Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-28

Il
charms Of Siberia; the sun had been
lall OF fire ana the town al uneasy aust
heap.
| As a consequence the salons became
unbearable. and so the governor con-
vcrted the ample fiat of his roof into u
hit of fairyland. The Russian loves
Chinese lanterns and colored lamps
Here. when the evening was we'll adj
vanced. Macintyre found himself for
the moment alone. Around him was the
pleasant susurrus of light chatter and
the rustic If woman, sharpened By the
tinkle of careless laughter and the Inu-
steal clink Of ice in the goblet; below
him stretched the gray mystery of the
fornless plain and-liberty. Into the
cloudless sky the Young moon began to
swim, and by her light Macintyre could
trace the broad caravan road which led
| to UlugulsEi and freedom.
A light touch fell upon his arm and
the voice of Marie Borisovitch said:
| How sweet the moonlight sleeps.
Da, forgot! There is 10 bank, but only
music, moonlight and She paused
and dropped 4 mocking courtesy.
| Macintyrc faced her with smile Of
| q comrade. And l am SO dull, barish.
ma. that have to be reminded Of the
| Invitation"
She raised her pretty shoulders with
q little shrug. "You are not compli
mentary. The fact is, Mr.. Macintyre, "
looking down that he might not see the
| laughter i'll her eyes, you are suffering
from the bouran. A morning gallon
would doyou all the good in the world. "
lie understood the laughing mischief,
| but me answered her quite seriously:
"You think so: But have no hcrses.
and, what is worse, 10 enc else would
seem to have any--for GALE
'.Rozhe moi. how unfortunate. She
began opening and shutting her fan as
il that had been the one thing impor-
tant. Then suppose we shall not have
the pleasure Of your company next
week.
| Next week. barishna?''
ayes. Haven't you heard Of the
mighty question Of the pygmies which
has been keeping us all agog for i
month past:''
| ''Oh, you mean the quarrel between
the kirghiz khans which the governor
has been trying to appease."
| Which he has appcascd, thank good
ness! All the perfumes of Arabia will
not swecten this house of the kirghiz
odOr. "
And vet how happy could be un-
der one Of their Tapping tents. Twas
dr. aiming of it when you came TO re-
prove me. Look and he drew her
nearer to the silEen rope which ran
waist high above the coping Of the roof
look, what "a charming contrast.
Charming, indeed she answered,
with the contempt Of knowledge, land
you could prefer that to-this?" And
she put her hands behind her. "What
n pity you cannot examine those yourts
a little closer. If you could only 90 tc
this-what do your Anglo-Ind call
u meeting where there are races and
! "Gymkhaila, do Won m"an?''
| 'Ncs, that j. it. Next week the recon.
ciliation between the khans is to bt
celebrated by sort Of Tartar gymkha-
~. shall BE- there. and the kirghiz
are splendid horscmen.
And to the making Of horseman
so two things, u man and
She nodded. Macintyre looked at her
hard for further hint. but her dancing
eyes and smiling lips deiied inquiry
The Russian, girl as well as boy, is &
born diplomat.
Next day Macintyre provided himself
with complete Kirghiz outfit, from tn.
long WOODEN shirt to the kalal, a coa
Ike II dressing gown; Il tibetka, like {
polo cap, and shcepskin hat, like ;
guards busby. His plan was very sim
pie. He meant to go to this show, t,
which, of course, he had been invited
and then 10 slip away from the party
rig himself ont i'll his Kirghiz costume
join the Tcngri, and, papers or no pa
pers, carry out his mission
Accordingly Yermak, who had bee,
going and coming between the town anc
the yourts for three days, did not return
upon the night before the show. He VIZ
to lie perdu with his masters disguis
III clump of shrub geranium abou
midway between the town and tn
! yoUrts.
Early on the morning Of tie fatefu
day the governor and his suit, with
e guard of Cossacks, brilliant cavalcadc
c set out; the whole jingling, flashing
! laughing in the bright, cool air. Macin
! fyre-to the surprise of everybody. al
< most-had "A capital mount, and so WI
honored with Il place among the staff
t he was well surrounded there.
4 They reached the yourts about 9
. drank kouniss. lounged and smoke
: the cigarette Of peace.
AT came the grand event of tie day
e Within "A rude Enclosure of bushes an
/, camel's hair ropes, two lines of mounte
: kirghiz. each 20 strong. ranged then
i selves opposite tn one another. Benin
: each rank was a post, smeared black j
Il one case. red III the other The spcc,:
. tors were all outside: the governor an
= his party. the two khans, who glowcre
g 1T one another III tho most promisin
II way. and then n vast circle Of mel
women and children. every fat Tarta
r face aglov with excitement.
= Between the two mounted lines with
the ring sat a solitary rider. holding
- kid before him. He lifted the strucrlin
p, CREATURE once, twice, thrice. and al ~,
II 7 sry list II llca,a1 Az Pho ,L,., i,