The indicator., 1904-07-30

you Sit eair'y hero and say you would
go to Tinis to ask permission to rescue
the girl you claim to love"
Il am soldier Of the cxarr'
verify yoT are. and well have you
learned your lesson. am a soldier of
commerce. and love 1t, but I would
consider neither trade nor honor nor
citizenship against the chance of saw
Ing the girl I love. To the deuce with
patriotism that destroys love. OrskofY,
DO your duty! II you feel that 1t 10
your duty to take me and the robbers
10 This, do 80. and forever bid fare
well to Roura Biartelkis."
But what can I dot The girls are
by this time perhaps on Bokl,aran soil,
1t 10 against the orders of the car for
a Russian soldier to step foot In that
country"
"rinis is several days Journey from
here; Bokhara but 4 short distance.
Somewhere, in the clutches of the Bo-
kharans. are the girls you and I love.
Your duty calls you to desert them in
their need; mine calls upon me to die
Tor them If necessary. Rather than let
you take me back to Tihis I'll fight you
to the death"
orskoff stared. Harvey turned and
resumed his walk. He took several
turns and closely watched OrskoY. The
Russian was deeply thinking, his brow
knitted in perplexity.
stop" he commanded suddenly as
Harvey reached him again. "You sell
windmills. To no one save those who
employ you do you owe allegiance.
You come and go as you see At. You
are shrewd and brave and take your
wares to all countries and run risks of
death to promote the commercial inter
ests OF the company. You have spoken
Of your love. Under the whiplash of
your tongue l am torn In halves with
the bitterest conflict of my life. l have
led my company in battle and have
faced the enemy without tremor, but
that Is nothing compared TO the hell
that is surgins In my breast now. In
me, in this breast, there is conflict
that overshadows anything In my ex-
perience."
81 don't understand" said Harvey.
"You would understand II you were
Russian officer and at the same time
man In love. Remember, am per-
forming my duty when place you un-
der arrest and take you back to Ti6is.
You are n condemned prisoner who has
escaped. With your innocence or guilt
l have nothing to do. 1t is my duty to
take those robbers to Titis, and 1t is
not my duty to permit one of them to
talk. Yet. as against this duty, the
girl love is in the hands of the Bo-
khnrans. You, the man who is most
wanted in Tifiis. and these robbers are
the only men on earth who can help
me. For, once the girls are on Bokharan
soil, am helpless"
"Helpless?"
II cannot stir regiments to cross the
border. The order must come from st.
Petersburg. BY the time we get that
order the girls will be married to the
princes"
"That is what have been striving to
show you-the uselessness of your
duty in this case. claim your duty 10
to go after the girls"
Impossible! There 10 secret corps
for such work. am not a soldier once
of Russian soil unless sent there"
"Who asked you to be a soldier Come
with me. Let us rescue the girls. Alma
has really committed a crime, I sup
pose. but we must risk the danger Of
Tifis. I'll take care Of that part when
we get the girls"
"You would try to escape-wouId
even try to kill me to escape"
Nonsense. II you will assist In res
cuing the girls and let Alma Jurpie6
escape. l will go back to Tlf1is with you
and take my medicine"
you would risk death and disgrace
for the girl you love?"
Eyes. I'd risk hell for the girl
love"
"That is love! That is love! 1t is a.
feel myself. Let me think! What a
problem for a man to solve!"
He abruptly left Harvey. who sat
down, preferring to let Orskof work
out the problem himself. Orskon paced
gravely up and down, never once look
ing at Harvey.
"Have you a planT he asked sud
denly, stopping before Harvey.
"Give me your answer to the prob
lem you have set out to solve, and l
will give you the plan have thought
Of"
Again that monotonous pacing up
and down the deck. 1t seemed to Irons
as though the Russian was growing
older looking each moment. Again the
feverlsh eyes and working lips. 1t
came to an end at last. With a sigh
as II exhausted Orskon dropped into
the chair by the side Of Irons.
swell, I have fought the fight" he
said wearily.
"And wonT asked Harvey.
mo; God knows it is no victoryi I
have lost. My patriotism goes down
before my love. am a Russian. I
know the Russian cruelties to those
who defy the czar. I know the pitiless
rule that breaks the hearts and destroys
the lives of those who even permit Q
culprit to escape. Knowing this-know-
ing the punishment. the disgrace, the
horror Of treachery-I have resolved to
become-a traitorr
"a traitor! What nonsense!
Eyes, traitor to the czar! You and
I will soon be under the same con-
demnation. We will go together to the
very throne Of Bokhara II necessary
and rescue those we love or die in the
attempt. 1t IL settled. will not turn
bAckr