Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1904-07-12
A SOLDIER OF
COMMERCE
Blu JOHN ROE GORDON
Copyright by r.. Toombs
CHAPTER III.
THE ROAT ON THE grin
Blu JOHN ROE GORDON
Copyright, 1909. by F. R. Toomhs


n II one Of the wharfs on the
IA Kur river, near Tifiis, q pc
culiarly shaped vessel lay
2SzY moOred. 1t was substantial
enough vessel for the purposes for
which 1t was used-t0 convey mer-
ehandise from one port OH the Caspian
o. its rivers to another. 1t had just
brought cargo Of goods to the bazaars
ct the fair. It had a high curved
PROV, with a strange looking carving
a. figurehead. 1t was broad amid
-ehips, and Mt the stern high deck Gov
cred the cabin accommodations. 1t
was manned by dusky sailors. and the
captain was Hassan, Turk from Con-
stantinople.
Hassan 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
nown III his home ut Stamboul and en-
10y himself. Unfortunately for Hassan
The trade had not proved as profitable
- no expected, because the Russian
government had given rights and priv
lleges concessions they called them
10 q German company to run line of
Steamboats, from port to port. Hassan's
aeld-or sea-of activity was therefore
limited to those occasions when the fair
ut Tifis or sudden rush of goods to
Astrakhan made the usual boats unable
TO accommodate the increase Of trade.
A caravan from Trebizond had
brought to one of the Caspian ports
vast amount Of goods for the fair, and
Hassan had succeeded in getting some
hf the overflow for his vessel. Having
delivered these goods to the Persian,
Russian, Jewish and Turkish mer-
chants to whom they were assigned.
be lay at the wharf trying to pick up
return cargo.
The night Of the day on which Hafiz
E6endi and Milk, from Bokhara, had
met, Hassan strolled on the upper deck
1t the stern of his vessel smoking q
cigarette. He was disconsolate and
was seriously contemplating leaving
the river and getting back to the Cas-
plan, for his chances of obtaining
oargo for any Caspian port seemed
slight.
Suddenly a figure clad in long
black coat, bent and bearded like the
usual trading Jew at the fair, stole
from behind the shadow of ware
house on the wharf and came cautious
u toward the vessel. Hassan, bracing
himself and pulling from the folds of
HI garments dagger, advanced to
he edge Of the deck.
eWhat DO you desire, stranger?" he
asked loudly.
'.fn the name Of Allah, hold your
eengusy' came reply in low tones.
II Il r.,
''By that voice should say 1t was
Hads Enendi," said Hassan hopefully,
ker he knew that II HaHz Efendi had
business that nscessitated disguise
5 would pay well.
II am Hahx," said the old slave trad
- % he walked upon the deck. "Are
ks alone7'
Sufficiently alone to talk. The men
Ire asleep"
~Let US sit down and talk. I have
come with an offer that no man who
e not q fool will refuse. Hassan, hast
ehou a wife?'
"Thou knowest well I have two"
Are they well cared for2''
II am poor and should have but one.
! was once better supplied with
ORealth."
s.As thought, my friend. Allah be
praised that you have 80 good a friend
10 I to think Of you at time when
your purse could again be filled. How
would you like to earn a Thousand gold
pieces Of IS piatters each by taking a
bertain person down the Kur to the
DaSpianf'
"By the prophets beard! A thou.
pand pieces Of goldi East thou come
70 make me rich1"
ut 10 that II what ask is done. A
thousand pieces OF Is piasters In gold"
I'm the name of Allah, what cargo
hast thou foundt''
a woman, one who will be prin-
bess. Harken, Hassan. In Tihis there
. certain young woman beautiful a.
goddess. Like marble statue Is she.
Pure white Il her skin and like velvet.
One caress from her lips would turn
tuu from the Koran. She is desired in
holy marriage by a certain prince"
"And she desires that convey her to
bis palace7"
May; she desires nothing. She does
not even know
"Why does not the prince ask her to
accompany him to his palace7'
For two reasons, Hassan. One is
That the prince 10 not here and would
not set his foot upon the dominions Of
The hated Muscovite. The other Is that
were he to do so the father Of this
Houng woman would spurn him, for
1hs Muscovite does not regard his ia
ther AZ king"
Thou speakest either Of the khan of
1hiya or his enemy, the ameer of
Bokhara.''
ut IL Of Bokhara I speak"
THAT Is sufficient. No good Mus-
covite would consent to that"
But this young woman Is not Nus
eovite. She IL Georgian"
"Holal That 10 different! A Geor-
Bian would sell his wife,"
This man will not. ! have In the
past tried to obtain from him the con-
ient to the marriage Of his daughter
with wealthy osmanli. He will not
consent"
He hates usY
"Perhaps. 1t is not that alone, but
ehe loves Muscoyite, the hated ors-
kof, that captain Of thestMuscovites
who has watched us and prevented
Dur trade. She loves him. saw them