way. He suggested that we better accept this proposition that
I be got out of the way at once and over the border and that with the
next safer possibility he could move Nelka, I to be waiting just over
the border. Nelka explained that we had no money but that she thought
that she could get some from some one she knew. We all discussed the
situation together for a while, but saw that there was not much
choice. In the meantime, the peasant arrived and the man went to talk
to him. Finally, it was decided that Nelka remain with our friends
under the name of Emilia Sarapp and that I go with the peasant, and
wait at the border.

It was all very bad. Finally we had to say goodbye, both realizing
the danger but having little choice. It was quite a heartbreaking
separation--I leaving into the unknown with a bandit looking
individual, of whom we knew nothing, Nelka remaining in the city with
the uncertainty of finding any money.

I will not go into the details of my trip, except to say that it was
not easy nor safe, but I finally late that night reached the Finnish
border and crossing the stream separating the two countries in the
woods and deep snow, arrived at a small Finnish peasant hut.

I explained the situation to him and that I would like to stay with
him for a few days until my wife could join me. He readily agreed for
he knew and participated in this business of people escaping and was
receiving a number of them at all times. He was also engaged in
contraband dealings and a number of his agents kept coming and going
through his hut, moving goods over the border. I had just a little
money and arranged to have him keep me. I gave a note to the peasant
who brought me over and he promised to get it to Nelka when he
returned to Petrograd. Then I waited. Practically every night people
came over the border and most of them stopped at the hut. It was
quite an active spot. One or two of the parties who were all coming
through the services of the same man, brought me notes from Nelka.
Once or twice I crossed the border back into Russia and went about
five miles to the nearest village hoping that perhaps Nelka was
coming through with the next party as she wrote she hoped to. This
perhaps was dangerous and risky on my part, but nervousness just kept
me from sitting still.

Then the unforeseen happened. At that time the Finnish people were
having a revolution of their own. There were Red Finns and White
Finns fighting each other