Show 2 1540 7 SYNOPSIS nt debicki tardy hardy a fashionable boston society man lost his wealth was jilted ay iy y a girl and sent by a friend to take harge of an american trading company tore in russia hussla on his journey through lapan he met stapleton neville supposedly an englishman they agreed to to 0 o tog together e ther to russia debau of suspicious ous birc circumstances u ms they were several lines imes molested coleste by the Jap aliese hardy was ivaa a arrested rr ested an and d found upon hla his person yete were papers showing maps of jap forts hardy ua aa proven guiltless on a train Is e met at some sane bano daughter of adap a jap merchant bercha ner chant it in nevilles shoes jap found f und of forts proving him to be EL a kisslan U sian spy hardy departed tor for kusa la on a steamer which was wrecked dortly afterward lie he was rescued by i russian steamer on reaching vladivostok rib he was well treated lie he started ter lor siberia meeting princess KomAn ovna in n the train hardy boarded a vessel for amur hardy showed tho the princess his expertness pertness ix as a rifle shot the steamer ivas v as stranded thu tha princess and hir her maid were attacked by chinese hardy saved aved their lives the princess thanked hardy ard y for his heroism herg ism manchurians Manchur Manchu lans rians vr ired ed upon the craft hardy slow slew their inlet burning arrows were TO ere hurled upon the she Push kins decks an attempt was anade to board the vessel the attacking shanese hines 0 were rep repulsed t i 1 cd romanoff Ro manolT sneered it 11 hardys solicitude I 1 I 1 c 1 t do for or the princess italka a messenger sent tor for help was tailed ailed to a cross on the shore to put an ind to tho the awful torture hardy himself put stanl stanla st a alka a out of hla his misery rill sery taking his I 1 wn life in hla his hands F forest 0 rest fires men leed iced the ves vessel set hardy volunteered to ro tor for h help e lp refused fused permission he bumped rom u ped ohp overboard r b oafa an and started to swim with th the princess distress message ui ito mitno manon 11 was wai angry at hardy for hta his brave efforts eff ort to rescue the princess ile he wooed her in his own savage way ile he said hardy had made love openly t to a japanese girl help carne came and the princess was rescued hardy journeyed 0 on n n a raft arriving at his desti nation h he 0 took charge of the trading companas comp anys bustness business busin n e hardy received a letter from a so tl elal a sis leader in boston and another from alseme hardy hard took lessons esson 8 in russian of df a jew thus y connecting himself in a way with that race hardy recel received a letter from the princess princess thanking him him for or his bravery hardys adys teacher was in landec ot death lie he employed wang as L str servant vant hardy went to moscow where he ha was invited to call upon the princess he started tor the palace ace home of prin as bess 0 y m hardy flardy aroused I 1 unac oun countable table jealy jealousy by ot of his korean boy by announcing that ho he was going to cyll on the princess ile he engaged a cabman who brov e him to a large house on a poorly light lighted d street after entering tile the house hardy III a ady discovered dered that it was wai a resort of nihilisms nihilists lists who supposed sed he was felix hulln huit it come to tell let surp t them h em of a powerful explosive ho he hart had discovered the real hulln a rived and denounced irardy hardy as an impostor ostor th the nihilisms nihilists lists determined to kill briardy hardy in order to protect themselves finding an unloaded revolver in his overcoat pocket he pointed it at hullis bomb which lay on tile the table and swore to lo blow them all up together it if they touched him holding the nihilists nihilisms lists at bay hardy started to leave the room when the police were heard at the outer loor threw hla his bomb killing bev eral policemen the nihilisms nihilists lists fled and damen men the jew suddenly appeared and led hardy to the cellar baruch conducted hardy through an underground passage to another house from which he boldly merged emerged and returned to his hotel hardy visited the princess contributed to the fund for the relief of the tha victims of the nihilists nihilisms lists CHAPTER continued the american was puzzled tor for a moment ile he knew why this handsome daredevil russian had subscribed so large an amount that boris romanoff was touched by the suffering buttering of the poor was a thought to bring a smile to the face ot of any who abo chanced to know him hardy was not rich as we know lie he had saved a few thousands from his fortune and hla his salary and profits from commissions brought him a respectable spec table income ile he held his pen tor for a moment suspended as he remarked looking the tha princess quizzically in the eye your cousin Is very tenderhearted tender hearted Is he not quite charitably disposed ile he has responded handsomely lias has he not she replied carelessly but there was an amused look in her eye but he la Is rich and mind a little sum like this besides lie he knows that I 1 am anxious to make these poor people comfortable hardy scribbled his name on the paper and handed it back carelessly to the princess but monsieur monsie url she gasped my friend I 1 could not accept so much from you you have made some mistake herel here ile he adjusted his gold pince nez looked critically at the paper and read sotto voce 11 frederick courtland hardy rubles 2500 no that Is h quite correct your highness I 1 shall take great pleasure in sending you a check in the morning you have little idea of how this cause appeals to me the princess flushed and held the paper in her hand for some moments in silence looking at it the americans are as generous as they are brave she said at last in a low voice 1 I shall accept this noble gift on behalf of my poor people in whoso choso name I 1 thank you at this moment a servant appeared at the door and announced lieutenant chakov 1 I regret that I 1 must be leaving you now said eald the Roman ovna but stay I 1 should like to introduce you to the lieutenant ile he la Is a great admirer of america and americans show the lieutenant la in aleko the lieutenant entered tall in his twenties very slender and handsome ho he was attired in the uniform of the imperial guards see the princess ho be bowed very low cl 4 9 ing his heels together then he walked rapidly to tier her end and bending with exquisite grace and assurance lifted tier her hand to his lips after which ho he turned politely and inquiringly toward hardy who prose I 1 liebat Lle Lie ut tat Gort chakov said the princess this th la is mr hardy the brave american of whom you have heard he rd me speak I 1 desire you to be friends 1 N r he became infatuated with a woman worn an of disreputable character 1 it gives me great pleasure to make your acquaintance said the lieuten ant extending his hand band the pleasure is mine I 1 assure you r replied hardy gen batkoff has haa already told me of your heroic deeds on the amur said the lieutenant 1 I havu have been hoping for some time that I 1 might have the honor ot of meeting you I 1 had no idea that you were in moscow Gort chakov was a frank ingenuous youth to whom the american took an immediate liking 1 I shall leave you two together said the princess rising while I 1 go and get my wraps oh by the way alexieff why can we not drive mr hardy by the Slav lansky bazar the lieutenant has a new pair of white arabian horses which he Is anxious for me to see I 1 am sure aure that mr hardy can appreciate fine horses 1 I shall be most happy replied the lieutenant it if mr hardy will accept oh I 1 am sure he will laughed the princess if he is sufficiently urged she left the boorn and Gort chakov began to explain that he was driving her to a reception and that the sla bainsky would be on the way lie he had not been talking over a minute when boris romanoff entered superbly handsome in evening dress an older man accompanied him romanoff shook hands cor cordially dally with dortcha Gor kov whom lie he addressed as alexieff and to whom he be introduced his companion gen Kou kolnik he did not introduce Koti kolnik to hardy but said to the latter with an evil insolent smile hello hardy hows howa trade but these americans are enterprising he explained affably to the general this fellow here la is a storekeeper store ke keeper e per who it seems Is working the russian nobility for all he Is worth your scheme now tell us a good fellow you shall have our influence with the princess she ought to be an easy mark under the circumstances cum stances eh general the american paled with rage but ho he looked romanoff full I 1 la n th tho a e yes eyes I 1 returning insole iasolea ce for Ins insolence e CHAPTER the princess commands being only a merchant replied the american 1 I find it necessary to cultivate good manners to a certain extent were I 1 a prince I 1 might also be a boor k upon my scull exclaimed gen Kott kolnik but this la Is a very peppery mer merchant chantl the generals cheeks and nose were wera adorned with a network of varicose veins the result of innumerable deep potations rotations ions of vodka lie he was that anomalous combination an excitable fat man and he had bad a habit of jerking so fiercely at his long pointed side whiskers that he pulled down the puffy ca c 1 hla his eye disclosing the red conjunctiva romanoff flushed with rage fel fellow low said he be 1 I am not going to waste any words worda with you I 1 grant you a certain degree of courage considerable sid erable shrewdness and any amount of insolence dut but you are malting making a sad mistake it if you hope to force your way into high society simply be because ause you happened to kill a chinaman or two on the amur you mal mu take advantage of my cousins good nature but you can not impose on the rest of us the best thing for you to do Is to accept a good substantial check tor for your services to the family and take yourself off how much shall it be and lie he pulled a checkbook check book from his pocket better take my any advice and accept it now while we are in the mood and tho the otter offer Is open upon my soul exclaimed kou kau kolnik 1 I suppose that I 1 shall be offended at this later drawled hardy when I 1 got get to thinking over it at the present you are too interesting as an a study in ala ah zoology I 1 do not believe there Is such another boor and ruffian living in all moscow as you certainly the russians of the better class that I 1 have met thus far have all been gentlemen 1 I trust this bore you Alex leK left nor you general said romanoff but I 1 really must settle with this fellow once and for all and have it over with I 1 met him first in japan where he played me a low trick for which he no doubt received ari money ney from the japanese authorities ile he became infatuated with a woman of disreputable character there and he and the woman had me put on a boat ostensibly sailing for vladivostok I 1 soon found out that I 1 was to bo be tin imprisoned 1 or put to death this fellow remained in japan with his paramour and he came on here afterward at hla his leisure I 1 have had him watched a since ince by the police and it Is certain that he is an enemy of the government and perhaps a japanese spy it Is known that he consorts with jews and I 1 strongly suspect that he la Is himself an american jew the ro ra manoff family Is unfortunately under tinder certain obligations to him for which I 1 am offering to pay him liberally come now my man how much shall it beao be th there ere must surely be some mistake here said Gorts chakov 11 1 was introduced to mr hardy by the princess who recommended him to in me e as a possible friend what have you to say to these accusations of the prince mr hardy nothing replied the american save that it we were not under tho the root roof of a lady I 1 should tell romanoff that I 1 can not believe that ho he la Is mistaken you would have us think then 7 suggested sue Gort chakov that lie Is undoubtedly ly lying have a care cried romanoff raising his voice do rot cot nI too far on the protection of the pran bessi cess once more mare and for the last time I 1 ask you how much do you want and he thrust the checkbook check book under hardys nose you are positively growing tiro somo 11 said aalde hardy and he be nipped flipped ui jo book from Roma fingers so that it flew fluttering halfway half way across the room 1 I hell I 1 ell and furies exclaimed romanoff m anoff take that you son of a dirty jewess and he struck hardy violently in the face with the flat of 0 hla his hand the blow staggered the american and left a number of red welts that contrasted strangely with the marble whiteness of hla his cheeks checks this insult must be answered for elsewhere lie he said in low even tones Gort chakov I 1 am a comparative stranger here will you do mo me the honor of seconding me in this affair you wart want me to fight a duel with you laughed romanoff with you a jew storekeeper leave this house instantly or I 1 shall have you kicked into the street 1 I am an american hardy explained P to Gort chakov and the gen tiemen of america earn their living by honest toll toil moreover I 1 am by birth and education a gentleman will you be my second Gort chakov naught sight of a stately white figure algur standing in a distant door tile the figure of a tall woman wearing a long white opera cloak a coronet blazing with diamonds surmounting her regal brow lie he extended his hand to hardy 1 I will be your second he said bald are arc you mad said Roma romanoff norl 1 I can not fight with this low fellow this I 1 tradesman 1 I know mr hardy through the introduction brodu tro ti on of the princess roman 0 ata declared alexieff Alex leff that Is quite I sufficient for me you will either fight me or I 1 will horsewhip you on tho the public streets insisted hardy not raising his voice 1 I knew you to be a liar I 1 did not suspect that you were also a coward gentlemen for shame cried tho the princess advancing to the angry group her eyes blazing with indignation do you forget that you are lu in my house bless my soul exclaimed koukol talk alk it is the princess madame madarah Mada rae I 1 humbly salute zou and clicking his bis heels together he made a low bow ali ah good evening cousin said ilo ho manott manoff 1 I beg your pardon for this disturbance but really this fellow here Is to blame I 1 offered to pay him for the service which lie he has rendered to a member of the family lie ile knocked my checkbook check book from my hand and I 1 very properly chastised lis his in solenia by slapping clapping his face As the head of the th family it Is my duty to protect you from low adventurers I 1 demand now most decidedly that you bid him be gonel oil oh boris Borl sill cried tho the princess more in sorrow borrow than in anger out or of your own mouth I 1 condemn you if you offered this gentleman motey I 1 am obliged to decide that he did a very spirited and proper thing in knocking your checkbook check book from your hand in the name of tho romanoff family mr hardy I 1 ask your pardon for this in fit suit that has been heaped on you uti un de der r my arki I 1 1 I will pardon him replied hardy after ho he has fought me according to the custom among gentlemen in this country ile ho has haa struck k mo me and lie he must give elvo mo me satisfaction what cried the princa princ a a aduel duel it Is against the law I 1 shall not permit it this jew this shopkeeper wants me to tight him sneered romanoff your highness has been pleased to express gratitude for certain services which I 1 havo have been fortunate enough to render you to express a hope that you might be able in fact to do something for me in return I 1 now demand a gent lemans satisfaction for this blow it Is all that I 1 shall ever ask front from |