| Show OV ir ahe SYNOPSIS frederick hardy a fashionable doton boston follety man lost loit hlo his wealth was jilted gilted ay iy y a girl and sent by a friend to take harge of art an american trading company etoie or in rius gla 0 on his journey through alpan he met stapleton neville sup up addly oe illy an they agreed to 0 o toge together he to russia liec auRe of 0 run u heloun cincu malanca matanca x they were several almea in mes molta mol caled ted by the japanese Japa hardy cm as arrested and found upon him person r papers showing allowing knaps of jap forts va hardy r dy was wag proven on n train 1 a met alseme sane kano daughter yf or it L jap In merchant erchant in nevilles neville slices shoes jap f found 0 und curs of fortia ienir hint him to be a kultan ton apy pcr hardy pei trac tor for itus lla oa a bleamer Bt eamer which wax was wrecker shor shortly t in y afterward I 1 he le was trued b 1 1 14 kaslan lan steamer on reaching vidi oark it was weli well tre treated led it he lorti tartt d lor or siberia meeting princess in n the train hardy boarded it a V anfel for amur hardy showed allowed tajo novas his 11 tro pertness an a rifle shot the ino iraa as stranded the princess and lin lold aid were attacked by chinese 11 hardy a ady aved their lives live the princess thanked than keil hardy dy for his hi hero heroism lorn Manchur lair V ired ad upon the craft hardy slaw blew their hlf burning arrow were hurled upon he Push kins decks an attempt wait waa rada de to board the vessel the attacking h a were re fixed lloma itoman noB ort sneered it hardys ardys 0 bitda tor for the princes stanka a a messenger sent bt nt for or help wu was lold d to a crone crom on the shore to put an ind nd to the awful torture hardy himself pit ut tanka out nut of his nn misery aery wiling his wn irn lire life in hla his hands fleorent fires men wad the tha vessel hardy volunteered to ro tor for help refused permission ho he r bumped ro I 1 overboard vr V r board and started to swim wm irith t the princess din m fia ito ilo manoff ile was waa aary angry at hardy 1 for hla brave to rescue the princess ile he her bar in hla his own savage woy lla ile said hardy he had it maile lova openly war t to a jup jap sn ne apse karl 1 1 help came iland aarl tho the princes 3 wit win iacued rA Cued hardy on a raft raf t arriving at tile ills dea deaUn nation atlon ho he took charae of the trailing trading co companas comp anys busi bual kiib s herdy is a letter from a soa 0 olat le leader a r in lianton and another from ital e irardy took lessons in russian viso if a J jv jew v thus connecting liln relf in a way r with th that race hardy flardy received it 11 lott r from the prineas prin nets ceAB thriving hirn him tor or hia bravery hardys irardy a teacher was in tan baneer r of f death ile ho employed wang wane na its I 1 burvant ervist er vant hardy blardy went to moscow where ii he was invited to call cail upon the llo princess tie he started tor for the th palate palace horns home ot of prine hardy aroused unac countable soun bounta table his jealousy of 0 hl its korean borl boy by an noting that he w wait going to ca call 0 on tho the princess ila he a cabman who wh arm flroa him to a larg larbe house on a doorly poorly agh t d street after affre c rit ering the hauae ouse harily diar that it wim was it a trisect ok ot I 1 who aupp sed oBed he felix hulln alrh cone conc to tel telf thorn them of at a powerful ep explosive he had dirt discovered covered the real anil and denoun denounced eed hardy as art an im tor the nihilisms nihilists lists determined to kill lardy dy in order to protect themselves thenis elvea finding an unloaded revolver in his bin overcoat pocket he pointed it at trull trullis ns tomb which lay on nn the he table and swore to blew blow them all up toj toe their lher of it they f locha tou chol him at bay hardy flardy started to leave the room when the police ice were heard at the tha outer rol loor itu hulln n t threw liln his bomb killing a BV av v tra ral the nihilisms nihilists lists ld flad and baruch the jew suddenly gurt denly appeared and led tardy hardy to the cellar il ruch conducted hardy through nn an underground passade to another house from which tie he tin boldly tolly and returned to him til hotel hardy larel ll rel the prIn cems contributed to the tha fun und for the relief of the victims of the CHAPTER 11 continued the american was puzzled for a moment lie ile knew why this hand some amii daredevil russian tad bad subscribed so largo an amount that boris no komanoff manoff was waa touched by the suffering buffering of the poor was waa a thought to bring a smile to the faco face of any who chanced to know him hardy was waa not rich as wo we know ile he had saved a few thousands from ibis his fortune and hla his salary and profits from commissions brought him a respectable spec table income ito he held his pen for a moment suspended BB as he be remarked looking the princess quizzically in the eye your cousin la Is very tenderhearted tender tonder hearted Is t lie he not quite charitably disposed T ile he has haa responded handsomely has he not she replied rep llod carelessly but thero there was an amused look in her eye but ho he la Is rich and mind a little littie sum like this besides 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 1 she ehe gasped gasp exl my friend I 1 could not accept so sa much from youl you you have made some borne mistake herel here ile he adjusted hla his gold pince nez looked critically at the paper and read sotto voce frederick courtland hardy rubles 2500 no that Is 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 d and held the paper in her hand for some ome moments in silence looking at it the Amerl americans earin aro are as generous as aa they are brave she aha said at last in a low voice 1 I shall accept this noble gift on behalf of my poor people in whose name I 1 thank you at this athla moment a servant appeared at tie the door nud and announced lieutenant chakov 1 I regret that I 1 must bo be leaving you now said the Homan ovna but stay sany I 1 should like to introduce yon to the lieutenant ile he la Is a great admirer ot of america and americans americana show the tha lieutenant in aleko the lieuten lieutenant entered tall in hla his twenties very slender and handsome he was attired in the uniform of the tha imperial guards see q i the princess he bowed very low cl a 9 ing hta his heels hecla to together gother then he be walked rapidly to her and bending with exquisite grace graca und and assurance lifted her hand to his lips after which he ha turned politely find and inquiringly toward hardy who ho arose aleut Tle ut Gort chakov said the princess thia Is mr air hardy the brave american c whom you have hare heard beard in me I 1 desire you to be friends vl A adz he H became infatuated with a woman worn an of disreputable character it gives mo me great pleasure to make your acquaintance said the lieutenant extending hla his hand the pleasure is mine I 1 assure you replied hardy gen aen has already told me of your heroic deeds on the amur said the lieutenant 1 I have been hoping for some time that I 1 might have the tha honor 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 AIex Alex leET leff why can we not drive mr air hardy ly by the dazar bazar the lieutenant has a new pair of white arabian horses which he la Is anxious for me to see I 1 am sure that mr hardy can appreciate line horses 1 I shall be most happy replied the lieutenant it mr air hardy wi will 1 1 accept 11 oh I 1 nm am sure he will laughed the princess if be Is sufficiently urged she left the room and began to explain that he be was driving bor bar to a reception and that the sla bainsky would be on the way ile ho had not been talking over a minute when norla boris romanoff entered superbly handsome in evening dress an older man accompanied him romanoff shook hands banda cordially with dortcha kov whom he addressed ais aa alexieff and to whom he introduced his companion gen lie he did not introduce Kouko lalk to hardy hut but said to the latter with an evil insolent smile hello hardy hows trader trade dut but these chese americans are ile he explained affably to the general this follow fellow here Is a storekeeper store keeper who it seems Is working the russian nobility tor for all he ha ts Is worth your scheme now tell us a good fellow you shall have our influence with the princess she ought to bo be an easy mark under the circumstances cum stances eh general tito the american paled with rage but he looked romanoff full in the eyes returning insolence for insolence CHAPTER tho 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 bo be a boor upon my soul I 1 exclaimed gen Kou kolnik but this Is a very peppery merchant the generals cheeks and nose were adorned with a network of varicose veins the result 0 of innumerable deep rotations potations ions lons of vodka ire he was that anomalous combination an excitable fat man and he be had a habit ot of jerking so fiercely at his long pointed side whiskers that he pulled down tho the putty puffy of hla his eye disclosing the red conjunctiva flushed with rage fellow said he 1 I am not going to waste tiny any words worda with you I 1 grant brant you a certain degree of courage considerable sid erable shrewdness anil and any amount of insolence dut but you are making a sad mistake it if you hope to force your way into high society simply because you happened to kill a chinaman or two on the amur you may take advantage of my cousins good nature but you can not impose on the rest of us the best thing tor for you to do Is to accept a good substantial check for your services to the family and take yourself oft off how much shall it be and he pulled a checkbook check book from his pocket netter better tako take my advice and accept it now wh while e we are in the mood and the off offer Is open upon my soul exclaimed kou kolnik 1 I suppose that I 1 shall be offended at this later drawled hardy when I 1 get to thinking over it at the present you are too interesting as a study in ah ab 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 tar far have all been gentlemen 1 I trust this bore you alexieff Alex leff nor you general said romanoff but I 1 really must settle with tills this fellow once and for all and have it over with I 1 met him first arst in japan where he played me a low jow trick for which he be no doubt received money from the japanese authorities lie ile became infatuated with a woman of disreputable character there and ho he and the woman had me put on oil a boat ostensibly sailing for vladivostok I 1 soon found out that I 1 was to be imprisoned or put to death this fellow japan with his paramour and he came on here afterward at his leisure I 1 have had him watched since by the police and it is certain that he Is an enemy of the government and perhaps a japanese spy opy it Is known that ho he consorts with jews and I 1 strongly suspect that he is himself an american jew the romanoff family to Is unfortunately under certain obligations to him for which I 1 ant am offering to pay him liberally come now my man how much shall it be there must surely be b some mistake here said eald 1 I was introduced to mr air hardy by the princess who recommended him to me as aa a possible friend what have you to say to these accusations of tho the prince mr air hardy nothing replied the american save that it if wo we were not under the root roof of a lady I 1 should tell romanoff that I 1 can not believe that he Is mistaken you would have us think then suggested Gort chakoT chakov that he is if undoubtedly have a care cried romanoff raising his voice do not pros urne too far on the protection protect loa of the princess besst once more and tor for tho the last time 1 I ask you how much do you want 4 and he ha thrust the checkbook check book und under er hardys nose you are positively growing tiro tire some laid hardy and lt he flipped the book from Roma fingers so ao that it flew fluttering halfway half way across the room hell and furi furies esl exclaimed romanoff tako take that you son eon of a dirt dirty jewess and he be struck hardy violently in the face with the flat ol of lif hla hand the blow staggered the A american n e rican and left a number of red welts that contrasted strangely with the marble whiteness of his cheeks this insult must be answered for elsewhere ho be said in low even tones aleut Gort chakov I 1 am a comparativo comparative stranger here will you do me the honor of seconding me in this affair you 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 11 I am an american hardy explained p to Gort Cort chakov and the gen 1 I will pardon him rep replied aled hardy after he has fought me 84 according co riling to the custom among gentlemen in this country ile he has struck me and he I 1 must give me satisfaction what cried the princess oduel a duel 7 it to la against tho the law I 1 shall not permit IV it this jew this shopkeeper wants me to fight him sneered romanoff your highness has been pleased to express gratitude for certain services which I 1 have been fortunate enough to render you to express a hope that you might be able in tact fact to do something for or me in return I 1 now demand a gent lemans satisfaction for this blow it Is all that I 1 shall over ever ask from the romanoff family 1 I shall also pay you for or the blow snarled romanoff the tha princess glanced indignantly at romanoff then turned her eyes 1 I V my seconds will walt wait on you in the morning said hardy clemen of america earn their living by honest toll Alore moreover over I 1 am by birth and education a gentleman will you be my second Gort chakov caught sight of 0 a stately white figure standing in a distant door the figure of a tall woman wearing a long white opera cloak a coronet blazing with diamonds surmounting her regal brow ile he extended his hand to hardy 1 I will be your second he said are you mad said romanoff 1 I can not light fight with this low follow fellow this tradesman 1 I know mr air hardy through the introduction tro of the princess roman ovna declared Alex left that is quite sufficient tent for me you will either fight me or I 1 will horsewhip you on the public streets insisted hardy not raising his voice 1 I knew you to be ba a lar ilar I 1 did not suspect that you were also a coward gentlemen for shamel cried the princess advancing to the angry group her eyes blazing with indignation do you forget that you are in my house housa bless my exclaimed koukol nak it la is the princ princess essl 1 badamo I 1 humbly salute you and clicking his heels together lie he mado made a low bow ah good ei evening cousin coupin said ro manoff 1 I beg your pardon tor for this disturbance but really this fellow here la Is to blame I 1 offered to pay him for the service which he has rendered to a member of the family lie he knocked my checkbook check book from my hand band and I 1 very properly chastised his insolence by slapping his face As the head of the family it Is my duty to protect you from low adventurers I 1 demand now most decidedly that you bid him be gonel oh ob boris cried the |
