Show e I a t lm l i ° ICJ act me to sfr b II P1GT lz 8Y 4yS ttr w e8 71 Wf C r i coo eIGHT SOG THE l I m SYNOPSIS + Frederick tostyhls wealth was tilted society Minn lost Ids wealth was jilted lij u girl and Hunt liy n friend to take charge of nn Amnrlcnn Iruillnic Company store In llussla On his Journey tliroimn I Japan he met Hliitdelon Neville supposedly q sup-posedly nn Knitllihnmu They agreed to go together to IliiHHlu Uecausn of suspicious sus-picious circumstanced they were several rl limes molested hy the Japanese hardy was arrested and found upon his person it t were papers showing maps of Jnp forts Hardy WOB proven guiltless On a train f ho met Alumna Sano daughter of a Jup merchant In Novlllo HIOCH Jap found pictures of forts proving him to he n r llusslan spy Manly drpirted for HUB ale on n strainer which was wrecked kte shortly afterward lie I was IIHCIIIM liy a Klifslnn steamer On iruchliu vliiul m vostolt loll wns well ticiilod Iir started for Siberia Weetlns 1rlneesH Hoinnnnvni on the train Hardy I lionrdcil It vessel for i Amur Hardy showed Iho primess his expertnoss aa n rifle shot The steamer was stranded Thu princess and her 1 maid were attacked liy Chinese Hardy i saved their lives The princess thanked i Hardy for his heroltmi Manchurlans l fired upon the craft Hardy slow their J chief Hunting arrow were hurled upon the InMildns decks An attempt was made tp board Iho vessel Tho attacking Chlueii were repulsed lloinanort sneered nt Hardys solicitude for the princess ai Btanka a messenger Bent for help was y nailed to a cross on the shore To put an i + F end to tho awful torture hardy himself put Stankn out of Ills misery taking his tf t s own life In his hands Koroat fires menaced t I r men-aced tho vessel lardy volunteered togo to for help Hcfuseil permission ho la Jumped overboard and Blurted to swim I i with the princess distress message ito manoft was angry at Hardy for his brave in efforts to rcscuu tho princess He wooed I i her In his own savage way Ho said hardy had made lovo openly to a Japanese Jap-anese girl help came nnd the princess U i was rescued Hardy Journeyed on a raft im t Arrhlng nt his destination he took a lj charge of tho trading companys business busi-ness Hardy rerelvcd ft letter from a not no-t d i clot lender In Boston and another from Alsome Hardy took lessons In Russian t of n Jew thus rnnneftlng himself In n o L way with that race Hardy received a 1 letter from the princess thanking him for gals bravery uurdyH teacher was In danger of death Ho employed Wang nanaS aS p a servant Hardy went to Moscow where I ho was Invited to cnHupon the princes ffrr He stetted for tho palnco homo of 1rln t 1 h reea Untminovna Hardy aroused unaccountable unac-countable Jealousy of his Korean boy by y It + anuouiKInir that hq wax going to call on 1 Itf tile prhicess Ho engaged a cabman who droM him to a largo hoimn on a poorly i r f lighted street After entering Urn house Hardy JlseoVered that It was a resort of nihilists who supposed ho was Felix IIu lln come to tell them of n powerful explosive 1 ex-plosive he had discovered The real Htilln 3 r1 t arrived nnd denounced Hardy as an Impostor Im-postor The nihilists determined to kill Hardy In order to protect themselves Finding nn unloaded revolver In his overcoat b t t over-coat pocket he pointed It at Hullns a a bomb which lay on the table nnd swore to blow them nil up together If they a l touched him Holding tho nihilists at bay Hardy started to lonvo the room w t1 when the police worn heard at the outer doer l Htilln threw Ids bomb killing several r sev-eral policemen the nihilists fled and Ha i rurh the Jew suddenly appeared and led t Hardy to the cellar Jlaruch conducted n Hardy through I an underground passage to another house from which ho boldly m emerged and returned to his hotel Hardy j visited the princess contributed to tho t fund for the relief of the victims of the p j J e nllilllati I He gavo more than Ilomanoft It had Tine latter entering thu room t a openly Insulted him llomanoff struck rts Hardy who challenged him to n duel I The Iluxslnn accepted Preparations for thu duel were made The princess inked Tardy to spare Uonianofts life rl Hardy purposely missed Homanorf but was himself wounded Hardy was placed Z sl In the hospital Hn Hint his servant to 1i t thij duel scene for n curt button of Ro i manoffs which he purposely shot ott 1 Jt rather limn vlolnto > tho princess wish 4 This ho sent to her War between Run silL and Japan wan declared Prince Uo mount was murdered Hardy was au cased Hardys former servant Wang called upon the prlpeess Wang ro af vented nA Alaonie the Jnpancdu girl cnil t tested to the princess that aim had killed Romanoff because ho plotted to slay Hnidy The prlnce H > tiroinlxod help a 1 + CHAPTER XL Cqntlnued fir I s 1 It IS sad continued I hjs majesty very sad but Jio ussurqft that 1 ali ± till a though the caso Is n f KoniQwhat difficult ei diffi-cult one full justlcv Hliiill bu done The American IIIlpl1 r ias nlronily Inquired In-quired abouttho matter and has demanded i de-manded that tho fullest Investigation ta d r i be made These Americans are very meddlesome < I ajn lnfqrmod however x e 4 how-ever by the mlifjtitftr of foreign Affairs r a u J y t Af-fairs that there 1 wU 1 l l b o llttlo dlBlculty tip In establishing tht I Hardys guilt ash 1 as-h < 5 la a dangerous character an1 has a bud record 1 r J iJ f oM Tho prlncoss tirn9d Pftlo as Hho repeated re-peated i i i A dungqrqus churnctur A bad record rec-ord Will you seuil for this record < J ix sire that + I may hear Iti In your ma jestys presence For I como not to speak against this Hardy who Is accused t ac-cused of murdering my cousin but to I I plead for his release to pray that Jus i m + tlce may be done A a r v4 4 I Youto placid for hint a ± Yes sire for ho did not kill my cousin Will your majesty grant coot + coo-t tho favor that I may hear this record p road In your maJcstyH > preseiipp Kor s I know this ilr IUrdy and I J know t n much taut Is good pf him and nothing a badO Tho czar rani a Veil nnd commanded 1 h com-manded a servant to send u confidential Jft confi-dential secretary to jilm Five minutes V min-utes later an old limit tutored a stoop m + shouldered ell nun wltll a cleansha x rYr r von face whoso eyes denoted Infinite shrewdness his inaniier infinite servility ser-vility b f 1t 1 1ypine said 1 his majesty cant I can-t r you bring to us Immediately the record rec-ord of the American Hnrdy concerning 1 j i concern-ing whom tho minister of foreign affairs i af-fairs was speaking to us tho other day 1 Yes sire replied Pyplno n copy was ordered from the chief of police + of Moscow and Is now In his excel r lencys possession I Hi Ing It said the czar Immediately 1 Immedi-ately Iyplne disappeared While ho Is gone you may tell us what you know of this American Hardy Har-dy and why you think ho did not asa as-a > uasslnato your cousin y I know that ho Is n gentleman of l h high connections In his own cowl who has come here to engage In stir r r + a i t a + 6 coerce nnd retrieve his fortunes My cousin first mot him In Japan This part of the story I have from Doris own lips Doris being hard pressed by tho police put his telltulo papers In Mr IIardys oVcrcoat pocket and tried to throw the guilt on him Tho plan did not succeed and BorIs suffered suf-fered many hardships for which ho unjustly blamed Mr Hardy I first mot him on tho Amur river whore I was captured by Chinese brigands Ho camo to tho rescue and saved mo from a terrible fato This still further fur-ther enraged my cousin who loved mo nnd svns jealous of any one who served me In any way Ho was very brave was Doris and would have saved mo himself but ho was not there which certainly was not Mr Hardys fault On tho Amur wo were again attacked by brigands and Mr Hardy as well as my cousin fought like n bravo man In my house In Moscow my cousin who was of a violent vio-lent nature Insulted tho American by offering him money and when Mr Hardy Indignantly refused and knocked his checkbook out of his hand struck him In tho face A duel was fought at which Mr Hardy at my request spared my cousins life though ho was himself severely wounded Ho has wonderful skill with tho pistol and ho shot a cuff button I from my cousins sleovo which he I sent me as proof that he had complied com-plied with my request My cousin was boastful of having wounded Mr Hardy and I gave him tho cuff button but-ton and told hIm Its story lIe became transported with rage and sworo that ho would not rest till ho had rid tho earth of this man Ho conceived It his duty to avengo the outraged honor of the Romanoff family as he expressed ex-pressed It Ho thought ho must kill this man for other reasons horo the princess halted and blushed Go on said the czar kindly and much interested this Is a most remarkable re-markable ptoryt In It this Mr Hardy appears as a hero Sire In Mr Hardys employ was a young Korean boy whoso devotion to his toaster surpassed anything I have over before heard of It was more like that of a woman for the man sho loves whena woman really loves This boyI am ashamed to tell It sire but now your majesty will understand why I have wished to conflda In you alonethis boy heard my cousin plotting plot-ting to kill Mr Hardy Your majesty will undqrstand that my cousin was no longer a sane man that rago and and Jealousy perhaps had rendered ren-dered him for tho mojunnt Irresponsible Irrespon-sible the boy fearing for his masters mas-ters safety and believing that a Russian Rus-sian nobleman had the power to do anything ho wished stole Into my cousins compartment at night find killed him + Won orful wonderful said tho czar In a musing tone and and you fiiiro of all this Absolutely I give you my word as a Houiunoff princess that It Is true1 J And the boy Do you know where he 1117 Ho can be given up to justice jus-tice i 1 i Tho boy replied tho prlnccssi solemnly tno longer exists Overwhelmed Over-whelmed with horror at what he had done and feeling sure that tho police would find and punish him he has made away with himself He told me that It was his Intention to do away with himself and ho has disappeared disap-peared At this moment Pyplne entered with 1 Hardys record At the czars command i com-mand ho rend It rapidly and In a brut toroffact singsong tbne It contained con-tained nearly every act of Hardys life except what had actually happened hap-pened within tho four walls df his sleeping chamber since he had set foot on Russian soil Ho was accused of sympathizing with tho Japanese of I having affiliated with Jews of having Insulted tho a UfliorlUs at Vladivostok by rQimlsUns tiat tho Tmpet5alvgoy iet v crnmcnC use Its influcnco to Ret alit a clean towel In tho hotel there with having worn an overcoat similar to tho one found In tho nihilists dqn on the IVonlng of tho explosion of tho Frenchmans famous pill Furthermore Further-more ho had fought a duel with time Prince Kbinnnoff In which ho hud beon wounded This fact furnished fur-nished tho motlVo lot his alleged crime which coupled with his suspicious sus-picious Record left little room In the Russian odloltil mind for doubt of his guilt Mont of thoKo points had already al-ready been covered by tho story told by tho princess As for the overcoat she remarked If ho continued to wear It he could not have left it and your majesty would soon discover If your majesty would stop for some thou Incognito In r Vladivostok that tho power of tho Imperial government Is by no means belittled when It Is asked to use its Inttucuco In tho procuring of a clean towel Tho emperor arose and pressed his hand to his brow as though he were suffering with headache Little Father said for iruM this man saved my lifo ij lit ir Thero arc feature t tin asi which If It is tried do no reflect credit on my dead cousins name Grunt my prayer I ct Mr Hardy be freed and pr L2 j l 9 1 y d 61 A C I 2 U 11 4 INV i V 1 4 hv Rise Daughter Said the Czar Kindly tho report given out that tho police have secret proof of his Innocence but are on the track of the real culprit cul-prit nnd sho sank again on her knees Rise daughter said the czar kindly kind-ly We have already decided on this course Its a relief to know that he Is Innocent tho American ambassador ambassa-dor Is so troublesome Pyplne see that this Is done Tell tho proper authorities au-thorities thnt It Is our will CHAPTER XLII Gray Ghosts That part of Siberia which lies east of tho great Inland soa Lake Baikal and west of tho mighty Amur Which hero turns abruptly and bends northward north-ward Is known as transDalkhlln The Stanovol range of mountains continuing contin-uing to the south divides It nearly In halves forming a watershed that feedsttho lake ion one side and the Amur and Its tributaries oil the other I TKo I turns + Siberlan railway the groat artery through Which the blood of Russia flowed uninterruptedly from Aloxandrov to Vladivostok and Port Arthur pierces these mountains at airadfantngeoiis pdlnt1 and passIng pass-Ing through Stfyetensk breaks Mntd MnnclUfrla1 On a river In trans lknlla that runs for many miles parallel with this mighty ant lrnll a sledge was 1I flying eastward drawn by throe hordes all abreast The river was frozen to tho very I heaVt and novs drifting over it t had swept and ppllshed Its surfrico till Ie was smooth ns glass Wrapped Iii furs And his head shrouded In n thick cap fie driver Slit on the forward sent partly rprCJtected by tifio highcurving dash ami jjianaged tau lints On n low seat lme did him were a mhn and a woman also wrapped deep fn robes of fur while n third woman vsat silent In tho bottom of tho sledge Somewhere behind them tho rails had i apr cad and the I hadgiven out and tho trains were hailed while repairs re-pairs were mndo n There Frederick C Courtland Hard on his way to Stryeteiisk had overtaken over-taken tho princess hastening to tho front undergoing all hardships entirely en-tirely forgetful of self that she might employ her Strength her fortune and her high courage and example In tho relief of her wounded and suffering countrymen Sho greeted Hnrdy with frank friendliness explained her mission and told him that ho had arrived justIn just-In time to help hor carry out a plan of horse hors-e can take sledges down tho river she said to PctrovskaZavod where I have no doubt wo shall bo able to catch nn outgoing train I should havo started before but wns dctoTPd hy t tho fact thatthRtln fact I was nfrald Now with n y gallant gal-lant der + mlor of the Amur I shall have no Hesitation In going Will you r e with uswith my mr and mo Yes ho replied gravely I will go I am overwhelmed by my Loved fortune It was too great an honor to be hoped forthat I should ever be of service to your highness again The mere presence of this woman transformed him from the merchant Into the courtier and polished gentleman gentle-man You forget she said while the ghost of one of her merry smiles lighted light-ed up her beautiful features that such things arc to be said In French The maid Hardy scarcely noticed She came out at the last moment her head covered with a fur hood that almost al-most entirely obscured her face and took her place In the bottom of the sledge Thero were long desolate stretches of snow with here and there a house the roof covered with snow nestling among the white hills They pass ll occasional patches of forest the limbs etched very black and distinct against tho background of snow They had left tho town about two oclock and It was halfpast three now There must be a farmhouse somewhere some-where near observed Hardy If your highness feels cold I saw a large dog running among the trees a moment ago Just then the driver pointed with the whip toward the woods and crossed himsqlf Tire princess also made the sign of tho cross and said quleilyi I Those are wolves May tho holy VJrgln protect us Two large gray animals with bushy tails that were dogs and yet not dogs yoro seen Hitting among tho trees Their tongues hung out of their mouths and as they glanced from time to time nt tho sledge and Its occupants oc-cupants their teeth could be plainly seen seenHave no fear said Hardy they are so fow they will not dare to attack at-tack At that moment a third joined tho two and ran with them They ran easily flitting along as lightly as thistledown driven by J tho wind The driver arose In his seat nnd cracked his whip over tho horses heads Do careful Ivan said tho princess prin-cess do uot tiro thorn out How far It Is yet to Potrovska Twenty vovsts ho replied we should make It In something over an hour If the horses hold out U was near hero over a year ago that Farmer Farm-er Goof was dragged from his sledge by wolves and devoured I had not heard of many being seen this year Tho Virgin defend us For at this moment one of tho animals ani-mals pmltted n long mournful howl tho most denial nnd terrible sound In nature I beg of your highness not to bo commenced Hardy but she laid her hand on his arm nod whlspeud Listen I Far In tho depths of tho forest an answering howl was heard I then another an-other farther away and still others both up and down tho river One of the wolves flitting along the bank lifted up his voice to be In G Ol2CJ o turn answered by a sporadic chorus from the forest six wolves insight There wore now sight drifting out nnd In among the i trees like gray ghosts lightly Soon one of these tripped through tho snow down the river bank and trotted along after the sledgo on the Ice like a faithful dog They show no signs of attacking said Hardy They are famished said tho princess prin-cess but they are ns patient 1 ns death and as Intelligent as hdmans They are too few yet A second and a third joined the two on the river while tho pack on the bank steadily grew and noiselessly save for an occasional call Into the deeps for helps The maid sat motionless without looking up or stirring Hardy lifted a rifle from the bottom bot-tom of the sledge I could kill one of them now ho said and perhaps that would scare them away It Is not time yet my friend replied re-plied the princess I shall tell you I am a Russian and I know when to shoot You must not waste a single shot Nothing would scare them away she added The IsvoBchlk was using all his strength to keep his horses from exhausting ex-hausting themselves In one wild dash Snorting with fear they wore tearing down the long ribbon of Ice at terrific ter-rific speed CHAPTER XLIII The Gift of Alsome Not more than ten minutes In all could have elapsed since the appearance appear-ance of the first wolf and they had already gathered In terrifying numbers num-bers How far Is It yet to Potrovska asked Hardy About 20 versts replied tho man we can make It In an hour If tho horses hold out alit this Is the same answer that he gave before said Hardy Ho means that It Is a long way explained the princess Twenty versts about 20 versts I fear the horses can not run so far But tho wolves asked Hardy will they not also tire They are very hungry replied tho princess they could run for ever At this moment the entire pack wheeled as If at n word of command and drifted obliquely down on tho ice Some ran beside the sledge a couple i of rods away while those In the rear I came up closer Though the maddened mad-dened horses were going at their utmost ut-most speed their hoofs making a confused con-fused and incredibly rapid clatter on tho Ice tho fierce wild dogs simply drifted drifted along without tho least seeming effort The pack was evidently nearly complete now though an occasional gray form would flit out from among the trees stand and look with lifted head and then join the chase with a long easy lope Tho little maid crouched In tho bottom bot-tom of the sledge and bundled In furs still remained motionless speechless as though paralyzed with terror The princess sat erect looking straight ahead the seal of a sublime courage set on her pale noble brow Tile blood of the Romanoff did not fear to die Sho turned to the man at her side and smiled sweetly more sweet ly than he had ever seen woman smile before Forgive me my friend she said for bringing you Into this fearful danger I thank God cried Hardy that I I am here and nowhere else Ills voice rang out with sudden fervor fer-vor with a sob of joy Thank you my friend said the princess simply May I shoot now asked Hardy Several of tho wolves wore close to one of the horses and were look Ing up at the animals I throat This was the horse that was runnng free he was crowded against the other two of the team in his terror Not yet not quite yet replied the princess they become maddened when they smell blood A moment later a wolf darted sud dimly in and Ipaped at tho throat of the horse which oared i snorted with terror and then bounded ahead with a sudden burst of Incredlhlo speed Manly arose and leaning against the drivers seat took quick aim and fired at tills particular wolf tho one that had begun tho attack In tarn cst He fell writhing I kicking and writhIng on the Ico and instantly tho entire lJUck huddled above and a out him snarling Ingan Indlscrlmlnllto capping scrambling tear maSH of fur und fury leoth and hunlol hero are 11 shots In the maga zinc anti Jive In time revolver said hardy who saw n ray of hO1o In this action of the i ESS care they should lust liS to Petrovskahlow How far Is It yet to Petrovsln Ian shouted he I About 20 vorsts rOlll1el1 I ran wo should reach It In lardy glnnced behind The I gllng strug snarling muss was still there I on the leo but already I hers of the pack several mom had left It and wcro taking up the chase again lie stood watching them as they came on In lute leaving the carcass one by nL a on In less than five minutes they were i all back the by sledge again and the I W sun was shining on a white pile of bones that could be distinctly awn far back on tho river It doesnt take long muttered Hardy If It must come Then he thought of the princess shuddered and breathed a prayer And pUll the horses ran on and on tho sledge was light and they wets winged with terror Again and again Hardy shot shot as never before and seldom missed The fire of bat tie was In his veins that fierce and deadly mastery of self that exalts a bravo man when ho both hunts and Is hunted Have courage he cried we shall reach Petrovska yet But now tho chase took on a new and more dangerous feature When a wolf was killed not all of the pack dropped behind to devour him One mere bold than the others at tho back of the sprang up sledge u If to leap In and Hardy firing Into the open mouth fairly blew the fierce creatures head off Tho Hash and explosion ex-plosion for a moment terrified the following fol-lowing pack and caused It to drop back He turned and aimed at an animal ani-mal that was snapping at one of the horses but when ho pulled the trigger trig-ger n9 report ensued His face blanched as ho dropped the weapon and drew his revolver The shots In the magazine of thq rifle wore all ei haustcdl I In this moments delay a wolf succeeded In fastening Its angel In tho horses flank and hung there snarling The unfortunate steed leaped forward with such violence j that the traces parted and Instantly all tho wolves were tearing at him pulling him down God have mercy God have mercy mer-cy she groaned Have courage cried Hardy he will Boon bo out of his agony and I think his death has saved our lire The two remaining horses did not seem to notice the loss of their companion com-panion as tho sledge glided easily over thq smooth Ice They still rn nobly on though they were reeking with RIm n The sledgo came to a bend In the < river and for n moment its occupan lost sight of the wolves Perhaps they have given up thi chase said Hardy perhaps too t they are satisfied with tho horse Hut tho princess shook her bead They will never give over th chase sho said and at that moment a gray form flitted around the bend I the river two three half a doze and sopn 20 or 30 of the pack wer again about tho sledge leaping at I and at the hc 3es with sharp sho yelps and snarls thqlr red tongue lolling their jaws flecked with bloc I and foam There there I cried the Isvoschll pointing down the river with tt handle of his whip Petrovska Petrovska Bless tab Virgin Tho rays of the setting sun fell to on tho dome of > a Greek church but was a conspicuous object and fa away I1waA wolf was hanging to the neck one of tho horses Him Hardy sho and leaning over tho curved das discharged ills weapon into the bo of another that was clinging to tl other horse lillzabetha ho said turning to tl princess his face white but glorlfle that Is the last shot If there we but one more wo might reach Petrp ska Here with Death for a wane I tell you that I lovo you In I presence of I Death thero Is no ran thero are no princesses no tnerchan I lovo you dear She arose and threw herself on I breast For a long minute they sto thus clasped In each others arms to lip forgetful even of dralh Itself Tho wolves camo on again Tt ran Biinrllng up to the rear of t sledge for tho last attack Then tho little maid seated on t floor arose from hor bundlo of f and tore time hood from her head Trays T-rays of the selling sun were shim In her Rice I f Look Into my eyes once more j cried oh Ipt mo look on your ffl r again one long last Jook Hardy raised his Kead AlHomo Wang ho gasped wonder and could say no more I Farewell my beloved and I voice the voice oQ sounded dice prloBtess chanting I give you to 9 and to happiness who lime 10 1 you tho most nnd she leaped ami tho wolves I A path boaton in tho snow Wl tho river bank Into tho outskirts t the Potrovskn and up this horses dashed their noble run at J end I e followed Several of tho wolves to tho glanced at top of tho bank atj hquses and the villagers BWrIl from them and slunk away ° nl the horses his strong heart bursi fell dead beside his mate wlth t I checks H streaming down his stood erect In tho sledge holding swooning princess In his arms p THE 1tND |