced to death
by him, had awaited death just as
now he, Klimin, was awaiting it.
He remembered single sentences
from Surikov's letter, his words
about pity for the sufferings of
another's organism.
Ito Be Continued Saturday,