| Show a A ME IL s V SYNOPSIS frarick hardy a rl boston society mn man lost loat him wealth was waa gilted lilted d ty a carl and st rit by a friend to to take 11 charce arge of an trailing trading company ditore in russia on chiv hiv journey through ator opan japan he trat n t neville nip op variedly odly i an englishman they agreed agree to ro 90 together to aas ot of sui bun tim clodi circumstances the they y were beveral ilmo fir by trio tho jap japanese ationo hardy blardy was s as eins frosted arroa ted anil and found upon his per person were vere papers iiii pera showing of 0 jap forts flardy was guiltless on a train tt to met alno of 0 a jap merchant nrc chant in neville hoe jap found of torf forts provi brovan Brov ln cilip to be tt it uin spy py hardy lep tried tor for itus 1 a an it a i was il I 1 ho dortly r aly ard lie he was liy by a I 1 iss a on leaching V adli catok 1 lir vu via wil tro d if alln tor for siberia ti tang Irl irenc nc va the ta train hardy boarded a veso tor for amur hinly tite primas printce print cM i expert neav fis as a rifle rahe abut tim h steamer was wa st randd rhe brince 1 I ner her abald bald were er attacked hy by chinese hildy e d their liv alve tho the vrin princess cess th pv ardy fin r y for or his herol mii gred upon the craft ardy blardy slew their thief Il arrows were hurled 11 upon pon the chun uh Un brcka at an attempt was blade anade to board the lh arl the attacking chinese were repulsed It omanoff Itoman orr snefrid rid nt iq Il Ilard ardys ya solicitude for lite hie princes zanka a mer senser rent pent for calp was waa trial led to a crone cro on n th the shore to put un an end bd to the awful torture etim F if aut stanka out ot of him in isery taking hla his own life in his hl hand hadida loret irea fires men owed bred the vessel hardy volunteered to ko 0 tor for help p lie he I 1 lumped pad 0 overboard bolom vrr rd and aej started i to wlm swim ih alin princes distress ito ho ianoff was waa hnery at hardy for or his brave brav brora I 1 to the prix icess ile he wooed wr shor in ills hin own savage wa woy he imald id gillardy had matle luve love openly to a jap tle girl help fame cam arid and the pric princes c wui vas rescued blardy journ on ft a raft journeyed ered arriving at his hi des C on lie he too took it harke chartre of 0 the trading company bual nea mean hardy v f dived a lettjr from a BO 0 acial leader in donlon bonton and another from rom Al alstone hardy took in It of n jew thus conne ling him himself elf in a war wal with that race raca I 1 hardy received a utter ater front fri ni the prin it thanking hint him tor his hi bravery Il ardys teacher was in danger dancer of 0 death ito he employed lvang wadig a an went want to Alo scow w oliero r is wa am invited to call upon tho the printess 11 lie started blurted tor for ahe th dalike home of 0 iraln icen hardy aroused unc count cou lite jealousy of his korean boy by announcing that na he wan going to rail call or on th ithe princess ile he engaged a cabman who drove win him to a largo boi on a eus poorly 0 ori tented 1 street after thet the house thirdy rd discovered da vera that it was wan a ol 01 oi lio lie sed tie will was pelix felix 11 allu u tin come to tell telf chent them of 0 m n powerful ex vlola lie hd had discovered the iche real llullyn arrived and denounced hardy a as an tin root tor th determined to kill alady in order to protect themselves vinding an unloaded unload sil revolver over vrr in n lit ht overcoat pocket it ha pointed it at liti lins bomb which lay on tho the table arid and wore to blow them all vp up together 1 it they bilm 11 the nihilist at tiny blardy started to leave rave the lutei ron room alc tlc 1 b goleco nolle wre w re bid b id at t the tha outer adoor 1 llullyn au itar thaw v lt lilii homb killing sev v itral ral policemen the tha libla fled and hn ruch the jev jes suddenly appeared and lod led to lo tile the coblar conducted clairdy through an underground pit boldly ito another antler house from froin which lie ho boldly merged end and returned to lila film hotel hardy altel ll tel the ahe prince contil buted to the tha jund fund for the r allet ijen of 0 the ho victims of 0 ahn ill lie ile rava mors than linn ahad the tha la lutito laferl ente i inn th the room m e ay iris insulted u cited terl it him rn 1 t dy nho ho challenged him to a duel jle abo hussin accepted preparation ifor the duel dud wt werft ra made the prine princess 41 asked ilroy 11 idy to spare Itoman offs life ike ilarda nely but purposely mas man lit i istl wounded was placed lin the lie lia him servant to he duel scene tor for a cuff button of rio R which ho li llo ily shot bot oft off arra buher it er it than an violate P tho the princess wish wib chis he ha sent to her CHAPTER murder and nd mystery hardy was waa able to leave the hospital on don february the first and return to ills hla quarters at tho the hotel where he was waa much more comfortable for the hos has vitals of moscow are inferior to those ot at other european Kur lur cities ot of equal size site tie ile was waa pale and weak but ills his appetite was good bood unil and ho he was gaining strength rapidly though lie he had come oft off second best in tho the duel to all ap yet lita his countenance had taken ou on a look not lit in any way char acler acte lEtlo c of the man who has been beaten or cowed by there was something new lit in lila ills eyes was oil an about his mouth that suggested rather tho the man who has fought a mental tight igat and won in his hia conversations with wang lie aio avoided all mention either cither of the prin cees or of tier her cousin ills ilia only desire was to close vp up the business in and get back to as soon boon as poa possible sible get back to tile tho warehouses anil and thu the great water highway that led eastward to tile the pacific ocean to that frontier ot of the vast russian that lien iles close to norea korea veland and scowls across the japan sea at nippon and its ita hive of angry buz ats bees in the preparations tor for do Tir Var ture the korean boy displayed a competency and assI assiduity dulty that were a revelation even to hardy lie ho super intended the shipment to of largo large orders of oe goods he be made valuable suggestions he worked till till all ot of the night hla his prin capal of 0 the labor of correspondence rand mud bookkeeping lit in addition lie he was waa A cheerful and even amusing companion whose brain was fertile in del lecato little attentions that mado made Il hardy ardys s enforced detention in the hotel less irksome meantime letters front einera and other advices advises were insistent tu to the effect that war was inevitable on the morning of tho the ath wang camo came into tho the and laid a paper town before Il clardy arly pointing without la word to a double leaded article with ficare Bc ara JAPAN jalan ENRAGED MINISTER betens inters nuna abo th elrado in a fit of 0 withdraws count kurono from the life Itu melan capital keppery tep pery ry ii unable to conduct the dalri balm dalm oni and dignified course hardy through the article fanci set act forth at length tile the Itus sian governments reasonable and righteous course as alleged by the th writer and tho the hotheaded hot headed beaded childish and unwarrantable ran table demands of the islanders well ho he commented even this does oot not mean war russia will simply wait she has always been wait ing and the japanese must strike the first blow it if they want war walt wait and see was wane only reply it was only two days later that hardy became aware that something extraordinary had bad happened toward evening even I 1 ng the city was seized with ex elt ellement ement some great some terrible news was in the air men were talk iam ng excitedly in the corridors corr ldora of tho the 1 lintel tel groups viero gathering in inthe ahe streets hoarsely shouting wang was out I 1 so BO hardy rang for a bellboy and asked him what was the matter matter cried the boy tho the japanese havo have captured port arthurl arthur 1 they have murdered christians they have sunk bunk the tha whole russian fleet treacherously falsely in the night the czar will send a great army and kill 1111 every cursed japanese on earth I 1 am going ivan sov BOV Is going wo we are all going curse the jap japanese anese I 1 my godl exclaimed hardy as the excited boy left slamming the door they are at it in earnest and the japanese have struck hard this means war indeed it the russian navy has been destroyed it means a war wang will be wild at this moment the korean entered but to hardys surprise he was not carried away by excitement there was a hectic spot on each yellow cheek and his eyes were burning but ho he was aalt self contained well wang said hardy you were right after all and the japanese have attacked I 1 have heard some very wild rumors have you learned anything definite yes replied wang what seem beem to bo be reliable reports have arrived the mi 5 fleet last night attacked the russian ships at port part arthur and sank tho the and the two of the heaviest battleships battle ships in the czars azars navy and the a cruiser the Ilus russians are very indignant naturally but they should save their feelings the japanese have hava only begun within two weeks after the breaking out of 0 the war during which time many disastrous blows were struck at the naval prestige of russia hardy was ready tor for tile the long railway journey back to wang secured a first class compartment for or his master and second class claas accommodations for himself and the two drove to the great terminal station which commodious building they found crowded with officers of every rank military officials and red cross nurses hastening to vladivostok and tile the front among these hardy noticed the gallant towering form of darts romanoff rio manoH attired in officers cap and cloak the prince was surrounded by a group ot of officers with whom he was waa talking ile ho noticed hardy and gave him a look of hate the american turned his eyes quickly away and busied himself with identifying hla his baggage and getting it aboard on the morning of the third day out front from moscow the prince was found murdered in his bis compartment lie he was lying peacefully sleeping Ble in his berth the last long steep sleep with a slender stil letto sticking in hla his heart CHAPTER wang as a witness this tragic occurrence occasioned tremendous excitement on the train which was stopped at the next a tation station and surrounded untied by a band ot of cossacks here it was kept tor for three days until a squad ot of police and detectives tec tives could be hurried to the scene from moscow numerous arrests arrest a were made find and many of the passengers were questioned separately wang was one of these theae examined lie was taken into a small bare room on the second floor of the station where sat a shrewd old man at a pine table lie he was flanked by two younger officers while a stenographer style pen in hand blind bent over a writing pad your name Is 13 wang said the officer it Is wang what just wang what Is your nationality 1 I nin am a korean you are in the employ of the alleged american frederick courtland hardy 1 I ani am in the employ of the american amerin a n frederick courtland hardy be careful sir do not be insolent do not attempt to amend the expressions of the court make a noto note there w witness very intelligent and inclined to be insolent got it down don very well how flow do you know that he be Is an american because ho be says he be Is oh all ald very well tell us what you know of the duel which w was as i fought on january 8 9 between this alleged american hardy and his highness the boris romanoff Ro manon speak the truth or it will be the worse tor for youl 1 I know nothing of the duel which your honor alluded to as having taken place placa replied wang the boy showed not the slightest sign of fear ills yellow face was wag flushed he be held his head high and looked the judge deft defiantly antly in the eyes you know nothing of it roared tho the latter do not attempt to deceive the court wo we know more than you think did not this hardy tell you that he had ought fought a duel with hla his highness 1 ho I lo 10 told me also that ho he was an amerlean american replied wang and since your honor intimates that his word Is unreliable make another note witness insolent did he or did lie he not tell you that such buch a duel had been fought lie ile did ahl ah he did that he be was seriously wounded in that duel as a result of hta his highness superior coolness and mark manship manah lp we know we also are acquainted quain ted with the causes of said duel that his highness was obliged to chas chaa use this hardy for presumption and insolence and that it was in accordance with the request of thu the princess ills his cousin that his highness shot him all this we know you must tell us what threats ot at vengeance the wounded man breathed out against the prince none at all your honor absolutely none at all replied wang turning pale as ho be saw the drift of the questions none at all alit but this ts is incredible we shall find means of making you speak the truth repeat those threats to us anil and bo be careful that you conceal no nothing thing lie ile not only uttered no such threats said wang but he even spared the worthless life of the prince w when hen he might have shot him dead this he did out of regard for the princess as he la Is a very knightly and perfect gentleman ile he shot on off roman offs cutt cult button which he be sent to her as proof of his wonderful skill and of liow flow he ha employed it on that occasion A pretty story atory laughed the judge do you not think so BO gentlemen T both gentlemen thought exactly as aa did their chief 1 I myself instated insisted wang went to the place of meeting at mr hardys request and picked up the cutt cuff button which I 1 gave into the hand of the princess who will I 1 have no doubt corroborate rob orate my statement the judge looked sharply at wang wane for several moments and the boy returned the stare defiantly lock the witness up again he ha co commanded mm and the order was obeyed wang wane was waa kept in close cloe confinement for four days daya at the and nd of at which time he was waa released and informed that nothing further was required of him by the police who doubt doubtless least regarded him as an unsatisfactory witness no lie found himself standing tandl ng alone on the th platform of a small ru rail way station at atlon facing the desolate snow allow covered plains la in the distance was a miserable peasant village with thatched roots the train the police all the passengers the mortal remains ot of the murdered prince were gone the boy asked a stolid faced stationmaster ehlt had become 0 of f his employer and the latter only shrugged his shoulders and turned away wang entered the station sat down on a bench and thought for a long time then lie he came out on the tha platform and walked doup up and down for an hour tor for two hours after which he entered the station and passed another hour on tho the bench though he had not eaten since noon he did not feel hungry toward midnight a man entered the ticket office opened the window and lighted a lamp wang stepped up to the window do you expect a train he be asked yes yea in halt fla an hour going which way to moscow 1 I tow flow much Is the tare fare the agent told him and the boy found that he had enough money with him to pay for a third class ticket and leave a few roubles coubles over sufficient to buy food lie procured red a ticket and when the train thundered up to the station he boarded it and soon was speeding back to the muscovite capital arriving there after two days meent 7 ad the prince was waa surrounded by a group of officers and three nights of agonizing suspense during which the ponderous train seemed to |
