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Show SYNOPSIS. Frederick Hardy, a fashionable Boston society man, lost his wealth, was Jilted ty a Kill and sent hy a friend to take of an American tnarge Company tore in Russia. On ids Trading journey through lapan he met Stapleton Neville, supposedly an Englishman. They agreed to go together to Russia. Because of suspicious circumstances they were several times molested hy the Japanese. Hardy was arrested and found upon his person were papers showing maps of Jap forts. Hardy was proven guiltless. On a train e met Aisoine of a Jap Sano, merchant. In Nevilles daughter shoes Jap found pictures of foits, proving him to be a Russian spy. Hardy departed for Russia on a steamer, which was iwreoked shortly afterward He was rescued by Russian steamer. On reaching Vladivostok he was well treated. He started Tor Slberja. meeting Princess Romanot iu Jti the train. Hardy boarded a vessel for Amur. Hardy showed tne princess his txpertness as a rifle shot. The steamer was stranded and her The maid were attacked byprincess Chinese. Hardy saved their lives. The princess thanked Manchurians Hardy for his heroism. Sred upon the craft. Hardy slew their 'hjef Burning arrows were hurled upon the Pushkins decks. An attempt was made to board tiie vessel. TIip attacking Chinese were repulsed. Roirianofl sneered It Hardys solicitude for the princess. Stanka. a messenger sent for help, sailed to a cross on the shore. To put an tnd to the awful tenure Hardy himself put Stanka out of Ids misery, taking his wn life In his hands. s CHAPTER XIX. she extended her arm and detained him. Stay, she whispered, I will write the dispatch for you. She went to her cabin and Hardy made his few hurried preparations for departure, which consisted simply in swallowing a few mouthfuls of in filling his flask with vodka, and In slipping Into his pocket a flat bottle, empty, but tightly corked. When he returned to the deck, he found the princess awaiting him, with the dispatch ready. Hardy wound it into a tight cylinder and poked it ihto the bottle, which he corked and put into his pocket. ' Thank you, he said, simply, to the princess. She extended her hand, and he took it holding it, but afraid to look into her eyes. It was an honest hand that held his own in a strong,' warm pressure. I shall pray for your safety, she murmured, all the time till I see or hear from you again. He raised the'hand to his lips, then climbed lightly over the rail and dropped into the river. The water reached nearly to his armpits at this place. He did not look back, but, throwing himself on his face, swam A Perilous Mission. During all this time the forest fifes were increasing and in intensity spreading with great rapidity. Vividly red and narrow lanes of flame ran zigzag to the waters edge, like streams of fire. Monster designs were worked out on the hillsides in fire, notably an immense heart, and, in places where the vegetation was sparse, the slopes were spotted with tiny jets of flame. the heat on the By Pushkin was almost intolerable and the discomfort caused to the eyes from the smarting smoke was great, yet there was no longer any fear that those on board would suffocate or perish from the intensity of the heat. Matters were undoubtedly at their worst, and it was possible to live, to breathe. Out there in the middle of the river there was no danger of the boat itself catching fire, and the wind, which was coming straight down the stream brought coolness and life with it from the wide Siberian plains. As Hardy stood watching the scene that night, the princess came up to him and said: We have nothing to fear from the Chinese, I fancy. They must have gone away. They must think we are dead. It is most probable, replied Hardy, but I fear that it will be some time before we shall be able to take to the road." At the military station below, said the princess, there is a telegraph, connecting with the one above. It is possible for a boat of shallow draft to get down the river to a little distance back. The general asked the men if one of their number would not volunteer to carry a dispatch to the station, but I am ashamed to say that no one has responded. They are deterred by the dreadful fate of poor Stenka." I will go! Ask the cried Hardy. general to let me go. I can keep to the middle of the stream till I have passed the fires, either wading or swimming down the swift current. The fires cannot extend more than a mile or so down the river, a distance soon passed over, and then I will take to the highway. I am a foreigner and. If captured, shall not be in so great Regarded Him Defiantly.. danger as a Russian. It is not a difficult undertaking. I am sure I shall with easy strokes, the swift current sweeping him rapidly downward. Soon get through. The princess left him without a his knees touched the soft sand, and was able to walk for some t disword, but returned ten minutes later, he tance. He had not gone far ere he smiling sadly and shaking her head. It is as I thought, she said. The came on a stranded and abandoned rolled a piece of timber general refuses. He says it would be raft, and he an eternal disgrace to the Russian from this which he guided to the He was glad to lt? arms if a foreigner should undertake deep current. and float upon this bit of down again this thing. He is making one more the water cover his wood, letting men. to the is them He calling appeal body, for he was coming to a narrowsheep, Japanese, poltroons. I had hoped, said Hardy, sadly, er part of the stream and the air was that you people would no longer re- very hot. gard me quite in the light of a forCHAPTER XX. eigner. As far, at least, as the people on the boat are concerned, I have Romanoff's Wooing. tried to earn the right to be counted I can get 1 tell you I can go! one of yon. If I have done anything to merit your own regard, personally, through, somehow! Men have gone worse wounded I ask you, as &n especial favor, to greater distances, prepare this dispatch for me and let than I. me be off! I toll you again, that I It was Romanoff who was speaking. shall certainly go, with or without it. He sat up and turned, facing the genHis If you refuse, I shall on the instant eral as though he would rise. lump into the rhrer and start on my wound had stiffened and the pain consequent on the exertion caused him Journey. I beg of you not to put it in that to turn pate, but he did not wince. He If you was lying in the dining room, on one way,", replied the princess. I know tannot of the upholstered cushions that exin that it way, you put refuse. I hope the occasion may arise tended ground three sides of It. The current is at least six miles som day that will allow me in some some-grea- t way to show in a befitting manner my ' an hour, he insisted, and with and lasting gratitude to you. But thing light to cling to I could float now you are taking an unfair advan- - the entire distance. r tage. Yott are seeking to place me. The heat was stifling, and the smoke. with wore holes milky still greater obligations to you. At this moment' the princess I ask for no gratitude." replied 1 ani simply seeking a favor, tered "Don't excite yourself, Boris," she an accommodation from yoit. I am or you will neutra-me- . r.nxiocMy, few for to a lines write said, you begging of my nursing. effects tli all like , good still refuse?! Does your highness and God be with 1 think it ungrateful of you'not to lie Well, then, good-by- , If we do not meet again, I beg still and let me show what I can do. "Yes. and leave you here to starve you sometimes to think of me as one or be burned up. or, perhaps he carwho, who good by! He laid one hand .on the ra'l, but ried off hy tl.e Manchurians vfcen they j port-unde- t ' ; : ! I '. return, which they are certain to do, when the Are subsides. There, said the general, you have your commands from an authority which you ought to respect, it you do not heed mine. 1 shall have another talk with the men. I am sure they are ashamed of themselves by this time." It will be unnecessary for you to trouble yourself further about the matblushing ter," said the princess, slightly and looking down, "for a a man some one has already gone. and Romanoff started violently fixed his eyes on her. "Who was It?" asked the general. The princess threw her head hack "The and regarded him defiantly. American," she replied. Ten thousand devils! exclaimed Romanoff. "The meddlesome dog! "But I refused to let him go, said the general. It Is a disgrace to the Russian name. take all the responsibility, said lie asked the Romanovna, bravely, me as a favor to write the dispatch for him, and I did so. He has placed me under certain obligations, and I felt I could not refuse. And I suppose," sneered Romanoff, that if he were to ask you for a kiss, 1 The American, call it, if anything happened to you." Klizabetha," said Romanoff, eagerly, you know why I eudure it so ill when others perform services for you. You know that I Would undertake auy task that might win your regard, your love; that I would gladly face any danger iu your behalf. And now that this tills Atuericau has suved your life, I could kill him for it!" You did not want tuy life saved, then?" she asked, sweetly. Oh, you are enough to try the temper of an angel! You know what I mean. I did not want him to do it. You are under no obligation to him for saving your life. You know that there is not a man in your circle of acquaintance who would not consider it the greatest luck In the world to have a cljance to brave danger for ou; and that such an opportunity should have come to this, this Be generous, Boris, If you wish to win my esteem," interrupted the princess. and don't he unreasonable in your envy. You have braved danger for me, and are now wounded, fighting in my behalf, and I am nursing you. Can you not imugine that there are those w ho w ould envy your present position? You are not grateful even for the favors that you do receive. Think of your wound, which is really quite serious. Well, then, you be serious for once," said Romanoff, smiling iu spite of himself, and tell me that you love me. Surely, you cannot doubt my devotion. Do you think it quite fair to bring that subject up here?" site asked, "when you know that you have me at a disadvantage? "But you always find some excuse for not talking to me about it. You always evade me in some wuy. But I am not a man," he cried, fiercely, to be evaded or escaped. I love you as only a Romanoff can love. I shall not give up suing for your hand while i live, and woe to the man who crosses Oh, if 1 could only fight my path! ' I became positively convinced that the Japanese mean to make war on Russia; that no diplomatic temporizing can postpone the struggle much longer. The whole nation, to a man, to a woman, to a child, is united against us by the bonds of the most Their population hatred. fanatic comprises no classes, no disaffected races; they are a unit in this matter. The war will be one to the death, and they will fight until the last man is killed. I concluded, moreover, tha they are not a foe to be despised. They are a formidable sea power, and they can throw large and armies Into Manchuria and Korea within a very few weeks after the first blow is struck. 1 shall advise the Little Father to begin pouring troops into the far east and to strengthen the defenses and garrison of Port Arthur Immediately. I shall ask to be sent to the front with the first ttoops that go. Of course you will, my brave cousin!" cried the princess, admiringly, aud you will come back from the war covered with glory and I shall he proud of you! But I can scarcely believe that Japan is so formidable an adversary as you say. You will see, replied Romanoff, with conviction. "Well, let her begin the war!" said the princess, rising, her eyes flashing "There can be only one outcome of it, and that will result in the added prestige and power of Holy Russia! But tell me more of your personal adventures. Why, they are not particularly inI passed off all right teresting. enough us an Englishman, till this fellow Hardy came along. Mr. Hardy? You met him there? You did not tell me this, nor has he. N'o, and I surmise the fellow has good reason not to. Soon after his arrival, I became convinced that the police were ,on nty trail. So I attempted to throw suspicion on him 1 conducted him to the fortifications d She Replied. it your duty to grant even that. Your gratitude, no doubt, will be undying. You forget yourself. sir(!" cried Romanovna, turning on him with flashing eyes. - You presume too much on your relationship. One more such speech and I shall cancel your name from the list of my speaking acquaintances. General, I await your sentence. beg that you will not pass over my offense lightly." Oh, this Is all nonsense, growled You know that I canthe general. not punish you would not if I could. If one of the men had done this. I should know what to do with him. But no way has ever been devised for managing an unruly woman, or preventing her having her way! With this ungracious ' speech, he turned and left the room. The princess gazed after him sadly. This, then, was her punishment the brave old general's displeasure and it was not easy to bear. I choose to forget your extraordinary remark, Boris, she said, sitting down hy her cousin. "I shall remember that you are wounded, and that you must be suffering, here in this ho, smoky air. I sympathize with yo.r irritation, too, and think it noble of you: I would much rather and she that a Russian had gone laid her hand soothingly on his. Why did you not encourage my going, then?" he asked, still sullen "I believe, with the general, that you are unable to go, that the effort would almost certainly have resulted in your death. And yon don't want me to die, I suppose? You would be desolated by niv departure for another sphere? Boris, don't be sarcastic Of course should be desolated, as you you would think 1 1 ash-gra- 1 , tensely exciting. What has she to da with the story? Nothing, except that your Hardy remained there in Japan with her, and was sent home, as I supposed, on a steamer from Hakodate. I had nol been out long before I found that 1 had been betrayed, and that I was t be locked up somewhere, on an Island. Such were the orders, but the crew were actuary planning to kill tne, I escaped, killed two or three of them, put to sea in an open boat, was picked up by a Chinese sampan, and so go! hack to Russia.' "My brave Roris! The Virgin wa with you, and, besides, they found that they had captured a lion. But I have not finished telling you about this American. I am couvinced that he is a Japanese sympathizer and that he suggested to the authorities there that I was not an Englishman. He is a low fellow, and 1 strongly suspect that he is a Jew. He was coming over here, he said, to run a store. He is a libertlue, I am sure, and remained behind to condjict his intrigues with the Japanese girl' Atsome, I believe she called herself.t Rut this Is there conjecture, Boris, and I must not believe these things against him, till they are proved." Why must you not believe in them? What reason have you for regarding him w ith such, favor? Tell me." "Because he has shown himself, su far as I have observed, a gentleman of the most resolute courage, and ths most refined and delicate sentiments." "Oh, he has! Well, phen I tell you that he is a low fellow, probably an enemy of Russia, a libertine, perhaps a Jew I cannot listen to you. Boris, said the princess, you really must b more generous." Her voice was low, but there wad an angry light In her eyes. Has the fellow been making lovs to you, as he did to the Japanese?" sneered Romanoff. The princess arose and moved away. I said that I would not quarrel with you, Boris," she murmured. There were tears in her lovely blue eyes. She was sure now that she could never love her cousin, and she knew that tha imputations against Hardy, who, as far as her own observations went, approached very near to lier ideal of a chivalnc gentleman, would rhnkle In her bosom like a poisoned arrow. She walked over t Smulders and was inquiring after him, in' German, which she understood, when she heard the loud shriek of a whistle, and tha general rushed Into the room. We are saved!" he cried. Two boats with 20 soldiers on them have come down the river. They were sent down as soon as news of the fire was telegraphed to the station above. They have a launch with them, and her highness can be transferred with-out even wetting her dainty feet. I am forgiven, then, general?" I save asked the princess. been severely punished in endaring your displeasure, even for so short a time." "Beatify such as yours, madame, can do no wrong, replied the gallant general, extending his hana. said Romanoff, grimly, Perhaps, the Chinese will get him and serve him as they did Stenka." They were taken on the two fresh boats in the early dawn and steamed away by the light of a red sun that stained with dragon's blood the clouds piled in masses above the blackened forests, still fiercely burning. As they made a bend in he rivet that shut out from sight the stranded Pushkin, veil lifted for a moment the from the Manchurian side, 'revealing the greut cross and the form of brave Stenka Pugacheff hanging on It. The Russians crossed themselves, and uncovering their heads, prayed silently for the repose of his soul. Then, raising their hands to heaven, they swore vengeance. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Your Hardy Remained There in Japan with Her. for you, 1 would wade through seas of of Yokohama, and he, in seeming inblood, but I would have you! I would nocence, took photographs of them. I also made a copy of my draft of the have you! Romanovna shuddered, but she came fortifications and slipped it into his nearer loving him at that instant than overcoat pocket. We were arrested, at any other moment of her liie. and, after much palaver, we were sent If you will not talk of these mat-tei- s on our way. There was a Japanese now, will you. after we get to girl on the train, by the way, to whom lie made love in the most open manMoscow?" ' Perhaps," she replied, softly: hut ner. They were as thlek as two billto about Japan, unless it irritates ing doves. He was Infatuated with her; said that her cheeks were tinged y ; wound to talk. hy, there isn't much to tell. I with uioonliglA, that she was yellow passed myself off a.--i an Englishman, because her mortal clay was mixed and that she was a and sounded all classes of people. I with gold-dus- t took note of the popular feeling, of Queen of Fairy-lanthe strength of the national defenses lie must be something of a popt, and resources, and made plans of the said the prinepss, laughing nervously, fortifications and sea apprincipal this Mr. Hardy. Now. if you could proaches. All the time I was thinking talk to the women like that, my clear of jou and wearing my heart out for rousih! Wete you not jealous of another sight of your " him ?" Yes! exclaimed the princess. This Jealous of his success Jealous? is most absnibing about the condiNot I. who know tions of affairs there. I mean. And witli a coolie girl a- you Eliabetha, what conelusion did )ou anno at, my sut li women "But this Japanese girl. Ths is in dear cousin? Nothing, Except That s d I" Cheering Up. When your work seems to be going wrong," says a woman who mixes practical philosophy with her work, "blow yourself to something nice. Go out and buy yourself a lovely dinner at a nice place, or get a new dress, or buy some flowers for your apartment. Yes, I know it will iost money, but the impetus it will give you in your work will amply reay you. When you see these things you will say to yoursell: Well, I'ru doing pretty well, after all, when I can afford to blow myself so, and when you feel that you are doing well you will do well." , Remarkably Brief Sermon. What was the shortest sermon? One of them at least Is attributed to a monk, w ho had to preach on St. Stephen's day. Jusi before he began his brother monks intimated quietly that they were very hungry and would be obliged if he would get his sermon through as quickly as possible. So ho began: "My brethren, a year has passed to day since 1' set forth to you all that there is to say about this day's saint. As have not heard that he has done ant thing new since last for me to say tear, it is unneeest-ar- t And there the ser-n- i tint thing fuither. 1 n I Uued. |