The indicator., 1904-06-18

~
IA1 kur river, near Tiflis. a De-
31SI culiarly shaped vessel lay
~ moored. II was substantial
enough vessel for the purposes for
which 1t was used-to convey mer-
shandise from one port on the Caspian
O. Its rivers to another. 1t had Just
brought a cargo Of goods to the bazaars
at the fair. 1t had n high curved
DRow. with n strange looking carving
- a figurehead. 1t was broad amid
ships, and at the stern high deck Gov
cred the cabin accommodations. 1t
was manned by dusky sailors. and the
captain was Hassan, a Turk from Con-
stantinople.
HRs8an was man well along In
years and had taken to the Caspian wa
ter trade as the best means of making
sufficient wealth with which to settle
down in his home at Stamboul and en-
Joy himself Unfortunately for Hassan
the trade had not proved us profitable
- he expected, because the Russian
government had given rights and priv
ileges-cOnccssions they called them
to u German company TO run line of
steamboats, from port to port Hassan's
held-or sea-of activity was therefore
limited to those occasions when the fair
at Tifiis or u sudden rush of goods to
Astrakhan made the usual boats unable
70 accommodate the increase of trade.
A caravan from Trebizond had
brought to one of the Caspian parts a
vast amount of goods for the fair. and
Hassan had succeeded in getting some
Of the overflow for his vessel. Having
delivered these goods TO the Persian.
Russian, Jewish and Turkish mer-
chants to whom they were assigned.
he lay at the wharf trying to pick up a
return cargv.
The night OF the day on which Hafiz
Effendi and Milk, from Bokhara, had
met, Hassan strolled on the upper deck
at the stern of his vessel smoking a
cigarette. He was disconsolate and
was seriously contemplating leaving
the river and getting back to the Cas-
plan, for lis chances Of obtaining a
cargo for any Caspian port seemed
slight
Suddenly n figure clad In a long
black coat. bent and bearded like the
from behind the shadow of a ware
house on the wharf and came cautious
ly toward the vessel. Hassan. bracing
himself and pulling from the folds of
his garments dagger, advanced to
the edge of the deck.
what do you desire, strangerT' he
asked loudly.
"In the name of Allah, hold your
tonguer' came a reply in low tones.
cit is L.
by that voice l should say it was
Hafz Effendi," said Hassan hopefully.
for he knew that II Hafiz Effendi had
business that necessitated disguise
It would pay well.
81 am Hafiz," said the old slave trad
er as he walked upon the deck. Are
we alone?"
Sufficiently alone to talk. The men
are asleep"
~Let US sit down and talk. l have
come with an offer that no man who
II not fool will refuse. Hassan. hast
thou a wifeT'
Thou knowest well have two"
"Are they well cared for?"
II am poor and should have but one.
l was once better supplied with
wealth"
'As I thought, my friend Allah be
praised that you have so good friend
as l to think of you at time when
your purse could again be filed. HOY
would you like to earn thousand gold
pieces of % pinsters each by taking a
certain person down the Kur to the
Caspian?"
by the prophets beard! A thor-
sand pieces of gold! Hast thou come
to make me richT'
at Is til. If what ask Is done. A
thousand pieces of % piasters in gold"
''In the name of Allah, what cargo
hast thou foundf'
"A woman. one who will be a prin-
cess. Harken, Hassan. In Tifiis there
is certain young woman beautiful as
Q goddess. Like a marble statue is she.
Pure white is her skin and like velvet
One caress from her lips would turn
you from the Koran. She is desired in
holy marriage by certain prince"
"And she desires that convey her to
his palace?"
NAY; she desires nothing. She does
not even know"
why does not the prince ask her to
accompany him to his palacer'
For two reasons, Hassan. Ons II
that the prince is not here and would
not set his foot upon the dominions of
the hated Muscovite. The other IL that
were he to do SO the father of this
young womsn would spurn him, for
the Muscovite does not regard his fa-
ther as a king"
Thou speakest either Of the khan Of
Khlva or his enemy, the ameer Of
Bokhara-"
at Is of Bokhara speak"
THAT is sufficient. No good Nus-
covite would consent to that"
"But this young woman Is not Q. Nus
covite. She Is Georgian"
"Holal That ls differenti A Geor-
Gian would sell his wife"
"Tbis man will not have in the
past tried to obtain from him the con-
sent to the marriage Of his daugha8