, 1904-06-01

and filling the other for MILK.
"Sit where you are, watching at al
times the door Of the large linen ba2ar'
opposite" said Hafz when the pipes
were smoking satisfactorily.
you will see-what you will see.
Milk kept his eyes on the oDJec'
spoken of by the Turk. The linen Da
zaar was larger, cleaner, better equip
ped and gave more evidence OIL pros
perity than any other portion or the
fair within sight. Bales of finest liner
were displayed. Near the end of a long
table could be seen I'm elderly merchant
in Georgian costume watching his sew
eral employees handle and sell his
goods.
"That, my friend from Bokhara,'
said Hafiz, us Ignatz Biartelkis, tho
richest merchant in Tifis."
"And will he supply that for which
I came?"
"He WILL"
"Good. Why do we not go to him In
stead of sitting idly here?'
For the excellent reason, my friend,
that he does not know he Is going TO
perform this generous act"
Milk shook his head again. He d1d
not understand this slow and laborious
method. His way, the way OF his peo'
pie, would have been to attack T1f1s
and take what was wanted. Milk had
not yet learned the power of the arm
hat reaches from st. Petersburg to
the Caspian. Suddenly he started from
his seat.
"Curses" said Hafiz. "You will be
shot, and you will have me shot by
the Muscoyite. There he is"
There she tsp said Milk breath
lessly. +,
There he is, as l have spoken. His
eyes are not now turned this way, but
hold yourself with calmness. Orskoff
knows things when he sees them"
At that moment the officer mention
ed, who had been sauntering along the
crowded street, stopped to speak to a
girl who had come to the door of the
bazaar of Ignatz Biartelkis. She was
a girl who would cause others than
Milk to stare. Her complexion was
like the blush of a peach. Her eyes
were black and shaded with long, silky
lashes. Her hair was long and fell in
a raven flood below her waist. She
wore a tall, bejeweled headdress that
made her seem almost statuesque.
From her shoulders a long, elegant
covering of lace barely hid a gown
that might have come from Paris. On
her feet were tiny patent leather shoes
from the bazaar of the Jewish trader
two doors away. Upon her fingers were
various rings-diamonds, rubies and
sapphires. Jeweled bracelets were up
on her wrists. Her form was elegance
endowed with human life. The COM
bination of the modern and the charac-
teristic dress of her people made so
charming a tout ensemble that all who
passed the bazaar paused to gaze at
the girl.
Would hat one content the mighty
prince of Bokhara 2" asked Hafiz slyly.
would she? She is tit for the wife
of a ruler of gods. Who is she?'
"That, my friend, is the daughter Of
Ignatz Biartelkis."
"Her name?"
"Koura."
"Sons of heaven! Would ne part
with her?"
Rather with his life"
"Then of what avail Is all our talk 2"
Hafiz noted the detected look on
Mizik's face.
My friend, thou art not experienced
in the world" he said. Il have spoken.
That is to be the wife of the son of the
ameer."
Our heaven born lord will load you
with the jewels of the EARTH"
81 intend that he shall. 1t is for no
small amount that l take this risk.
Look the other way. The accursed
Orskoff is turning"
AS the handsome soldier moved away
the girl smiled archly at him, and he
saluted her in courtly fashion.
81 will drink his blood!" muttered
Milk.
"Be careful, my friend, that he does
not drink yours" said Hafz. "That
man knows how to fight. His sword
is no stranger to the hearts Of his enc
mics. Come, let us 10Y along. l do
not wish to be seen too long opposite
that bazaar. There will be a stir when
the thing is known"
Again they went to the kahve kept
by the brother of Hafz.
"Let us, my friend, talk over this
matter" said the Turk after ordering
coffee.
Il came for that" said Milk shortly.
81 do not need to ask that your
mouth be kept shut" said Hafiz. "If
our purpose were known, it is possible