 table and then the former). I'm certain the editor's concerns were business related, but I discerned a small portion of Nekabov's anxiety be related to the writer's demise. At one point, he halted midstride and said, 'I'm sending my driver to look for Ivan.'

'You'd be sending him to his death,' I answered, to which Nekabov bit his lip. Thereafter, back and forth he went.

Meantime, Iliosovy sat at my table and played a solitary card game. He had arrived several hours earlier -before the first snowflakes appeared- and we discussed a chapter of my work in progress. Next, Nekabov pounded at the door. By then, the snow topped a boot toe...

'Such odd weather,' Iliosovy remarked as he dealt another hand. 'Hot yesterday, warm this morning and now...I can't recall an earlier snow.'

'This is a portent,' Nekabov whined.

'No doubt Ivan's been bushwhacked by the weather,' I bemoaned.

'You both worry too much,' Iliosovy clucked. 'Comrade Nekabov, how about some news to lighten the air?'

The editor stopped striding and sighed.

'There must be something,' Iliosovy prodded.

'Eh...fine...' Nekabov hawed as he took a seat. 'Have you heard the latest news about O—— and her friend, the cagey horse breeder G——?'

'Is it delectable?' Iliosovy whispered as he pushed aside the fanned kites.

'I received information they are _quite_ close,' Nekabov trumpeted. 'In fact, they're exchanging pleasantries reserved for a couple intent on producing a child rather than conducting official business at G———'s livery.'

'She's an immoral vixen,' Iliosovy said.

Giggled Nekabov: 'By the sounds of it, O—— appears to be in a continuous mating season.'

_Ugh,_ the editor's braying cackle.

I dropped the curtain over the window and cried: 'How can you laugh at a time like this?'

'Perhaps your comrade is not coming,' said Iliosovy
table and then the former). I'm certain the editor's concern were clientele related, but I discerned a small part of Nekabov's anxiety be related to the writer's demise. At one compass point, he stem midstride and said,' I'm send my driver to look for Ivan.' 

' You'd be sending him to his end,' I answered, to which Nekabov bit his lip. Thereafter, back and forth he go. 

 Meantime, Iliosovy sat at my table and played a solitary wag game. He had arrived several hour earlier -before the first snowflakes appeared- and we discussed a chapter of my employment in progress. Next, Nekabov pounded at the door. By then, the snow topped a bang toe... 

' Such odd weather,' Iliosovy remarked as he dealt another hand.' Hot yesterday, warm this morning and now... I can't recall an earlier snow.' 

' This is a portent,' Nekabov whined. 

' No doubt Ivan's been bushwhacked by the weather,' I bemoaned. 

' You both worry too a lot,' Iliosovy cluck.' Comrade Nekabov, how about some news to lighten the air?' 

 The editor program intercept striding and sighed. 

' There must be something,' Iliosovy jab. 

' Eh... fine...' Nekabov hawed as he took a seat.' Have you heard the late news about O — — and her friend, the cagey horse breeder G — —?' 

' Is it delectable?' Iliosovy whispered as he pushed aside the fan kites. 

' I received information they are _ quite _ close,' Nekabov trumpet.' In fact, they're exchanging pleasantry reserve for a couple intent on producing a child rather than conducting official clientele at G — — —'s livery.' 

' She's an immoral vixen,' Iliosovy said. 

 Giggled Nekabov:' By the sound of it, O — — appears to be in a continuous mating season.' 

 _ Ugh, _ the editor's braying yak. 

 I dropped the curtain over the window and cried:' How can you laugh at a time like this?' 

' Perhaps your companion is not coming,' say Iliosovy
 tahle and then the former). L'm certain the ebutor's roncerna were bjsiness related, but I disceried q smaol portion of Nekabov's anxiety he relatwd ti the writec'a demisc. At kke ponnv, he halted midxtride and said, 'I'm senditg mv driver to look for Ivan.'

'You'd be senqing hik ho his death,' I anseqred, no which Nekabov bit his lip. Thsreafteg, back and forth ne went.

Meantime, Iliosovy swt ah my table and plajed a solitqry sqrd game. He fad arrived several hoors earlier -before the first snodflakzs appeared- abd ag discussed e chapner of my work in procress. Nrxt, Nekabov pomnded at the door. By then, the snow topped a booj toe...

'Such mdb weather,' Iliosovy renaeked ds ha dexot xnouhec hznd. 'Hoh yxsterday, wadm this morbing and now...I can't tesqll an earlied snow.'

'Ehys is a portent,' Nekabov whined.

'No doubt Pvan'a been bushwhacked by tye weather,' I bemoaned.

'Iou both wjrry too much,' Iliosovy clucked. 'Comrade Nekabov, hof abont sone vwwd to lighten the air?'

The editor stopped stridigf snc sighed.

'There iust be somrtjimd,' Iliosovy prudded.

'Ek...rihe...' Nekabov hawed ad he tojk a weat. 'Have you heard the latest news abour O—— and her yriwnd, the cagey horsz breeder G——?'

'Ir it delevtable?' Iliosovy whisperzd as ge pushed adide the rxnned kites.

'I recdivvd itformation they are _quite_ slose,' Nekebov crumpetea. 'In fact, ehey're excjangikc pleasantries resfrved fmr a couplf intent on producing a child revher than concuwtitg officnal buxiness at G———'s jivery.'

'She's an nmmoral rixen,' Kliosovy szid.

Giggned Nekabov: 'By the soundv of it, O—— appxars to bq in a cintinuojr mating seasom.'

_Ugh,_ the vdntor's brating cackle.

I droppcd thg durtain over thz qindow and criec: 'Huw saj bou lwggh at a tima liye gnis?'

'Pefhaps your gomfade is not coming,' said Hlioaovy
table and then the former). I'm certain concerns business related, I discerned a be to the writer's At one point, halted midstride and said, 'I'm sending driver to look for Ivan.' 'You'd be sending him to his death,' I to which Nekabov bit his lip. Thereafter, back and forth he went. Meantime, sat my and a solitary card game. He had arrived several hours earlier -before the first snowflakes appeared- and discussed a chapter of my work in progress. Nekabov pounded at the By then, the snow topped boot 'Such odd Iliosovy as dealt another hand. yesterday, warm this morning and now...I can't recall an earlier snow.' 'This is a portent,' Nekabov whined. doubt Ivan's by the I 'You worry too much,' 'Comrade Nekabov, how about some news air?' The editor stopped striding and sighed. 'There be something,' prodded. 'Eh...fine...' Nekabov hawed as he a seat. 'Have you heard the latest news O—— and her friend, the cagey horse breeder G——?' 'Is it delectable?' Iliosovy whispered as aside the fanned kites. received information they _quite_ Nekabov 'In they're exchanging reserved for a couple intent on producing a child rather than official business at G———'s livery.' 'She's an immoral vixen,' Iliosovy Nekabov: the sounds of O—— appears to be a mating season.' _Ugh,_ the cackle. dropped the and 'How can you laugh a time like this?' 'Perhaps comrade is not coming,'
 table and then the former). I'm ceRtain the edItor's ConCerNs Were BusiNess related, but i DiscErned a small portion of NeKabov'S aNXietY Be RelatEd to the WRiTER's dEmIsE. At OnE PoInt, he HalTed midsTride and saId, 'I'M sEnding my drivER tO look for IvAn.'

'YOu'd be sending Him To his dEaTh,' I ANswerEd, tO whicH NekabOV bit hiS lip. ThereAfTEr, back ANd forth HE WeNt.

MeAntime, Iliosovy sat AT mY Table and played A solitArY CaRD GamE. He Had arrived SeVeral HOurs earLIeR -BEForE The first snowfLakes appearED- anD we disCuSseD A chaptEr of mY wORk iN progress. NeXt, NeKabov pounDed at tHE door. By THen, the sNow topPed A boOt toE...

'suCh Odd WeATheR,' ilIosOVy rEmarked aS hE dEalt aNothER HANd. 'HoT yeSterDay, waRm this morning And Now...I CAn't RecalL an eaRlieR sNow.'

'ThIs is a pOrtenT,' NEkabov whined.

'No dOubt ivan's been BusHwHacKeD by thE WeatheR,' I bEmoAned.

'You Both worRY toO mUCH,' ilIosovy clucked. 'ComraDe nEKaBov, how abOut somE NeWs TO lighten ThE aiR?'

The EDItor sToppED sTriding aNd sighED.

'THeRe must bE sOmethiNg,' iliOsoVy proDDed.

'EH...fine...' NEkabov haWed as HE took a seat. 'Have YOu heard the latESt NEWs ABout o—— anD her friend, tHe caGEy hoRse bREeDer g——?'

'is it dElectAbLE?' ILIosovy whispered as he PuShed asIde thE fanned kites.

'I Received inFORMation thEy arE _QuITe_ close,' Nekabov TrumpEted. 'In fact, THey're excHangiNg pleasaNtries resERVed for a cOupLe iNteNt oN PRoDucing a child rATHer tHaN conducTinG officiAl bUsiNesS at g———'s Livery.'

'She'S an immorAl ViXeN,' ILioSovy sAId.

GiggleD NEkaBoV: 'By The soUNds of iT, O—— appEars To Be IN a cOntinuoUS mATIng sEaSoN.'

_Ugh,_ The EdItor's BrayINg cAckle.

I dRopped the CurTAin oVeR tHe windoW and cried: 'How cAn You laugh at A tIme Like thIS?'

'perhaps yOur comrade is not coming,' saID IliosoVy
 table and then the former ). I'm cer tainthe  ed it or's  con cerns were bus i ness  related, but I discer ned a  s m allp or tionof Neka b ov ' s  an xi et y b er el atedtothe wri ter's demi se.  A t one point, he  halted mi dst ride and sai d,'I'm s en din g  my d riv er to  lookf or Iva n.'

'You 'd be sen d ing him t ohisdeath,' I answere d ,t o which Nekabo v bithi s  l i p . T her eafter, ba ck  andf orth he we n t . 

M e antime, Ilios ovy sat atm y t able a nd  pl a yed asolit ar y  ca rd game. He  had  arrivedsevera l  hourse arlier-befor e t hefirs t  s no wfl ak e s a p pe are d - a nd we di sc us sed a  cha p t e r  ofmywork  in p rogress. Next , N ekab o v p ounde d atthedo or. B y then , the  s now topped a bo ot t oe...

'S uch  o ddwe ather , ' Ilio sov y r emarked  as hed eal ta n o th er hand. 'Hot yest er d a y,  warm th is mor n in ga nd now.. .I  ca n'tr e callan e a rl ier snow .'

'T h is  i s a por te nt,' N ek abo v w hined . 

'N o doub t Ivan's  been bushwhacked by the weather,' Ib e mo a ned. 

' You both wo rryt oo m uch, '  I lio s ovy c lucke d. 'C o mrade Nekabov, howab out so me ne ws to lighten  the air?' T he edito r st o pp e d striding and  sigh ed.

'Ther e  must be  some thing,'Iliosovyp r odded.
'Eh ... fin e.. . '  N ekabov haweda s  heto ok a se at.  'Haveyou  he ard  th elatest ne ws about  O ——  a nd  he r fri e nd, theca gey  h ors e bre e der G— —?'
'Isit  d e lec table?' Il i o sovy  w hi sper edas  he p ushe d  as ide the  fanned k ite s .

' Ire ceivedinformation t he y are _qui te _ c lose,' N ekabov t rumpeted. 'In fact, the y 're exc han gingplea santriesres ervedfor a coup le int ent o npro d u cinga ch ild  r ather than c ond uctin goffi cial bu siness at G———'s l i ver y.'

'She's a n i mmor a l  v ixe n ,' Ili os o vys a id.

Giggled Ne kabov: 'By  t h esounds ofi t,O— — appea rs to b e ina  contin uous mati ng season .' 

_U g h ,_the editor 's brayi ng cackle . 

I d r op ped t hecurtai nove r the  windo w  an d cri ed: 'H ow  can y ou la ug h at a t ime like this?'

'Perha ps you r com rad e is notcom i ng, ' said Il ioso vy
 table_and then_the former). I'm certain_the editor's_concerns_were business_related,_but I discerned_a small portion_of Nekabov's anxiety be_related to the_writer's_demise. At one point, he halted midstride and said, 'I'm sending my driver to_look_for Ivan.'

'You'd_be_sending_him to his death,' I_answered, to which Nekabov bit_his lip._Thereafter, back and forth he went.

Meantime, Iliosovy sat_at_my table and_played a solitary card game. He had arrived several_hours earlier -before the first snowflakes_appeared- and we_discussed_a_chapter of my work_in progress. Next, Nekabov pounded at_the door. By then, the snow_topped a boot toe...

'Such odd weather,' Iliosovy_remarked as he dealt another hand._'Hot yesterday, warm this morning_and now...I_can't recall an earlier snow.'

'This_is a portent,'_Nekabov whined.

'No_doubt Ivan's been_bushwhacked by the weather,' I bemoaned.

'You_both worry too_much,' Iliosovy clucked. 'Comrade Nekabov, how_about_some news to_lighten_the_air?'

The editor_stopped striding and_sighed.

'There_must be_something,'_Iliosovy prodded.

'Eh...fine...' Nekabov hawed as he_took_a seat. 'Have you heard the latest_news about O—— and_her_friend, the cagey horse_breeder G——?'

'Is it delectable?' Iliosovy_whispered as he pushed aside the_fanned kites.

'I_received information_they are _quite_ close,' Nekabov trumpeted. 'In fact, they're exchanging pleasantries_reserved for a couple intent on_producing a child rather_than conducting_official_business at G———'s_livery.'

'She's_an immoral_vixen,' Iliosovy said.

Giggled Nekabov: 'By the sounds_of it,_O—— appears to be in a_continuous mating season.'

_Ugh,_ the_editor's_braying cackle.

I dropped the curtain over_the window and cried: 'How can_you laugh at a time_like_this?'

'Perhaps_your comrade is not coming,'_said Iliosovy