The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-18
CHAPTER IT.

over the town. endless white snowdrfts over the
- hills noiselesy passed the bueeyed moonit night The
evening disturbed and windy clouds swept swiftly
between stars and EARTH the belt famed scarlet
The wind shook the nameboard and sang squeaky song
while Its black shadow to and fro the footway
then the wind drove off the clouds and dropped It turned
little frosty Empty streets; could end to end
and starry in winter.
Kimin went into the open air and took deep breath
ne Ie joyful because one could smell the perfume
in the forest. e'
Where should he go? was close at hand, it was
nsensby stealing from the high houses and the night
was slowly palng if lighting the street with
big lantern far Soon would already morning and
work would begin again And with cheerful youthful strides
ne went off thru the empty streets the Cheka to- een
m morning on the divan in his Office, and in the morning
He wanted to eat still more he wanted to sleep and
scraps OF sentences nged in heart the voices of the com
rade their faces steady look of Robeko Zinan
drawing on of paper Karaulov with smile tan
ping quietly on the floor with his huge foot yellow military
boot. '
The town profound silence and there were no lights
visible at that late hour of the night Only twoory
building of the Cheka threw light on the blue snowd and
inside the building in the empty rooms lit by the deahlv
clear electric light frozen chairs tables cupboards and
they would easily awake.
The officer duty the Cheka the Investigator Cor
nulKn was writing something bending the table
face dark broad with big cheekbones and deepset
eyes and shaggy of hair hung his forehead At
first sight ne seemed elderly but when you approached him
from the side and observed the lines his mouth the soft
oval OF his face that he was still quite young
lay his head the of the chair drop into careless
pleasant sleep But he must not Sleep the sleeping
town. over the breadth of the sleeping country which SO
many woods avnes and dark unknown ways Gornuh alone
was seepess like sentinel at his post At any the
telephone might ring he might be called tee
graph Sleep was not to be thought Of
But Gornukh for two days and nights not slept for
minute There had been operation last night whole
series OF searches and returning horseback thru the
empty Streets Gornuikh had breathed the frosty morning
air. and had thought of how he would and lie down
on his bed but at the Cheka they had stopped him unex
pectedy and he had had to duty the place of
comrade who had fallen i'll. Swearing hard and with
feeling Gornukh had taken the duty all night had not
dozed for moment Several times the telephone had rung
and secret cipher kilograms had been brought the ee
lines together in his and he stopped writing and
the dark blue Of the window His eyes closed of
themselves and from all sides soft cloud of images voices
rustngs, and noises enveoped him. The ventiator made
noise and its noise like the of the tall grass stirred
by the wind the tall that brushes the feet
girl in white walking in the grass and it rused
and murmured under her feet Her face he had seen
somewhere. Still child he had seen her in girl of
the steppes but how light her movements scarlet how
sweet her lips
The sound of opening door reached his ears and he
suddenly awoke cursed himself for DOING and the young
dream slipped racelessy and instantly forgotten
knock at the door? A telegram? summons?
No. 1t Klimin Gornuikh knew his step Thew
Continued