, 1904-07-13

"Rematn tUhere p0u Gre!"
thinking that She was being embraced
by a man, repulsed Alma.
"Koura, do you not know Inc? l am
Alma J~urnieff"
alma Jurnieff! Am l. then. rescued
again by Russians?"
mo, my poor girl; am as unlucky
as you. My American sweetheart. who
was accused of abducting you the first
time and was thrown into prison at
Tifis t be sent to Siberia or killed,
escaped with my assistance. l wore
the uniform of the inspector general of
prisons, and by acting a part sue
ceeded in getting him out. We escaped
from Tifis while the alarm gum were
being fired. The soldiers even came
upon the boat where we were hiding
under the hay. A storm overlook us.
The captain of the boat was swept
overheard, and the other men deserted
in a small boat. thinking the American
was the cause of the storm. NJ. Irons
and |, left alone, have just been res
cued by the men ON his boat. At least,
l am here, but NJ. Irons is held on the
hayboat. They thought, as you did,
that | was a Russian officer"
~ know you are not now" said
Koura, putting her arm around Alma.
Il recognize your voice and face. Let
them know that NJ. Irons is a friend"
How shall | address them? Do you
know them well? When did you Gomez"
But a short time ago. | know now
hat the American had nothing to do
with my abduction. OF course you
know that my father has not been
found, and bad N home. l was lodg-
ing with my uncle. Dimitri Biartelkis,
and one night as | was closing his
house l was seized. hurried into a
drosky and taken to the river, where
! was put INTO a Turkish cayik."
You passed u.s." cried Alma. "but
we did not suspect that you were
there"
You could not. Even the soldiers
that camel thought they were look
ing for me, but they must have been
looking for you-were deceived. | was
thrust into a sack and placed under
several other sacks of meal and grain,
and they did not find me. Oh, this is
terrible. But NJ. Irons will protect and
defend u.s."
"Will he? demanded a short, swarthy
officer of the ameer's boat as he turned
Alma rudely around. Let me look at
you You have cut your hair if you
are a But you must be a WON
an, you are so beautiful. Since we
have had SO much trouble with your
accused Muscovite officers. and have
had to take the bride of our noble
prince twice, we will recompense our
selves by taking you also. Keep each
other in good cheer, for in a short time
the officers of our glorious ameer will
dance at the wedding of his son, the
prince. | will have the American, as
you call him, thrust aside"
Reaching the deck, he gave COM
mands to raise the anchor and set sail.
eve have accomplished that for
which we came and more" he said.
"The supposed officer is, as that fellow
said, a woman and a beautiful one"
What is that?" asked the heavy
voice Of an officer who seemed half
drunk as he came up to where the
group stood with their spears leveled
at Hsrvey's breast.
II report, Karakal, that we have ac-
complished more than our mission.
We received from Hafiz Effendi and
Milk the beautiful daughter of the
merchant Biartelkis, whom they as.
sure US 10 the loveliest young woman
in the world and a fitting bride for
our noble prince. Now comes this load
of hay on which two cried for rescue.
One is this man you see, Of a race call
ed Americans. The other is clad
In a Russian uniform, but proves to be
q lovely young woman, as lovely as the
other. She is on board. | have order
ed the ship to sail. Have / done
right?'
Yes. But let me see this last one."
He went to the cabin and gazed with
J delight upon the white and agitated