Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-07-26
A SOLDIER OF
|. COMMERCE
Blu JOHN ROE GORDON
Copyright f

before you take it. reflect. Just show
little common sense. If you have any.
; If you kill me, how do you expect to
find Koura!"
But you say you do not know where
she isl
81 said nothing of the kind. 1 said
did know where she was But did
not take her there. Take off these con-
founded irons, treat me like a man,
and will tell you what know"
Remove the irons" said the cap
tain. The lieutenant unlocked them.
Come with me alone" said Harvey.
Surprised, Orskofr beckoned to Ne
visky, who turned and walked away.
Beware" said Orskoff, how you
:. trifle with me-"
81 am not trfling with you. I am
the only man who can help you find
your Koura, and it happens that have
as ardent reason to want to find her
as you"
"You-you love her"
81 don't even know her, but one l
love is with her."
"Then you did take her away?'
NO. did not. know nothing about
Koura-that is, except where she is
this moment. But, before l tell, you
must first tell me how you traced me
] to the island"
| Orskoff made a gesture of impa-
thence.
"Koura had been living with her un-
Gle in Tifiis. I saw her every day,
and if was not on duty l spent the
evening at the house. One night was
on duty and did not go. stopped to
see her the next morning, and her un-
Gle, who was beside himself with ter
ror, told me she had gone out the night
before and had not returned. / knew
she had been stolen, and, as that was
the morning you escaped from prison,
l knew you had taken her. / searched
the river and learned that Charka's
hayboat had gone down toward the
Caspian. 1t was said that man and
woman, the woman disguised as a
man, had gone with Charka. I reached
the coast as soon as possible, but
could not overtake you. The launch
had gone before I made the discovery,
or all this would not have happened.
On the gunboat cruised everywhere,
using the searchlight at night. Last
night we discovered the hayboat and
\ at once went to the island"
II was on Charka's boat" said Har-
vey, "and if you had used any reason
ing powers you would have known
that it could not have been Koura who
was with me. You say you were told
that the woman with me was disguised
as man. Now. how could get Koura
in such disguise? When a woman
DISCUSSES herself, it is for a purpose.
Koura was stolen; she did not go Of her
own accord, as did Alma"
''You speak of Alma Jurnieff, niece
Of the colonel
Eyes. She assisted me to escape, and,
as our attempt was discovered before
she could return to her apartments, it
was necessary for her to fly with me.
On the Caspian the hayboat met with
disaster, and Alma and l We're left on
it alone. We drifted all night. SILVER
ing with cold and hunger. In the morn
ing we found ourselves under the bows
of long, black boat belonging to the
ameer of Bokhara."
81 know the boat. 1t is used to carry
goods to Persia"
"Not this time. 1t is being used to
carry Alma Jurnieff and Koura Bar
telkis to Bokhara. They permitted AL
ma to go on board, and 1, like fool, in
my excitement allowed them to know
| she was not what her clothing would
show. They would not take me, and
| the captain, whose name, believe, is
Rarakal, or something like that, shout
ed out to me that they had the daugh-
ter of Biartelkis and that soon both
girls would be the brides of princes"
us this true? Do you swear you are
telling me the truth? How did they get
Koura?"
"Hafiz Effendi passed us in a cayik.
He was intercepted at the mouth of the
river by the launch, and something
was said about sacks. They were per-
mitted to depart. Undoubtedly the
Turk had Koura concealed"
Orskoff spent several minutes in
thought. Suddenly turning to Harvey
he held out his hand, saying:
II believe you. l ask your pardon
for the insults have heaped on you.
This is terrible! Koura gone! A slave
to the heather ameer, and helpless to
aid or rescue her! 1t makes one mad!
l could drive this sword blade into my
hearth
| "Sit down and be calm" said Har-
vey. 1--WE can rescue Alma Jurnieff
and Koura or kill the men who marry
or harm them. Let us work the game
together. am starving. Give me some
food"
The food was ordered.