6
SYNOPSIS.
1 * Hardy, a fashionable Boston i
> ty man, lost his wealth, was Jilted
!J. a girl and sent by a friend to take I
charge of an American Trading Company j
store In Russia. On his journey through j
Japan he met Stapleton Neville, sup- i
posedly an Englishman. They agreed to |
go together to Russia. Because of sus
picious circumstances they were several j
times molest<il by the Japanese. Hardy (
wan arrested and found upon his person i
wrre papers showing maps of Jap forts.
Hardy was proven guiltless. On a train |
he met Aisome Sano, daughter of a Jap j
merchant. In Nevill. 's shoes Jap found
pictures of forts, proving him to be a '
Russian spy. Hardy departed for ltus- ;
n'a on a steamer, which was wrecked
shortly afti rward. He was rescued by
a Russian steamer. On reaching Vladi- j
voatok he was well treated. He started i
for Siberia, meetlrv; Princess Romanpvna i
on the train. Hardy boarded a vessel for j
Amur. Hardy showed the princess his
txpertness as a riile shot. The steamer
was stranded. The princess and her j
maid were attacked by Chinese. Hardy
saved their lives. The princess thanked
Hardy for ids heroism. Manchurlans
lired upon the craft. Hardy slew their !
chief. Hurning arrows were "hurled upon i
the Pushkin's decks. An attempt was
made to board the vessel. TK attacking
Chinese were repulsed, ilt una no fY sneered
at Hardy's solicitude for the princess. I
Stanka, a messenger sent for iieip, was
nailed to a cross on the shore. To put an i
end to the awful torture Hardy himself |
I>ut Stanka out of his misery, taking his ;
own life in his hands. Forest iires men- ;
aced the vessel. Hardy volunteered to j
go for help. Refused permission he
Jumped overboard and started to swim ;
with the princess' distress message. Ro- -
manoß was angry at Hardy for Ids brave
efforts to rescue the princess. He wooed
her In his own savage way. He said
Hardy had made love openly to a Jap
anese girl. Help came and the princess
was rescued. Hardy journeyed on a raft. ,
Arriving at ills destination lie took
charge of the trading company's busi
ness. Hardv received a letter from a so
cial leader in Boston and another from
Aisome. Hardy took lessons in Russian
of a Jew, thus connecting himself in a
way with that race. Hardy received a
letter from the princess, thanking him
for his bravery Hardy's teacher was in
danger of death. He employed Wang as
a servant. Hardy went, to Moscow, where ;
he was Invited to call upon the princess.
He started for the palace home of Prin
cess Romunovna. Hardy aroused unac
countable jealousy of his Korean boy lev
announcing that lie was going to call on
tho princess. He engaged a cabman who i
drove him to a large house on a poorly '
lighted street After entering the house.
Tlar<!> discovered that it was a resort of
nihilists Who supposed he was Felix Hu- j
lln, come to tell them of a powerful ex
plosive lie had discovered. The real llulin
arrived and denounced llardv as an im
postor The nihilists d< i. rmined to kill
Hardy in ord. r to protect themselves.
Finding an unloaded re\ olv. r in his over
coat pocket, he pointed it at Hulin's
bomb, which lay on the table, ami swore
to blow them all up together if they
touched him. Holding the nihilists at
bay. Hardy started t" leave toe room
when the ) .lie e were heard at the outer
door. Hulin threw his bomb, killing sev- ,
■ral policemen, the nihilists fled and Ra
fucji the J. w se- jl.nl • •• ip a red and led
Hardy to the cellar. Haruch conducted
Hardy through ail underground passage
to another houso, from v hi' h h" boldly
emerge.] and returned to Ids hotel. Hardy
visited the prinee.ss. contributed to the
fund 112 .r lie relief of the victims of tho 1
nihilists.
CHAPTER XXXlll.—Continued.
The American was puzzled for a
fnoment. He know why this hand
some daredevil Russian had sub
scribed HO large an amount. That
Doris Romanoff was touched by the
Buffering of the poor was a thought
to bring a smile to the fan; of any
who chanced to know him.
Hardy was not rich, as we know.
He had saved a fi w thousands from
his fortune, and his salary and profits
from comnii -ions brought him a re
spectable income. He held his pen
for a moment suspended, as he re
marked, looking tite piiucess quizzic
ally in the eye:
"Your cousin !s very tender-hearted,
is he not—quite charitably disposed?"
"H>' lias respond l d handsomely, has
he not?" . he replied, carelessly, but
there was an amused look in her eve.
"But he is rich and doesn't mind a lit
tle sum like thi.-. 15«itl< s, he knows
that I am anxious to make these poor
people comfortable."
Hardy s<; ibbled his name on the
pajwr and handed it back carelessly
to the priii' • 4.
"Ilut, monsieur!" she gasped, "my
friend, I could not a< cept so much
from you' You have made some mis
take here!"
He adjusted his gold pince-nez,
looked critically at the paper, and
read Hottii voce:
"'Frederick Court land Hardy, ru
b!es So, that is quite correct,
your iitghn> s. J httll take great pleas
ure In sending you a cbc< k In the
morning. You have little Wea of how
this can . appeals to no "
The princess flushed and held the
paper lii hei hand for some moments
In silence, looking at It
"1 he Americans are hi generous as
they ar. brave," he aid at Inst, In
a low vol "I shall ac. pt this noble
gift on behalf of my poor people. In
who •- name | thank you "
At thl * moment a rvant appeared
at the door and announced.
''Lieutenant tiortchakov!"
"1 regret that I must be leaving you
now," said the ttomniiovna; "but stay?
I should like to Introdui < you to the
lieutenant lie Is agn at admirer of
America and Ann •! leans. Show the
: .!
The lleuit naut entered, tail, in hU
• ■ '.in hd 1 -I . .
H..1 ill ' ..(i.e.l ot
• i- . •
he bow "d ' iy low. « ll< KlUl' hi < hi • Is
tog tU« I I hell tie . iked tplllly to
ill t ' lid l.tf .. ( • ■
lips. Alt.- ,vhii>h | |t turned politely
and Inquiringly to aid Hardy, who
glial.
"Until tiurU'balwtv, ' said the prlu
American, «4 whiuu you havel ard
Mi* i iMlrv >mu to Im (rlm4«.
}\ s v—^
%i l"I < , ») 3
/' m "
iii m
i - s__.
"He Became Infatuated with a Worn an of Disreputable Character."
"It gives me great pleasure to make
your acquaintance," said the lieuten
ant, extending his hand.
"The pleasure is mine, I assure
you," replied Hardy.
"Gen. Catkoff has already told me
of your heroic deeds on the Amur,"
said the lieutenant. "1 have been
hoping lor some time that 1 might
have the honor of meeting you. I had
no idea that you were in Moscow."
Gortchakov was a frank, ingenuous
youth, to whom the American took an
immediate liking.
"I shall leave you two together,"
said the princess, rising, "while 1 go
and get my wraps. Oh, by the way,
Alexir Tf, why can we not drive Mr.
Hardy by the Slaviansky Bazar? The
lieutenant has a new pair of white
Arabian horses, which he Is anxious
for me to see. I am suro that Mr.
Hardy can appreciate fine horses."
"I shall be most happy," replied the
! lieutenant, "if Mr. II ndy will accept."
"Oh, 1 am sure he will," laughed
the princess, "if lie is BUiilelently
urged."
She left tlie room, and Gortchakov
began to explain th:»t he was driving
her to a reception, and that the Sla
vainsky would be on the way. He had
not b< ' ii talking o\> r a minute, when
Hurls Homanoff entered, superbly
handsome in evening dress. An older
man accompanied him. Romanoff
shook hands cordially with Gortcha
kov, whotu he addn cd us "Alexloff,''
and to whom ho Introduced hi-s com
panlon. Gen. Koukolnik.
He did not introduce Koukolnik to
Hardy, but raid to the lath r with an
#*ll, insolent smile:
"Hello, Hardy, bow's trade? Hut
these American- at enterprising!"
Ik explained affably to the general.
"Tills fellow her# Is a stor>- keeper,
who. It Blu ms, I working the Itusslan
nobility for all he is worth. What's
your scheme now ? Tell us, that's a
I; ml fellow! Y".i shall have our iu
tluenco with the princess die ought
to be an easy mark, tinder the cir
cumstance#- eh, ri neral?"
Tlie American paled with rage, but
he look< d Homanoff full in the ejres,
returning Insolence for insolence.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Th« Princess Commands.
"Helms only u tuer> hailt," replied
the Americas, "I had It iih-i h .iry to
cultivate good luanti* rs lo a <*« rtaln
extent Were | a prince, I might also
lie a boor "
"limn my mil' . \>lailll'd (|e||.
Koukolnik, "but thts i > a u ty p"t*
•
' l.xeks ami Oi'Se were adorn* I with
a network of varico*t vt-ius, tin re
suit of innumerable d><-p |«rt:ttiii|t of
*odka ll«* that anomalous com
Miration, an * i- ltuble fnt man, and
he hud ti habit of jerking »<• ti< rcfl>
at hi*. biii. |iuiiiie,l t>ii|t4 ..to Iters that
hi pulled down th« puffy uud* rlid of
his eye, tltsclotting the re«| coujuitc
tin.
it..mall.iff Hushed With l iK"
"Kello*," ».»e| he, I kui not suing
to waste au» words Willi >uti I gram
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1910
! you a certain degree of courage, con- j
siderable shrewdness and any amount,
of insolence. Rut you are making a |
sad mistake if you hope to force your |
way into high society simply because j
you happened to kill a Chinaman or I
two on tho Amur. You may take ad- j
vantage of my cousin's good nature, |
but you can not impose on tho rest
of us. The best thing for you to do is j
to accept a good, substantial check i
for your services to the family, and
take yourself off. How much shall it'
be?" —and he pulled a check-book !
from his pocket. "Better take my |
advice and accept it now, while we I
are in the mood, and the offer is
i open."
"Upon my soul!" exclaimed Kou-j
kolnik.
"I suppose that I shall be offended '
at this later," drawled Hardy, "when i
1 get to thinking over it. At the pres
ent. you are too interesting as a study
in ah —zoology. I do not believe
there is such another boor and ruffian j
living in all Moscow as you. Certain-;
!y, the Russians of the better class
that I have met thus far have all been
gentlemen."
"I trust this doesn't bore you, !
Vlexi.-fT, nor you, general," said Ro
manoff, "but 1 really must Fettle with
this fellow once and for all, and have,
it over \*ith. I met him first in Japan,'
wher ■ he play.-d me a low trick, for i
which lie, no doubt, received money
from the Japanese authorities, lie be- 1
came infatuated with a woman of ilia
reputable character there, and lie and
I the woman had me put ou a boat, os-1
teiisiblv sailing for Vladivostok. 11
| soon found out that 1 was to lie iiu- [
prison, d or put to deuih. This fellow |
remained in Japan with his para tuonr.
and he came on here afterward at bis I
leisure. | have bud him vs.itched
t sine • by the police, and it Is certain
! that he is an enemy of the govern
inept, and perhaps a Japan. ' ,y
'lt in Known that lie eon oris vwth
J Jews, and I strongly suspect (hut h«
is himself an American Jew The |{ ( » ;
, manoff family Is, unfortunately, under
i it ii obligation to linn, [->« nl < h
! I am offering to pay him liberally I
i Come, now, my inau, how much hall:
It be?"
"There lll ust aurely be some nil* !
take here aid liort challos "I was
I Introduced to Mr. iiaidy by the prln !
1 ce. t, who recommended htm to iiu a» |
a possible friend What bate >Oll to
•ay to these accusation* of the prince.
I >lr Hunt) "
"Nothing," r* piled th«« A in* ru tn,
"save that if wu were not under its
roof of a ludy, I should toll Komaitoff
that I can nut L»* tt< ve that he la tula
' taken ■"
"You would have us think then 112
that b«> la undoubtedly lying!"
"Have a rare'" cried Hoittutiog.
rm lug hit vol«i< 'I Si not pr> uuie
1 too far on the protection of ib< prln
' reus' UHI m mote and tor ibe luat
time, | ask you, bow uus li do you
\ want V " and b« tlktust tfee ciu?cit imai
under Hardy's nuae
"You at.- positively grow lag ure
isltl Hardy, and b« flipped iIM
book from Romanoff's fingers, so that
it llew fluttering half-way across the
room.
"Hell and furies!" exclaimed Ro
manoff. "Take that, you son of a
dirty Jewess!"—and he struck Hardy
violently in the face with the flat of
his hand. The blow Btaggered the
American and left a number of red
welts, that contrasted strangely with
the marble whiteness of his cheeks.
"This insult must be answered for
elsewhere," he said in low, even tones.
"Lieut. Gortchakov, I am a compara
tive 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 shall have you kicked
into the street."
"1 am an American," Hardy ex
plained to Gortchakov, "and the gen
kIMA '!UMH
PPM I
if
> I/afflfe
• UL; ' '
"My Seconds Will Wait on You in the Morning," Said Hardy.
tleuien of America earn their living by
honest toil. Moreover, I am by birth
and education a gentleman. Will you
be my second?"
Gortchakov caught sight of a stately
white figure standing in a distant door
—the iigurc of a tall womau, v. earing
a long white opera cloak, a coronet
blazing wiili diamonds surmounting
her regal brow.
110 > xteuded his baud to Hardy.
"I will be your secoud," lie said.
' \t< sou in. nl ' lid Romanoff. "I
can not tight with this low fellow, this
trad, uiian."
' I know Mr. Hardy through the in
troducthm of the Prince „s lioman
ovna " ii. dared AleM> ff; that is nilte
sulllclent for ine."
"You will either fight me or I will
liorsi w hip you on the public streets,"
In*. Is ted Hardy, not raising bis voice.
I knew sou to be a liar I did uot
so tact that you were also a coward."
' ti. ntlemen, for nhatne!" critd the
prim * - j . adsaticlng to the angry
group, her eye. bluzlng with tudiKnu
tion. "Ito you forget (bat you are lu
my bouse?"
"files my soul!" eYclaiiio d Koukol
nlk. "it U th< princess! Madame, I
i humbly salute you' and clicking bis
I heels together, be made u low bow.
"Ah ' UiUg, coii III.' aid lt<>
maiioff. "| h**g your pardon for thl*
| disturbance, but really, this fellow
here Is io blame. I offered to pay blui
toi tt. i'l'slei wbli h h" b I i.'hd red
to a iio i.hr of the family He
knot k> t| my check book from my hand,
iiul I very properly chastised hie lu
adencti by slapping bin face As tbe
h. <td of the family it Is my duty to
i«roteci you (lout low adteNtm. re. I
demand now tuosi decidedly that yuu
bid btiu b .ion. '"
our own no .nth | MMtdwttts yo i it
'ou offen d tbis nii' io iii isi.n. y, |
tin obliged to decide thai h« did a very
vtnif ih. Ik book ftout your b.iu«l la
the lu%tn.i of Me- llulli.lto.l! t.oady. Ml'
Uatdy, I ask yuur paidott for ibia la
ull that b.< > bvett liM|ad on you ua
l»r Mtf Had! *
"I will pardon him," replied Hardy,
"after he has fought me, according to
the custom among gentlemen in this
country. He has struck me and he
must give me satisfaction."
"What!" cried the princess, "a duel?
It is ainst the law. I shall not per
mit 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 have been fortunate enough
to render you—to express a hope that
you might be able, in fact, to do some
thing for me in return. I now demand
a gentleman's satisfaction for this
blow. It is all that I shall ever ask
from the Romanoff family."
"I shall also pay you for the blow,"
snarled Romanoff.
The princess glanced Indignantly at
Romanoff, then turned her eyes
searchlngly on Hardy, who stood thorp,
white to the lips, rlßid as a statue,
looking scornfully nt her cousin.
"You must light hiiu, lloris," she
said nt lust. In u voice low, yet per
feetly distinct In the tense ■ilence.
Romanoff bowed gracefully, with an
evil smile.
"I shall kill him with pleasure, since
you desire it,"he said.
"My seconds will wait on you In the
morning," said llurdy. "Madame, I
am your debtor and grateful servant.
I have iho honor of wishing you good
evening"—and he walked from the
room.
CHAPTER XXXV.
The Princess Entreats.
In the preliminary arrangements
for the duel, Lieut. Oortcliukov r» pre
seiiti d the American with zeul and II
delity. Itomanoff'a geronda, fully
aware of llurdy's reputation for skill
with the pistol, objected to that
weapon.
•Why, bloM my soul!" exclaimed
lien Koukolnlk, "an exchange of bul
lets would he nothing Una than mm
der, and none of ua, as lluaahtng, could
peruilt »hut. ThU American could
-hoot hlii adversary through the h« arl
or between the eye# without the leaat
trouble In the world, aud hi* hntred
oi him U so great that he will certain
ly do It. We can't permit that upon
my soul, we can't?"
"CVic the time being," replied tiort
chukov, with nrutßeM, »hall forgot
that I nut a ltu» >uu, und shall demaail
juatlcv for the man who has a«ked
III" .11l I,Mil Nl\ in til I, I t
little or Ho knowledge of (he rapier
A <oiy htti n I' out rate •• with a*ord;<
aould ntcan Juat aa aurely hla deatrue
Hon Ho la, aa »«<u *»« II know the out
I raged party, and the < ttoice of w • ap
•MM should be hia. Itwtu.oiofr more
j over, It not unskillful with the ptatol
and there la Mi d«<ubt a* to Ibu >4«.>litj
<( Ml» *Vi
C'uiau.«t< l> for Uort. ti«k«»'g ton
teniiuit, the li.iuiu l. ut.oiiis, Koukot«j
, atk a a .<« tai> (•« lit >*»4 Hardy a rep i
upiin.u fur skill greatly nagg-faun
_ The I 11" *i* a pi> tmua, hi-,
urged, "a mere tradesman, who will
lose his nerve when made to stand up
and be shot at. Take rny word for it,
Koukolnik, his arm will tremble like
a dog's tail when you pat it on the
head. If it were I, I'd rather shoot
him down than dirty my sword on
him, and I've no doubt in the world
that Romanoff will feel the same. If
we insist on the rapier, too, when this
American is, as you know, the ag
grieved party, we shall be casting a
slur on our man's courage. No Rus
sian nobleman fears any adversary,
with any weapon."
By this time Koukolnik had taken
so many potations of vodka that the
bravado in this sentiment appealed to
him.
"You are right!" he cried, "and pis
tols it shall be. Prince Romanoff
shall shoot this tradesman down—he
shall not soil his rapier on him."
Gortchakov was jubilant over this
arrangement and he hastened to
Hardy's quarters in the hotel to tell
him of the success of his negotiations.
"All you have to do now," said the
dapper young Russian, "is to shoot
the great bully through the heart, or
between the eyes."
Hardy glanced at , Gortchakov's
flushed face. He was struck by the
eagerness of his manner, and his evi
dent delight at Romanoff's mortal
peril.
"Don't wait till he shoots first,"
counseled the lieutenant; "for he has
a sort of awkward skill with the pistol
himself. Take aim and shoot just as
you hear the word 'throe.' My associ
ate and I will see that you do not get
into serious trouble with the law. We
shall testify to the grossness of the
insult. The princess, too, will stand
by you. Whatever her feelings for
Romanoff, she is too much of a thor
oughbred to see an injustice done, and
she has great influence with the czar."
There was a slight break in Gort
chakov's voice when he mentioned the
name of the princess, an agitation in
his manner that suggested a possible
explanation of his hatred of Romanoff,
llardy remembered the adage: "All Is
fair in love and war."
The princess' beauty was of the sort
that breeds murder in the hearts of
men.
"If her highness loves her cousin,"
Hardy said, sadly, "killing him will
not make her love him the less, or—•
or—us the more. She is not the sort
of woman who loves twice in a life
time."
"She does not, she can not, know
what a worthless bruto he is!" cried
Gortchakov. "If she loves him, it
would be saving her from a iate worse
than death to kill him. And think of
the insult which he heaped on you!
And I assure you that you can kill
him with perfect safety."
Hardy laid his hand on the younger
man's shoulder.
"A gentleman does not think of the
consequences to himself when ho is
vindicating his honor. I shall settle
this score with Komanoff with a full
realization of all the aggravating cir
cumstances."
Gortchakov seized the American's
hand Impulsively.
"Pardon me, my friend," he said,
"I intend no imputation on your cour
age; but there are others besides my
self who are tired of this great bully,
Komanoff."
"When is the meeting to tak*
place?" asked Hardy.
"To-morrow morning at eight, In a
grove on the banks of the river. If
you will permit me, I shall call for you
at half-past -■ ven with my sledge, ami
shall drive you there."
"I shall be deeply Indebted to you.
And now, if you will take no offense,
I shall ask you to excuse me, as I
must get a good night's rest. There is
no metlicin-' like sleep, and plenty of
it, to make the hand steady and tha
eye clear."
The young Russian glanced at thw
other admiringly.
"You huvi the nerve of a Itu
"Or of an American." replied llariy,
smiling. "You will find me i<ndy at
T .o, and don't fail tu be on time. W«
must not he one second latu at this
rendezvous."
I,eft to himself, Hardy sat for a
long time milt his h< ad in hU hands,
thinking
t»f his ability to kill itumanog nt
the distance agreed on 30 paces—bu
hud not th« slightest doubt, tie was
a!-o a war* that lie SWXHI a chnnca
hlui»elf lit i • Ing vt led, or of losing
his life. Komanoff ' ajoyed the r»>pu*
tat ion of being a tail- shot, though
how much tbi* lie it to Ituaoia, llardy
had uu ueau . of Judging, Probably
nut niurtt, t«<' "Mints to American
standard,*; hut ■ u a poor shut vk ill
suuteflttw* hU tie tuark
Was the prim *» l« love Willi tior
n ii.' -"i'' I lardy U-ha I*4
thit* possibility in ilia tut ltd, the utore
It limit on He sh «p<! and tuugibk-nesa
of probability. That sho had com
manded the print e tu tight vk as Uu
■ SKIM of lu liiit . Mi.n l, ,«ud the man
she io\> d most be uo custard Mure
over, Hardy had t sk«n ad»aulag« of
her uti (ifiHi >ly s.Hd tu htiusoll slid
had claimed rultiillmnii ol th« promts*
t&at sfcw had lt.ud<- to hint.
(To KM CONTtM hU) «