6
SYNOPSIS.
Prod "tick Hardy, a fashionable Boston
society man, lost his wealth, was jilted
I y a (firl anil sent by a friend to take
charge of an American Trading Company
store in Russia. On his journey through
Japan he met Staple-ton Neville, sup
pi Kedly an Knglishman. They agreed to
go together to Russia. Because of sus
picious circumstances they were several
times molested by the Japanese. Ilardy
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
pictures of forts, proving him to be a
Russian spy. Hardy departed for Rus
sia on a steamer, which was wrecked
shortly afterward. He was rescued by
u Russian steamer. On reaching Vladi
vostok he was well treated. He started
for Siberia, meeting Princess Romanovna
in the train. Hardy boarded a vessel for
Amur. Hardy showed the princess his
ixpertness as a ritle shot. The steamer
was stranded. The princess and her
maid were attacked by Chinese. Hardy
lived their lives. The princess thanked
Hardy for ids heroism. Manchurians
fired upon the craft. Hardy 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 tires 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. 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 his destination he took
charge of the trading company's busi
ness. Hardy received a letter from a so
cial leader in Boston nnd 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 Rotnanovna. Hardy 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.
Hardy discovered that It was a resort of
nihilists who supposed he was Felix Hu
iin, come to tell them of a powerful ex
plosive he had discovered. The real Hulln
arrived and denovinced 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 Hulin's
bomb, which lay on the table, and swore
to blow them all up together if they
touched him. Holding the nihilists at
bay. Hardy started to leave the room
when the police were heard at the outer
door, liulin threw his bomb, killing sev
eral policemen, the nihilists fled and Ba
■■rucl' »"le Je A', s. "''lenly appeared and led
Ilardy to the cella<v Baruoh conducted
Hardy through an uiK?«rgrpund passage
»o another house, from wti-eh he boldly
emerged and returned to his hotel. Hardy
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 Idm. Romanoff struck
Hardy, who Challenged him to a duel.
The Russian accepted. Preparations
for the duel were made. The princess
nsked Hardy to spare Romanoff's life.
Hardy purposely missed Romanoff, but
was himself wounded. Hardy was placed
in the hospital. Ho sent his servant to
the duel scene for a cuff button of Ro
• nnoff's, which he purposely shot oft,
lather than violate the princess' wish.
* ids lie sent to her War between Rus
sia and Japan was declared. Prince Ro
manoff was murdered. Hardy was ac
cused. Hardy's former servant, Wang
called upon the princess. Wang, re
vealed as Alsorne, the Japanese girl, con
fessed to the princess that she had killed
Romanoff, because he plotted to slay
Hardy. The princess promised help.
CHAPTER XLl.—Continued.
"It is sad," continued his majesty,
"very sad. but be assured that, al
though the rase is a somewhat diffi
cult one, full justice shall be done
The American minister has already in
quired about the matter, and has de
manded that the fullest Investigation
be made. These Americans are very
meddlesome. 1 am informed, how
ever, by the minister of foreign af
fairs that there will b<* little diflirulty
in establishing this llardy's t'uilt, as
he :« a dangerous character and has
a bad record."
The princess turned pale as she re
peated:
"A dangerous character? A bad rec
ord? Will you end for this record,
sire, that 1 may hear it in your ma
jesty's presence? For 1 come not to
apeak against this Ilardy, who is ac
cased of murdering my cousin, but to
plead for his release, to pray that jus
tice may be done!"
"You—to plead for him?"
"Yes. sire, for he did not kill my
rousln Will your maje ty grant me
the favor that I may hear this record
read In your majesty's presence? For
I know this Mr Ilardy, and I know
much that is good of him, and nothing
b. • Th' i r rang ale II and com
.Bunded a HI rvant to send A confl
duutial secretary to him. Five win
utea later an old malt entered, a stoop
Shomldei'eil (J |,| iiiun with a clean aha
veil face whose eyes denoted Infinite
shi' .vdne s, his manner Inilnltu ser
fllity.
"I'yplne." said his majesty, "can
you bring ta us luimediatt'ly the ret
otd ot the American. Ilardy, roaeern
in., v iiom the uilaUtMf ot foreign at
fairs was »i»uklng to ua the other
day"
Yes, sire," replied I'ypiue, '% cop)
tit-, ordered from ihn < hi«( of pullet
tar M<w u.v and U now in his excel
|t-fiC)'« J,,, . 1,1(111 "
lit it>ii It/' said the eiar, "liumedl
»Mv *
My pi an di-- appeared
While he is t'"ne >*" it.ay It II ua
wt .' iwi Immmm <>| thii Ibwlmi liar
d} and why you think he did nut a*
Kt# IMi «t' jf it ♦ I * 141 A* If 4
I t C !»«• It ft t nit» n in U*
tileon*** Mu(t< IftA tola own * uiASAlrjr,
tftUv# It** u< rt U 'QAAi
merce and retrieve his fortunes. My
cousin first met him in Japan. This
part of the story I have from Boris'
own lips. Boris, being hard pressed
by the police, put his telltale papers
in Mr. Hardy's overcoat pocket and j
tried to throw the guilt on hiin. The |
plan did not succeed, and Boris suf
fered many hardships, for which he
unjustly blamed Mr. Hardy. I first
inet him on the Amur river, where
I was captured by Chinese brigands.
He came to the rescue and saved me
from a terrible fate. This still fur
ther enraged my cousin, who loved
me and was jealous of any one who
served me in any way. He was very
brave, was Boris, and would have
saved me himself, but he was not
there —which certainly was not Mr.
Hardy's fault. On the Amur we were
again attacked by brigands, and Mr.
llardy, as well as my cousin, fought
like a brave man. In my house in
Moscow my cousin, who was of a vio
lent nature, insulted the American by
offering him money, and, when Mr.
Hardy indignantly refused and
knocked his check-book out of his
hand, struck him in the face. A duel
was fought, at which Mr. Hardy, at
my request, spared my cousin's life,
though he was himself severely
wounded. He has wonderful skill with
the pistol, and he shot a cuff button
from my cousin's sleeve, which he
sent me as proof that lie had com
plied with my request. My cousin
was boastful of having wounded Mr.
Hardy, and I gave him the cuff but
ton and told him its story. He became
transported with rage and swore that
he would not rest till he had rid the
earth of this man. He conceived it
his duty to avenge the outraged honor
of the Romanoff family, as he ex
pressed it. He thought he must kill
this man for other reasons," —here
the princess halted and blushed.
"Goon," said the czar, kindly and
much interested, "this is a most re
markable story! In it this Mr. Hardy
appears as a hero!"
"Sire, in Mr. Hardy's employ was a
young Korean boy whose devotion to
his master surpassed anything I have
ever before heard of. It was more
like that of a woman for the man she
loves when a woman really loves. This
boy—l am ashamed to tell it, sire
but now your majesty will understand
why I have wished to confide in you
alone—this boy heard my cousin plot
ting to kill Mr. Hardy. Your majesty
will understand that my cousin was
no longer a sane man; that rage and
—and—jealousy, perhaps, had ren
dered him for the moment irrespon
sible. The boy, fearing for his mas
ter's safety and believing that a Kus
sian nobleman had the power to do
anything he wished, stole into my
cousin's compartment at night and
killed him."
"Wonderful! wonderful!" said the
czar in a musing tone; "and are you
sure of all this?"
"Absolutely. I give you my word
as a HomanofT princess that it is
true."
"And the b"<v? Do you know where
he is? He can be given up to Jus
tice."
"The boy," replied the princess,
solemnly, "110 longer exists. Over- 1
whelmed with horror at what he had
done, and feeling sure that the police
would find and punish him, he has
made away with himself. He told me
that it was his intention to do away
with himself, and he has disap
peared!"
At this moment Pyplne entered with
Hardy's record. At the czar's com
mand he read It. rapidly and in a mat
ter-of fact, singsong tone. It con
tained nearly every act of Hardy's
life, except what had actually hap
pened within the four walls of his
sleeping chamber, since he had set
foot on Russian soil. He was accused
of sympathizing with the Japanese, of
having affiliated with Jews, of having
insulted the authorities at Vladivostok
l>y reque. ting tfiat the Imperial gov
ernment use it.s Influence to get him
a clt-an towel in the hotel there, with
having worn an oven out similar to
the one found in the nihilists' den on
the t \ cuing of the explosion of the
Krent hman's famous pill Further
more, he had fought a duel with the
I'rlnre Itomnnoff, In which he
had been wounded Thl« let fur
nix bed Hut motive for his alleged
crime, which, coupled with his SUN
picious record, left little room, in the
Itu.- xlim olfli iai mind, for doubt of his
guilt. Most of these points bud al
ready !<• • uvoverwd by the story told
by the prlncfsa.
"AH for th« overcoat.'* she remarked.
"If he continued tu wear It be could
not have left It, and your majesty
would uoa dint over, It your majesty
would stop for some tlnte Incognito la
Vladivostok, that the power of the
imperial government Is by no means
belittled when it Is a»ked to use Its
iitjlueiieu lu the procuring of a clean
tow.
The emperor aro*e and juressed bis
hand to his brow * < though be were
fcltffi-filig With h< ul|i». i<«
I.nil- I'atb. r." said Itom.iuovna
tills Until »itv»d ley life, lu 1 honor
There «r» l> «tur> • tu lie > •«» wbi> h
if It Is li led, do not rcAe. t tr*dß uu
iiny dead (outlni 1111 m tlrsut utf
!.»' Mr Hard) he fievd, and
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 1910.
/ K
' / _g,«
i Kon Al /
Pp A J
1/ Ki
il\
"Rise, Daughter," Said the Czar Kindly.
the report given out that the police
have secret proof of his innocence,
but are on the track of the real cul
prit"—and she sank again on her
knees.
"Rise, daughter," said the czar kind
ly. "We have already decided on this
course. It's a relief to know that he
is innocent, the American ambassa
dor is so troublesome. Pypine, see
that this is done. Tell the proper au
thorities that it is our will."
CHAPTER XLII.
Gray Ghosts.
That part of Siberia which lies east
of the great inland sea, Lake Baikal,
and west of the mighty Amur, which
here turns abruptly and bends north
ward, Is known as trans-Baikalia. The
Stanovoi range of mountains, contin
uing to the south, divides It nearly in
halves, forming a watershed that
feeds the lake on one side and the
Amur and its tributaries on the other.
I The trans-Siberian railway, the
great artery through which the blood
of Russia flowed uninterruptedly
from Alexandrov to Vladivostok and
Fort Arthur, pierces these mountains
at an advantageous point, and, pass
ing through Stryetensk, breaks into
Manchuria.
On a river in trans Baikalia that
runs for many miles parallel with this
mighty ant trail, a sledge was flying
eastward, drawn by three horses, all
abreast. The river was frozen to the
very heart and snows, drifting
i over it, had swept and polished
its surface till it was smooth
jas glass. Wrapped in furs and his
i head shrouded in a thick cap, the
i driver sat on the forward Beat, partly
protected by the high curving dash,
and managed the linen. On a low seat
, behind him were a man and a woman.
II also wrapped deep in robes of fur,
> while a third woman sat silent in the
bottom of the sledge.
Somewhere behind them the rails
had spread and the road had glveu out
• and the trains were halted while re
i pairs were made.
There Frederick Court I and Hardy.
lon iiis way to Stryetensk. had over
taken the princess, hastening to the
• front, undergoing all hardships. '-n
> tirely forgi tful of -elf. that she might
employ her strength, her fortune uud
I her high courage and example in the
| relief of her wounded and suffering
.' countrymen.
I i She greeted Ilardy with frank
frt> ndllliess, eiplaltu d her mission
; and told him thai he had arrived Just
II in time to help her carry out u plan
• of hers
i i 'We can take down the
> rlvt r,' she said "to |'< trovska Xav>»d,
i hh*r» I hate no doubt shall be
I able to cat< han outgoing train I
ohoiild hav Started before, but was
• j deterred by the 'act that—lhat in
! fact, t was afraid Now. with my gal
lant U<f«;uil«r of tli>! Amur, I shall
i hate nu hesitation Ingoing Will you
. I coute with us with my maid and
i j tue *"
r he r«(ilN-4 gravely, "| will
tigo 1 aiu overwhelmed by my good
fortune. It was too groat an honor to
be hoped for —that I should ever be of
service to your highness again."
The mere presence of this woman
transformed him from the merchant
into the courtier and polished gentle
man.
"You forget," she said, while the
ghost of one of her merry smiles light
ed up her beautiful features, "that
such things are to be said in French."
The maid, Hardy scarcely noticed.
She came out at the last moment, her
head covered with a fur hood that al
most entirely obscured her face, and
took her place In the bottom of the
sledge.
There were long desolate stretches
of snow, with here and there a house,
the roof covered with snow, nestling
among the white hills.
They passed occasional patches of
forest, the limbs etched very black
and distinct against the background
of snow. They had left the town about
two o'clock and it was half-past three
now.
"There must be a farm-house some
where near," observed Hardy, "if your
I highness feels cold. I saw a large dog
running among the trees a moment
ago."
Just then the driver pointed with
the whip toward the woods and
crossed himself. The princess also
made the sign of the cross, and said
quietly:
"Those are wolves! May the holy
Virgin protect us!"
Two large, gray animals with bushy
talis, that wero dogs and yet not dogs,
were seen Hitting among the trees.
Their tongues hung out of their
mouths, and as they glanced from
time to time at the sledge and its oc
cupanti, their teeth could be plainly
seen.
"Have no fear," said Hardy, "they
are so few they will not dare to at
tack."
At that moment a third Joined the
I two ami ran with thein. They ran
easily, tutting along as lightly as
I thistle down driven by the wind The
' driver arose In his seat and cracked |
: his whip over the horses' heads.
"lie careful, Ivan," said the prin
cess, "do not tire them out. ilow lar J
1 It IN yet to I'etrovska?"
"Twenty versts," he replied, "we
should make It tn something over an
hour. If the horses hold out It was
near here over a year ago that Kami
er (logo! was drugged from Ills sledge
by wolves and devoured 1 had no'
heard ol many being seen this year
The Virgin defend us'"
I'or at this moment tine of (lie anl
main emitted a long, mournful howl
the most dismal and terrible sound in
t nature
"I leg of your highness not to h<
i t'ommeiti •'! Hardy, but she laid her I
hand on his mm, and niiUpvM
J I.INI N'
Kar In Ihi deptim nt ib« forest an
. answering howl waa heard, Un« an
other, tnth«r away, and atlll others
both up slid down the rltm
tine uf tbe wolves, Hitting wlung
>. ih« bank, llfturt uy his volt e, tu be in
turn answered by a sporadic chorus
from the forest.
There were now six wolves in
sight, drifting out and in among the
trees like gray ghosts.
Soon one of these tripped lightly
through the snow down the river bank
and trotted along after the sledge on
the ice, like a faithful dog.
"They show no signs of attacking,"
said Hardy.
"They are famished," said the prin
cess, "but they are as patient as
death, and as intelligent as humans.
They are too few yet."
A second and a third joined the two
on the river, while the pack on the
bank steadily grew, and noiselessly,
save for an occasional call into the
deeps for help.
The maid sat motionless, without
looking up or stirring.
Ilardy lifted a rifle from the bot
tom of the sledge.
"I could kill one of them now," he
said, "and perhaps that would scare
them away."
"It is not time yet, my friend," re
plied the princess. "I shall tell you. I
am a Russian and I know when to
shoot. You must not waste a single
shot. Nothing would scare them
away," she added.
The isvoschik was using all his
strength to keep his horses from ex
hausting themselves in one wild dash.
Snorting with fear, they were tearing
down the long ribbon of ice at ter
rific speed.
CHAPTER XLIII.
The Gift of Aisome.
Not more than ten minutes in all
could have elapsed since the appear
ance of the first wolf, and they had
already gathered in terrifying num
bers.
"How far is it yet to Petrovska?"
asked Hardy.
"About 20 versts," replied the man,
"we can make It in an hour if the
horses hold out."
"But this is the same answer that
he gave before!" said Hardy.
"He means that it is a long way,"
explained the princess. "Twenty
versts —about 20 versts! I fear the
horses a not run so far!"
"Bu* ae wolves?" asked Hardy;
"will ey not also tire?"
"They are very hungry," replied the
princess; "they could run for ever!"
At this moment the entire pack
wheeled as if at a word of command,
and drifted obliquely down on the ice.
Some ran beside the sledge, a couple
of rods away, while those in the rear
came up closer. Though the mad
dened horses were going at their ut
most speed, their hoofs making a con
fused and incredibly rapid clatter on
the ice, the fierce, wild dogs simply
drifted, drifted along, without the
least seeming effort. The pack was
evidently nearly complete now, though
an occasional gray form would flit out
from among the trees, stand and look
with lifted head, and then join the
chase with a long, easy lope.
The little maid, crouched in the bot
tom of the sledge and bundled in furs
still remained motionless, speechless,
as though paralyzed with terror. The
princess sat erect, looking straight
ahead, the seal of a sublime courage
set on her pale, noble brow. The
blood of the Komanoff did not fear to
die. She turned to the man at her
side and smiled sweetly—more sweet
ly than he had ever seen woman
smile before.
"Forgive mo, my friend," she said,
"for bringing you into this fearful
danger."
"I thank God," cried Hardy, "that
I am here and nowhere else!"
His voice rang out with sudden fer
vor. with a sob of Joy.
"Thank you, my friend,' said the
princess simply.
"May I shoot now?" asked Ilardy.
Several of the wolves were close
to one of the horses, and were look
ing up at the animal's throat. This
was the horse that was running free;
he was crowded against the other two
' of the teum in his terror
"Not yet, not quite yet." replied the
prineesa, "they become maddened
when they smell blood "
A moment later u wolf darted sud
denly in and leaped ut the throat of
the horse, which reared, snorted with
| terror, uiid then bounded ahead with
; a sudden burst of incredible speed
Ilardy uroite, ami leaning against
th« driver s seat, took quick aim and
flreU at this particular wolf, the one
that had begun the atta< kin earn
i est. Me fell kleklllg Mild Writhing
on th" !«**• and Instantly the entire
pack huddled above and about him
snarling, snapping, scrambling, tear
! in? an Indiscriminate mass uf fur
; and fury, teeth ami hunger
"There are II ahota in the maga
i *lne. and live lu tbe revolver," said
j Ilardy, who saw a ray uf hope in this
act tun of the wolves "With care,
they should la»t us to I'eirovitka How
I tar is It yet to |*etruvska, Ivan * ' tie
I shouted
"About 39 versts," replied Ivan, "we
should reach It In •"
H«tii!y gfsiM e«l behind Th« atrug
gllllg, StlMSiKiy 111.45S »!■ »Hj| little
ion the Ice, but already sewal ue ui
bars uf tkw I'Si a had left It aud were
taking up the chase again. He stood
watching them as they catne on in a
line, leaving the carcass one by one.
In legs than five minutes they were all
back by the sledge again, and the low
sun was shining on a white pile of
bones, that could be distinctly seen,
far back on the river.
"It doesn't take long," muttered
Ilardy, "if it must come."
Then he thought of the princess,
shuddered and breathed a prayer.
And still the horses ran on and on;
the sledge was light and they were
winged with terror. Again and again,
Hardy shot —shot as never before,
and seldom missed. The fire of bat
tle was in his veins, that fierce and
deadly mastery of self that exalts a
bravo man when he both hunts and
Is hunted.
"Have courage," he cried, "we shall
reach Petrovska yet!"
But now the chase took on a new
and more dangerous feature. When
a wolf was killed, not all of the pack
dropped behind to devour him.
One, more bold than the others,
sprang up at the back of the sledge as
if to leap in, and Hardy, firing into
the open mouth, fairly blew the fierce
creature's head off. The flash and ex
plosion for a moment terrified the fol
lowing pack and caused it to drop
back. He turned and aimed at an ani
mal that was snapping at one of tha
horses, but, when he pulled the trig
ger, no report ensued. His face
blanched as he dropped the weapon,
and drew his revolver. The shots in
the magazine of the rifle were all ex
hausted! In this moment's delay a
wolf succeeded in fastening its fangs
in the horse's flank, and hung there,
snarling. The unfortunate steed
leaped forward with such violence
that the traces parted, and instantly
all the wolves were tearing at him,
pulling him down.
"God have mercy! God have mer
cy!" she groaned.
"Have courage," cried Hardy, "he
will soon be out of his agony, and I
think his death has saved our lives."
The two remaining horses did not
seem to notice the loss of their com
panion, as the sledge glided easily
over the smooth ice. They still ran
nobly on, though they were reeking
■With steam.
The sledge came to a bend in the
river, and for a moment its occupants
lost sight of the wolves.
"Perhaps they have given up the
chase," said Hardy; "perhaps, too,
they are satisfied with the horse."
But the princess shook her head.
"They will never give over the
chase," she said, and, at that moment,
a gray form flitted around the bend in
the river; two, three, half a dozen,
and soon 20 or 30 of the pack were
again about the sledge, leaping at it
and at the horses with sharp, short
yelps and snarls, their red tongues
lolling, their jaws flecked with blood
and foam.
"There! there!" cried the isvoschik,
pointing down the river with the
handle of his whip. "Petrovska!
Petrovska! Bless the Virgin!"
The rays of the setting sun fell full
on the dome of a Greek church, but it
was a conspicuous object and far
away.
A wolf was hanging to the neck of
one of the horses. Him Hardy shot,
and, leaning over the curved dash,
discharged his weapon into the body
of another that was clinging to the
other horse.
"Klizabetha," he said, turning to the
princess, his faco white but glorified,
| "that is the last shot. If tb re wera
but one more, we might rear Petrov
! ska. Here, with Death for witness,
| I tell you that I love yo In the
presence of Death, there ' no rank,
1 there are no princesses, no uerchants.
| 1 love you, dear."
She arose and threw herself on hi*
breast. Kor a long minute they stood
thus, clasped in each other's arms. Up
to lip. forgetful even of death itself.
The wolves came on again. They
ran snarling up to the rear of the
| sledge, for the last attack.
Then the little maid, seated on thn
floor, arose from her bundle of furs
, and tore the hood from her head. The
rays of the setting sun were shining
| in h<<r face.
"I.ook into my eyes once more." she
cried; "oh, let me look on your fu>e
again one long, last look!"
Ilardy raised Ills head
"Alsonie! Wang!" he gasped in
wonder and could say no more
"farewell, my beloved'" and her
' vtilo! soundi d like the voice of a
i priestess, chanting, "I give you to her
and to liapiHUi'itt I, who have loved
you ih< tie u!" and she leap**i| anions
the wut%e»
A path beuti'ii in thw si tew ltd up
the rii r bunk. Into the outskirts of
. IVtxn Ha, and up this tln« tired
Itoi i|u»lie<! ( their noble run at »u
I end
iUueral of the wolves followed even
|to I lie top »112 the bank. glaui-ed st the
houses and the villager* swarming
J Imii tlo m, and slunk away Oa« of
| th. hor»< *, his strung heart bursting,
(•it U' id I side kl> mate With t« us
»t iiiuug down his cheeks, llarty
"l ,|1 ' in the sii dge, holding tits
•we King priiio ** in ui* arms
I rut: KNU