6
SYNOPSIS.
Frederick TTnrdy, n fashionable Boston
society man, lost his wealth, was jilted
by h girl and sent by a friend to take
charge of an American Trading Company
store in Russia. On his journey through
Japan he met Stapleton Neville, sup
posedly an Englishman. They agreed to
go together to Russia. Because of sus
picious circumstances they were several
times molested by the Japanese. Hardy
was arrested and found upon his person
were papers showing maps of Jap forts.
Hardy was proven guiltless. On a train
he met Aisome Sano, daughter of a Jap
merchant. In Neville's shoes Jap found
plot urea of forts, proving him to be a
Russian spy. Hardy departed for R us "
sia on a steamer, which was wrecked
shortly afterward. He was rescued by
a Russian steamer. On reaching Vladi
vostok he was well treated. He started
for Siberia, meeting Princess Romanovna
on the train. Hardy boarded a vessel for
Amur. Hardy showed the princess his
expertness as a rille shot. The steamer
was stranded. The princess and her
maid were attacked by Chinese. Hardy
saved their lives. The princess thanked
Hardy for his heroism. Manchurians
fired upon the oraft. llardy slew their
chief. Burning arrows were hurled upon
the Pushkin's decks. An attempt was
made to board the vessel. The attacking
Chinese were repulsed. Romanoff sneered
at Hardy's solicitude for the princess.
Stanka a messenger, sent for help, was
nailed to a cross on the shore. To put an
end to the awful torture Hardy himself
put Stanka out of his misery, taking his
own life in his hands. Forest fires men
aced the vessel. Hardy volunteered to
go for help. Refused permission he
jumped overboard and started to swim
with the princess' distress message. Ro
manoff was angry at Hardy for his brave
efforts to rescue the princess. He wooed
her In his own savage way. Ho 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 his destination ho took
charge of the trading company's busi
ness. Hardy 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 Romanovna. ilurily aroused unac
countable jealousy of his Korean boy by
announcing that he was going to call on
the princess. He engaged a cabman who
drove him to a large house on a poorly
lighted street. After entering the house,
llardy discovered that it was a resort of
nihilists who supposed he was Felix Hu
lin. come to tell them of a powerful ex
, plosive he had discovered. The real Hulin
arrived an«l denounced Hardy as an im
postor The nihilists determined to kill
Hardy In order to protect themselves.
Finding an unloaded revolver in his over
coat pocket, he pointed it at Hulln's
bomb, which lay on the table, and swore
to blow them all up together if they
touched him. Holding the nihilists at i
bay, Hardy started to leave the room I
whan the police were, heard at the outer |
door. Hulin thr«w bis bomb, killing sev- |
era! policemen, the nihilists lied and Ba- j
HK-ii the Jew. suddenly appeared and led i
Hardy to the cellar Baruch conducted |
Hardy through an underground passage |
to another house, from which he boldly |
emerged and returned to his hole). Hardy j
visited the princess, contributed to the ,
fund for the relief of the victims of the !
nihilists He gave more than Romanoff
had. The latter, entering the room, !
openly insulted him. Romanoff struck I
Hardy, who challenged him to a duel, I
The Russian accepted. Preparations
fur the duel were made. The princess
asked Hardy to spare Romanoff's life.
Hardy purposely missed Komanoff, but
was himself wounded, llardy was placed
In the hospital. He sent his servant to
the duel scene for a cult button of Ro
manoff's. which he purposely shot off, j
rather than violate the princess' wish. ,
Tins lie aent to her.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Murder and Mystery.
Hardy was able to leave the hospital ;
on February the first and return to hid i
quarters at the hotel, where lie was
much more comfortable, for the hog- j
pitals of Moscow are inferior to those
of other European cities of equal size,
lie was pale and weak, hut his appe
tite was good and ho was gaining
strength rapidly. Though lie had come
off second best In the duel, to all ap
pearances, yet hln countenance had
taken on u look not in any way char
acteristic of the uiau who has been
beateu or cowed by punishment. There J
was something new in his eyes, and
there was au expression about his
uiouth that suggested rather the man
who has fought a mental light and
won In his conversations with Wang
he avoided all mention either of the
princess or of her cousin His only
desire was to close up the business ill
Moscow aud g«-t back to Htryeteunk
as soon as possible get back to the
warehouses and the great water high
way that led eastward to the Pacific
oceau, to that frontier of the vast
Husstau empire that lit s close to Ko
rea aud scowls the Japan sea
at Nipix.n and its hlv«- of angry, bu?
sing bees In the preparation* lor de
parture the Korean boy displayed a
competency and assiduity that were a
revelation even to llardy He sunei
Intended t h:pin 1,1 ... si,.. i tug
of large older* oI goods, lie made vai
uable suggestions, |,„ worked mj „n
homs of i|.« night, ~|lc>,„g hi* pi in
Clpal uf the Übor of corres|tonduSte
sad bookkeeping in addition, lie wu»
a chuwiftd i t .1 an, ing com
pasion whuee brain *.. . fertile in d< I
liotd> * i ti<oi.e.i U' t.titiiun in tin iu>
Meant in to, Utters fiout Kiitwry snd
course, as alleged by the writer, and
the hot-headed, childish and unwar
rantable demands of the islanders.
"Well," he commented, "even this
does not mean war. Russia will sim
ply wait —she has always been wait
ing, and the Japanese must strike the
first blow if they want war."
"Wait and see," was Wang's only
reply.
It was only two days later that
Hardy became aware that something
extraordinary had happened. Toward
evening the city was seized with ex
citement. Some great, some terrible
news was in the air. Men were talk
ing excitedly in the corridors of the
hotel, groups were gathering in the
streets, hoarsely shouting. Wang was
out, so Hardy rang for a bellboy and
asked him what was the matter.
"Matter!" cried the boy; "the Jap
anese have captured Port Arthur!
They have murdered 100,000 Chris
tians. They have sunk the whole
Russian fleet, treacherously, falsely, in
the night. The czar will send a great
army and kill every cursed Japanese
on earth. I am going, Ivan Nekres
sov is going—we are all going. Curse
the Japanese!"
"My God!" 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. If the Russian
navy has been destroyed it means a
long war. Wang will be wild."
At this moment the Korean entered,
but, to Hardy's surprise, he was not
carried away by excitement. There
was a hectic spot on each yellow
cheek, and his eyes were burning, but
he Vas self-contained.
"Well, Wang," said Hardy, "you
were right, after all, and the Japanese
have attacked. I have heard some
very wild rumors. Have you learned
anything definite?"
"Yea," replied Wang; "what seem to
be reliable reports have arrived. The
mikado's fleet last night attacked the
Russian ships at Port Arthur and sank
the Czarevitch and the Retviian, two
of the heaviest battle-ships in the
czar's navy, and the Pallada, a cruiser.
The Russians are very indignant,
naturally, but they should save their
feelings. The Japanese have only be
gun."
Within two weeks after the break
ing out of the war, during which time j
many disastrous blows were struck at j
the naval prestige of Russia, Hardy
was ready for the long railway jour
ney back to Stryetensk.
Wang secured a first-class compart-;
ment for his master, and second-class j
accommodations for himself, and the (
two drove to the great terminal sta
tion, which commodious building they i
found crowded with officers of every j
rank, military officials and Red Cross j
nurses hastening to Vladivostok and !
the front.
Among these, llardy noticed the gal j
bint, towering form of Boris Romanoff,!
attired In officer's cap and cloak. The j
prince was surrounded by u group of'
officers, with whom he was talking
He noticed Hardy and gave him a look
of hate. The American turned his ;
eyes quickly away and busied himself ;
with identifying his baggage and get
ting it aboard.
On the morning of the third day out
from .Moscow the prince was found
murdered in his compartment. He
was lying peacefully sleeping in his
berth, the last long sleep, with a slen
der stilletto sticking In his heart.
CHAPTER XXXIX,
Wang as a Witness.
This tragic occurrence occasioned
tremendous ex< iteiuent on tho train
luxus, which was stopped at the next!
tation and surrounded by a band of
t'os-acks Here It was kept for three
days uutll a squad of police and de-1
teethes could be hurried to the scene
from Moscow. Numerous arrests j
were made aud many of the passen
gers were quest lulled separately.
Wang wus one uf these examined.
He was taken into a small, bare room
on the second floor of tho station, j
where sat a shrewd old uiau at a pine'
table lie was llaukd by two younger
officers, while a stenographer, st; to
gtuphi. p. u In hand, b« ut over a
writing pad
"Your name 1s Wang''' said tb> of I
"Il la."
' Wang what?"
' Just Waul "
'What Is yuur nationality*"
leg* a AMWrfe <n. Frederick Courtlaud
I am la (he employ of the Auierl ;
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1910.
"I know nothing of the duel which
your honor alluded to as having taken
place," replied Wang. The boy showed
not the slightest sign of fear. His yel
low face was flushed, he held his head
high and looked the judge defiantly
in the eyes.
"You know nothing of it?" roared
the latter. "Do not attempt to deceive
the court. We know more than you
think. Did not this Hardy tell you
that he had fought a duel with his
highness?"
"He told me also that he was an Amer
ican," replied Wang, "and since your
honor intimates that his word is unre
liable—"
"Make another note —'witness inso
lent'—did he or did he not tell you
that such a duel had been fought?"
"He did."
"Ah! he did! That he was seriously
wounded in that duel as a result of his
highness' superior coolness and mark
manship, we know. We also are ac
quainted with the causes of said duel;
that his highness was obliged to chas
tise this Hardy for presumption and
insolence; and that it was in accord
ance with the request of the princess,
his cousin, that his highness shot him.
All this we know. You must tell us
what threats of vengeance the
wounded man breathed out against
the prince."
"None at all, your honor —absolutely
none at all," replied Wang, turning
The Prince Was Surrounded by a Group of Officers.
pale, as be saw the drift of the qties-1
Hons
"None at all! Hut this is incredible*, j
We shall find means of making you
speak the truth Repeat those threats
to us, and be careful that you conceal
nothing."
"lie not only uttered no such
threats," said Wang, "but he even
spared the worthless lite of the prince, |
when ho might have shot him dead. I
This he did out of regard for tho prln- j
c.'ss, as h- is a very knightly and par
feet gen tie Ulan He shot off Itolira- j
off's i'.iff bull on, which he sent to her j
a.i proof of his wonderful skill, aud
of how he employed it on that oc-!
casion "
\ pretty story, this'" laughed the
Judge l*i )ou not think so, gentle
lu.ih g. iaieii.tn thought exauly as
did IM . hi- r
"l luy - 'lt," Insisted Wang, "went In
Hio pl.ee of Ho etlbg, at -Mi Hardy"#
reqie • and pi. kill up (hi « llff butt II
ces«. who will, t have no doubt, ior-1
luWalu my slsUMtießt."
way station, facing the desolate, snow
covered plains. In the distance was a
miserable peasant village, with
thatched roofs. The train luxus, the
police, all the passengers, the mortal
remains of the murdered prince, were
gone. The boy asked a stolid-faced
Btationmaster what had become of hi 3
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 he came out on the plat
form and walked up and down for an
hour—for two hours, after which he
entered the station and passed anoth
er hour on 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 asked.
"Yes, in half an hour."
"Going which way?"
"To Moscow."
"How much is the 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 over, sufficient to
buy food. He procured 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
nud three nights of agoni/.ing sus
pense, during which the ponderous {
train seemed to him to crawl like n
giant caterpillar over the vast stretch
es of virgin white, he found himself
again in the great station and hastened
Immediately to the Stnviansky Bazar I
The clerk recognized blin, and from
this clerk Waug learned that his em
ployer had been taken to St. Peters
burg and there lodged In prison,
charged with the murder of Ilurls Ho
manoff
'The proof against him Is clear," i
vouchsafed the self-important aud j |
voluble clerk, "and lam sorry for hint, j
though he deserves all lie will get. |
You will never se« him or hear front |
hiui again, lie Is, no doubt, at this mo (
uieni rutting away In a foul, damp .
dungeon beneath the rlw-r Neva, feed
lug on moldy bread and stinking wa ,
tor, and little of that. Prisoners thut, ,
run foul of the nobility in Russia! i
have a way of disappearing, and (iod ! -
knows what they suffer! Hut I feel j ,
sorry fur him, 1 say, lor lo was a ,
< out icons gentleman, aud llbural with ,
"Well, her highness consents to see
you, after all. Remember your man
ners, young man, and if you have any
begging scheme, don't impose on her
too much. She has a very soft heart."
Wang disappeared within the pal
ace.
CHAPTER XL.
A Princess and a Woman.
The Princess Romanovna received
Wang in a small library on the second
floor. She was walking to and fro,
with her hands clasped behind her
back, and her lovely brows knit in
thought, the while she dictated let
ters to her secretary. The boy's keen
glance detected that she was pale. As
he entered and stood by the door, si
lently waiting, she turned to him eag
erly and said:
"Well! What is this communica
tion that you have to make to me?
Do you bring me a letter?"
"I must see you alone," replied
Wang. There was something in his
manner and expression that could not
be denied. The princess turned to
ward her secretary, saying:
"You may leave the room until I
ring for you, Olga."
"But surely," protested Olga, "your
highness does not wish to be left
alone with this stranger? Let me
stay, I beg of you, to protect you!"
Romanovna smiled.
"I fear you would be of small pro
tection In case of danger. Besides,"
glancing at the boy's slight form, "this
young man does not look like a dan
gerous person. Go, I insist!"
The girl gathered up her papers and
left the room at once.
"Do you know where my master
is?" demanded Wang in perfect Rus
sian.
"Your master?"
"Yes, or my employer, If you will,
though I love to call him my master.
I mean the American, Frederick Court
land Hardy."
"Oh! So you are the Korean boy
of whom I have heard—his secretary?
No, my poor boy, I do not know where
he is, further than that he is in prison
! in St. Petersburg charged with a ter
rible crime, on presumptive evidence
j so strong that his conviction is almost
I certain. Was he a kind master to
! you?" asked the princess. "Do you
love him very much? Why, what is
j the matter?"
Wang turned an ashen color, reeled
I as if wounded and caught at the knob
of a door.
"No—nothing," he gasped, "just a
little faintness—the heat of the room,
perhaps. I am all right now. Mr.
; Hardy is tho kindest man that I have
: ever known —and the bravest and
truest gentleman that walks the
earth."
"I am glad to hear him so well
; spoken of," said the princess. Her
hands were still clasped behind her
back as she stood gazing fixedly at
Wang. "My acquaintance with him
would lead me to have the same opin
ion, were it not for this terrible accu
sation, so strongly substantiated by
evidence."
She was talking with this wonderful
boy as though he were an equal.
"And do you believe this accusation
—you, who love him? Shame upon
you! Does not your heart tell you
that he is innocent?"
It was now the Itomanovna's turn
to grow pale and stagger, as though
she had been struck a physical blow.
"How dare you?" she cried; "you
Insolent boy! Did he tell you that I
loved him? But no! He Is a gentle
man. He could not do such a thing.
Hut something, though it cannot be
my heart, tells me that be Is inno
cent."
"Then something tells you right,"
said Waug, quietly, "for he did not !
kill your worthless cousin. I killed j
him!''
"You—you killed him!" Her ex I
pression, as she said these words, de- j
noted perplexity, quickly followed by !
pity. "You poor boy!" slio erled,
"your sufferings have affected your
mind. Those little hands have never
committed murder —aud such a ter
rible uiuriier!"
"Listen," said Wnng, "and you will
understand ami believe. The Prince | j
Hoinanoff hated my master from the ,
begiunlng of his acquaintance with |
hiiu, because he could not make him
his tool. In Japun, where the prince
came as a spy, ho attempted to thro« ,
suspicion uu Mr llardy, but did not j
succeed in getting hi in Into any seri ,
ous trouble. His hatred was increased i
on the Amur because It was my mas f
tar who saved your life, aud not In 1
The uffitir of the duel, In which tie \ ,|
American figured as the real hero b> .
changed Ills Mllillioslty luto 4 rceui
iii. ill whii ii Mr Hardy's death alone
could have satisfied ,
tended for tlie car containing Roman
off and some of the nobles. I over*
heard the words, 'This Jew must die!'
and I knew that if a noble like Ro
manoff had determined on the death
of a man without powerful friends he
would accomplish his end. I could
not expose them, for how could the
word of a boy like me, a despised
Korean, stand against that of the
Prince Romanoff. So, to save the life
of my master, I killed Romanoff. I
crept into his compartment at night
when he was sleeping in a drunken
stupor and thrust a stiletto into his
heart. He sighed—a long sigh—
shuddered, and kept on sleeping."
"Who are you?" asked the princess,
"you who, for love, have done thiiJ
dreadful deed of hate?"
"I am Aisome Mosuro, known in my
own country as Aisome, the Fox. I am
supposed to be cunning, brave, heart
less and patriotic to the last drop of
blood in my body. I am in the secret
service of my country, and have been
one of its most trusted agents. I
speak many of the languages of Eu
rope and all the dialects of China.
And yet I am a woman—just a wom
an, who, at the chrlsmal touch of a
man's lips, find my whole nature
changed, and am ready to give up all
for him, friends, country, individuality,
yes, even life itself, happy only if I
can be near him, can serve him, can
hear his voice! I —when I think of it
all, I am ashamed of myself," sobbed
the girl, pressing a handkerchief to
her eyes, "but I cannot help it. I am
even now asking you to save me, if
you can, for his sake. I can never
see him again. He will know now
that I am not Wang, the Korean boy,
and, besides, my hands are stained
with blood. But he would be dis
tracted if he knew that I were in the
hands of the Russian authorities; he
would be unhappy all his life if they
were to kill me. For he loved Wang,
though he has forgotten poor Aisome.
I am asking you to save me for his
sake, and let me go away to my own
country. You do not despise me, do
you, and you do not fear me?"
"I neither fear nor despise you," re
plied the princess, sorrowfully,
"though I shrink with horror from
your dreadful deed. You are a worn'
an and a sister, and I will save you
if I can, for I believe you. Alas! I
knew too well my cousin's revengful
and violent nature. Listen! I shall
see the czar and use my woman's wits
to clear Mr. Hardy without giving the
name of the actual perpetrator. I am
going to Port Arthur to take charge
of a hospital there for our sick and
wounded heroes. You must remain
here in my house till I return from St.
Petersburg, and then go with me to
the sea coast, whence I will send you
across to Japan. I believe that Mr.
Hardy would wish this, and there is
nothing I would not do for his sake,
within honor. But if I find that It is
necessary, in order to save his life—"
" —to tell my name? Then tell It,
and I shall be here to say that you
speak the truth!"
CHAPTER XLI.
Imperial Favor.
The Princess Romanovnn was re
ceived by his imperial majesty in a
small room of the Winter palace, a
room which, equipped with graceful
and dainty furnlturo of tho sixteenth
century, was a cheerful symphony In
a delicate shade of blue. The fact
that she was a favorite at court, to
gether with her high connections and
her noble descent, through which she
even claimed distant relationship with
the Imperial family Itself, rendered It
comparatively *n«y for her to obtain
a private and informal Interview.
Mis majesty was standing when Ro
manov na entered, looking out of the
window on tho semi-circle where
stands the huge monolith In honor of
Alexander I. He turned, as her name
was announced and niuiled. She no
ticed that he was pale and careworn,
and that his expression, even as ha
smiled, was very sad. Her heart
went out to liiui In mingled affection
and reverence. She bowed low with
exquisite grace as his eyes fell oe \»er,
then to where he stt>od, and,
kne«Ulig. kins"d his hand lie
in! her to arlie, and, still ho'ding her
hand, led bar to a sofa.
' Sit, my daughter," h* said, "and
speak freely. There Is uone of our
subjects to whom we will give a more
iniluU:< nt ear than to yon," n*
dropped wearily 011 th« divan "rfli,"
he repi'itu il, us she remained respect
fully standing, "it is our command."
She Ml down on the divan, at sont
dlMtaiue from hl«u, and turned her
eye* OR him, waning for hliu to speak.
"You have our permission p*o
i t ed." lie said •
"I Co lite, sire," »hu begin, "to sj uak
to you o< M|- toxins, ijoria JU man
H(!S, d' tth slid to till ywt eometttlns
ol the man who is at fused at his mur
der the Atnerii -»n. Frederick four*
Ihl* . iiu r, 11 y daughter," said his
ut«j *ty. "I uudei sh.ud from the
> wne m u .tg«id ««
livj UK CO.NCt.UUk.u4