Argosy, Vol. 112, No. 2 — page 33: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

iit od oe peal is Ke, A ROMANCE IN They were a wild, outlandish crew, and the starlight exaggerated their savagery. They were the most ignorant and brutal of the Russian peasants, poor dupes and tools in the hands of arch-conspirators and bloody idealists. They were rigged out in a weird and ludicrous assortment of nondescript cloth- ing. There were many old Czar army uni- forms, tattered and torn. Many of the coats appeared to have been resurrected from a rummage sale; they were dirty and crumpled and shoddy. Most of them wore the characteristic Russian boots looted from corpses on some previous battle-field. Some had high, outlandish sheepskin hats; others wore the caps of the old Russian army which they had deserted with the coming of “freedom.” There was no order among them; no organization. “ Americansky!” they shouted at Herring ominously. “ Da!” admitted Jim. Now that they had captured him, they seemed at a loss to know what to do with their prize. Jim recognized their indecision. “ Perevo'icheek!” demanded the Ameri- can. It was a request for an interpreter. He could understand Russian, but he could not yet speak it fluently, at least not enough to put over the fine points of argument which he felt must follow. Again they were at a loss. Surrounding him, they took counsel among themselves. Finally an undersized Russian was brought forward. He was a sickly, anemic young fellow with an eyebrow mustache. ‘“‘T speaka Engleesh with you,” he volun- teered. “Where did you learn how to speak En- glish?” the American demanded. ‘“‘T liva once small time Seattle.” “Well, tell me what the devil this all means, anyhow?”’ The man repeated the demand in Russian and it brought a burst of angry declama- tion. . “Tell them,” went on Jimmy before the reply was made, and instantly seizing the advantage, ‘‘ that America is friendly to Russia, and there’s going to be hell to pay for treating a soldier of Uncle Sam like this! ») REDEMPTION, 199 The message was translated. more excited conversation, principally mo- tions with the hands. The debate ran fast and furious. Then the American was treated to the big surprise of that awful night. Not only did they appear to accept his word for this statement but it bore weight with them. The mob was divided, further at a loss, wondering if they had indeed com- mitted some colossal blunder. Much that is vicious has been written and circulated in the Allied countries (and ninety per cent of it is true) concerning the | Russian Bolsheviki. Yet one who under- stands the fundamentals beneath the great Slav chaos and the timber from which the Red army has been recruited, can make allowance for many things.> If they are fiendish in their warfare, it is because that is the way of an ignorant peasant army all through history. If they are brutal, it is because the whirlwind is being reaped in Russia from seeds sown down all the years. In their hearts and their heads they are children. Their philosophy, their modus operandi for righting their wrongs is open to a sophisticated and edu- cated world’s censure. But underneath all the bloodshed, all the chaos, all the horror is a vast sentiment for universal justice. They are swayec by every influence with which they come in contact. They are ever open to argument. Their methods are crude, but their incentive is a blind groping for fairness—at least in the rank and file. killing, they were open to debate on the thing they were doing. Intuitively Jim Herring grasped the situ- ation. Again he determined to make the most of it. In a still more authoritative voice, hardly giving them time to answer, he demanded: ‘Why have you wrecked an American- sky train—America, who is over here to help Russia?” Finally the young Russian turned to him. ‘““ Because we have receive word come by telegraph Americansky take big lot ruble out of Russia. Soviet order to kill all eo take money out of Russia.” “A big lot of money out of Russia? Me? Somebody’s been stuffing you!” It caused ~ And: so, not being momentarily maddened for Eomicbooks.