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Show r - L-j i :m Mm 3 ilia I 1 BY GEORGE HORTON . ' Copyrighted, 1906, tj T Bobbe-JXerria fcmpanx. ' own if8. Boris, being hard pressed by the police, put his telltale papers in Mr. Hardy's overcoat pocket and tried to throw the guilt-on him. The plan did not succeed, and Boris suffered many hardships, for which he nniustly blamed Irr Hardy. I first met him on the Amur river, 'where I was captured by Chinese brigands. He came to the rescue and saved me from a terrible fate. This still further enraged my cousin, who loved me and was jealous of any one who served me in any way. He was very brave, was Boris, and would have saved me himself, but he was- not there which certainly was not Mr. Hardy's fault. On the Amur we were again attacked by brigands, and Mr. Hardy, as well as my cousin, fought like a brave man. In my house in Moscow my cousin, who was of a violent nature, insulted the American by offering him money, and when Mr. Hardv indignantly refused and knocked his checkbook out of his hand, struck him in the face. A duel was fought, at which Mr. Hardy, at my request, spared my cousin's life, though he was himself him-self severely wounded. He has .wonderful .wonder-ful skill with the pistol, and he shot a cuff button from my cousin's sleeve, which he sent me as proof that he had complied with my request. My cousin was boastful of having wounded Mr. Hardy, and I gave him the cuff bntton and, told him its story. He became transported with rage, and swore that he would not rest till he had rid the earth of this man. He conceived it bis duty to avenge the outraged honor of the Bomanoff family, as he expressed it. He thought be must kill this man for other reasons." here the Princess halted halt-ed and blushed. "Go on," said the Czar, kindly and much interested. "This is a most remarkable re-markable storyl In it this Mr. Hardy appears as a hero! " ''Sire, in Mr. Hardy's employ was a young Korean boy wnose devotion to his master surpassed anything I have ever before heard of. It was more like that of a woman for the man' she loves when a woman really loves. This boy I am ashamed to tell it, sire but now-your Majesty will understand why I have wished to confide in you alone this boy heard my cousin plotting to kill Mr. Hardy. Your Majesty will understand un-derstand that my cousin was no longer a sane man; that rage and and jealousy, jeal-ousy, perhaps, had rendered him for the moment irresponsible. The boy, fesr-ing fesr-ing for his master's sarety and believing be-lieving that a Russian nobleman had the power to do anything he wished, stole into my cousin's compartment at night and killed him." "Wonderful! Wonderful!" said ths Crar in a musing tone; "and are you sure of all this! ' - "Absolutely. I give you my word as a Romanoff princess that it is true." "And the boy I Do you know where he ist He can te given np to justice." "The boy," replied the-Princese solemnly, sol-emnly, "no longer exists. Overwhelmed Over-whelmed with horror at what he had done, and feeling sure that the 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, him-self, and he has disappesred! " At this moment Pyplne entered with Hardy's record. At the Czar's command he read it. rapidly and in matter of fart, singsong tone. It contained nearly near-ly every act of Mr. Hardy's life, except what had actually happened within the four walls of his sleeping chamber, since he had set foot on Russian soil. He was accused of sympathising with the Japanese, Jap-anese, of having affiliated with Jew's, of having Insulted the authorities at Vladivostok Vlad-ivostok by requesting that the imperial Government use Its influence to get him a clean towel In the hotel there, with having worn an overcoat similar to the one In the nihilists' den on the evening of the explosion of the Frenchman's famous fa-mous pill. Furthermore, he had fought a duel with the Prince Romanoff, In which he- had been wounded. This fact furnished fur-nished Jhe motive for his alleged crime, which, coupled with his suspicious record, left little room, in the Russian official mind, for doubt of his guilt. Most of these points had already been covered by the story told by the Princess. "As .for the overcoat," she remarked, "If he continued to wear It he could not have left it, and your Majesty would soon discover, if your Majesty should stop for some time Incognito In Vladivostok, that the power of imperial Government Is by no means belittled when it is asked to use its influence In the procuring of a clean towel!" The Emperor arose and pressed his hand to his brow as though he were suffering suf-fering with headache. "Little Father," said Romanovna,- "this man saved my life, my honor, said Romanovna. Ro-manovna. There are features In the case which. If tried, do not reflect credit on my dead cousin's name. Grant my prayer! pray-er! Let Mr. Hardy be freed, and the report re-port given out that the police have secret se-cret proof of his Innocence, but are on the track of the real culprit" and she tank again on her knees. "Rise, daughter," said the Czar kindly. "We have already decided on this course. It's a relief to know that he Is Innocent, the American Embassador is so troublesome; trouble-some; Pyplne. see that this Is done. Tell the proper authorities that it is our will. Pyplne, what is the news of the morning?" morn-ing?" "Little, your Imperial Majesty. The cowardly Japanese have sunk two Russian cruisers, treacherously stealing on them In the night; the discontent among the workmen in the iron factories is reported as growing; there has been a small massacre mas-sacre of Jews in Kiev, a trivial affair; a clash between troops and rioters in Heir slngfors is reported, quickly suppressed, however, by the troops firing on tne rioters;' riot-ers;' and an abortive plot against the sacred person of your Imperial Majesty has been unearthed and the traitors lodged in prison. In general, the empire is Tn a state of serenity, and the devo- : tiOn and love of your Imperial Majesty's faithful subjects amount almost to worship.", wor-ship.", Romanovna. making a low K-lance. backed toward the door. The Czar had forgotten her. He wrung his white hands nervously, muttering: "God help me and my poor people! What shall I do?" In the ante-room without, the Romanovna Roman-ovna stopped Pyplne and said , to him: "Do you wish me for a friend?" "Does your Highness take me for a fool?" asked Pyplne. "I would do anything any-thing In my power to secure your Highness High-ness patronage." "Then see that Ms Imperial Majesty's wishes in regard to Mr. Hardy, the American, Amer-ican, are carried out Immediately. You know how many cares oppress the little father's mind." ' "He shall be released today," replied -PT "shall not forget It Where 'la 'he now?" "In the fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul." "Horrible!" gasped the Princess. "He must not Sleep there tonight, Pyplne!" " (To Be Continued! CHAPTER XLTV. (Continued.) ' , 'j. It was the voice of a woman who was speskuig. "Who are you?" asked the Princess, you, who for love, have done this dreadful dread-ful deed of hate?" ' - ' "I am Alaome Mosuro, known In my own country as Alsome, the Fox. I am supposed to be cunning, brave, heartless and patriotic to the last drop of blood in my body. I am in the secret service of my country, and have been one of Its most trusted agents: I speak many of the languages of Europe and all the dialects f China. And yet I am a woman Just a woman, who, at the chrlsmal touch of ' a man's lips, find my whole nature changed, and am ready to give up all for him. friends, country, Individuality, yet evep life itself, happy only If I can be near him, can serve him, can hear his voice! I when I think of it all I am ashamed of myself." sobbed the girl, pressing a handkerchief hand-kerchief to her eyes, "but I cannot help It. I am even now asking you to save me. If you can, for his sake. I can never see him again. He will know now that I am not Wang, the Korean boy. and, besides, be-sides, my hands are stained with blood. But he -would be distracted if he knew that I were in the hands of the Russian authorities; he would be unhappy all his life 4f they were to kill me. For he loved Wang, though he has forgotten poor , Alsome. I am asking you to save me for his sake, and let me go away to my own country. You do not despise me, do you, and you do not fear me?"1 "I neither fear nor despise you,", re- Flled the Princess sorrowfully, "though shrink with horror from your dreadful deed. You are a woman and a sister, and I will save. you If I can. for I believe you. Alasl I knew too well my cousin's revengeful and violent nature. Listen! I shall see theCzar and use my woman's wits to clear Mr. Hardy without giving the name of the actual perpetrator. L am going to Port Arthur to take charge M a hospital there for our alck and woillled heroes. You must remain here in . my house till I return from St. Petersburg, and then go with me to the sea coast, whence I will send you across to Japan. I believe that Mr. Hardy would wish this, and there is nothing I would not do for his sake, within honor. But If I find that it Is necessary, in order to save Ms life " "to tell my name? Then tell It. and I shall he here to say that you speak .the truth!" r - i CHAPTER XLV. ' ' .f Imperial Favor. The Princess Romanovna was received re-ceived by his Imperial Majesty in a a small room of the Winter Palace, a room which, equipped with graceful and dainty furniture of the sixteenth century, cen-tury, was a cheerful symphony in a delicate shade of blue. The fact that she was a favorite at court, to- S ether with her high connections and er noble descent, through which she i even claimed distant relationship with the imperial family itself, rendered it - comparatively easy for her to obtain a private and informal interview. His Majesty was standing when Bo; manovna entered, looking out of the , window on the semi-circle where stands the hnge monolith in honor of Alexander Alexan-der the I. He turned, as her name was announced, and smiled. She noticed that he was pale and careworn, and that his expression, even as he smiled, was very sad. Her heart went out to him in mingled affection and reverence. . She , bowed low with exquisite grace as his ' eyes fell on her. then advanced to where he stood, and keeling kissed his hand. ! He assisted her to arise, and still holding her hand, led her to a sofa. "Sit. nvv daughter," said be, "and speak freely. There is none of our subjects sub-jects to whom we will give a more indulgent in-dulgent ear than to vou" and he dropped wearily on the divan. "Sit," I he repeated, as she remained respect-I respect-I fullv standing, "it is our command." She sat down on -the divan, at some distance from .him, and turned her eyes 1 on him, waiting for him to speak. "You have our permission to proceed," pro-ceed," he said. "I come, sire," she began, "to speak to you of my cousin 's, Boris Romanoff Roman-off s, death and to tell you something of the man who. is accused of his mar-der mar-der the American, Frederick Conrtland Hardy." N "You have our deepest svmpathy in I A,matter, my daughter,'' said his v-jesty. "I understand from the Min-iteT Min-iteT of Justice that you loved your cousin that you were engaged to him." ; , The Princess remained silent. "It is sad." continued his Majesty, "very sad, bnt be assured that, although al-though the case is a somewhat difficult one, full justice shall be done. The 'American Minister has already inquired in-quired about the matter, and has demanded de-manded that the fullest investigation be made. These Americans are very meddlesome. med-dlesome. I am informed, however, by the Minister of Foreign Affairs that there will be- little difficulty in establishing estab-lishing this Hardy's guilt, as he is a dangerous character and has a bad record." The Trtneess turned pale as she repeated: re-peated: "A dangerous character! A bad record t mil you send for this record, sire, that I may hear it in your Majesty's Ma-jesty's presence f For I come not to speak against this Hardy, who is accused ac-cused of murdering my cousin, but to ?' lead for his release, to pray that jus-ice jus-ice may be done!" You to plead for himt ' ' "Yes, sire, for he did not kill my cousin. Will your Majesty grant me the favor that I may hear this record read in yonr Majesty's presence! For I know this Mr. Hardy, and I know: much that is good of him. and nothing bad!" The Czar rang a bell and commanded com-manded a servant to send a confidential secretary to him. Five minutes later an old man entered, a stoop-shouldered old man with a clean-shaven face, whose eyes denoted infinite shrewdness, his I manner infinite servility. "Pypine," said his Majesty, "can I you bring to us -immediately the record t of the American, Hardy, concerning i whom the Minister of Foreign Affairs ' was speaking to us the other day." i"Yes, sire," replied Pypine, "a copy was ordered from the Chief of Police of Moscow and is now in his Excel-lancv's Excel-lancv's possession." "Bring it," said the Czar, "immediate." "immedi-ate." ine disappeared. Vhile he is gone you may tell ns - A yon- know of this American, IvArdy; and why you think he did not assassinate your consin." "I know that he is a gentleman of ' high connections in his own country, who has come here to engage in commerce com-merce and retrieve his fortunes. My cousin first met him in Japan. This part of, .the' Btory I have from Boris' |