Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1904-09-16
A SOLDIER OF
COM MERGE
BY JOHN ROE GORDON
Copyright. 1902. by +. Il. Toombs
CHAPTER XIII.


lT5I;7S] stan'Iy, Two of the men did
~ the polling while the third
man slept At times. under the cover
OF favOriug darkness. Harvey would
emerge from his hiding pnco. and
while Alma kept watch for pursuing
Russians Irons assisted with the boat
to give one Of the hardwOrking Astra-
khans n rest On the third day they
saw n boat ovcrlauling them.
We must keep wei! under cover till
that boat has passed Ms" said Harvey.
"What do you make it out to be. Char
kar'
1t was long low vessel. without
was propelled by fGur rowers. two on
each side" and fifth man sat in the
stern with II paddle to steer.
I'VE have nothing to fear from that"
said Clnrkn. "'rhHt is n Turkish ca
yik. Some rich merchant perhaps from
Constnntinoplc has brought his pleas
Ire boat all the way to the fair. Think
OF carrying Il boat across land"
"rhnt ,nny h" so or not" said IIar
vey. "A boat might be built at Tihis
after the Turkish model. 1t is safer
for us to be out Of sight"
The long boat came on rapidly. and
Harvey and Alma again crawled under
the hay,
Charka grumbled cnviously MS he
saw the four rowers bending to their
task The Turkish cayik seemed more
anxious TO avoid the hayhoat than
Charka was To avoid the cayik 1t
steered to the opposite side of the riv
er. the efforts of the rowcrS were dou-
bled. and at 4 burst of speed it went
by.
At night they We're within sight Of
the village Of Salan. Though it was
dark night. tharka, who had the
lives of his passengers in mind. for
bade them coming from under the hay.
The steamboat OF the Muscovites
has not yet returned mp the river" he
said. 1T is lying at Salain to watch
the boats that 30 out upon the Cas-
plan"
This was too much for the inquisi-
tiveness of Harvey. He crawcd to the
edge of the hay to observe what was
going on.
"Chnrkn." he said. that Turkish
boat is up to something. | notice the
Russian Is going to intercept it. There's
business of some kind going on. Get
nearer, that we may hear the conver-
8ation."
AS they came opposite the lights OF
the town they saw the Russian boat
shoot out from the land and in the ra,
lius Of the strong electric light in her
bow saw the cayik evidently trying to
escape
"They arc after the Turk! We are
In for it. too"' walled CharliH.
Keep a cool head. Charka." said
Harvey, Remember. precious life de-
pends upon your shrewdness."
81 know"
"Stop where you are" came voice
from the Russian. 1--WE will inspect
you"
Knowing the uselessness OF refusing.
launch, which had now steamed up
alongside the cayik.
ut is true. most excellent sirs,"
Turkish voice from the cayik was say
ing. Il am an Osmani. 1t is also true
that am Hafiz Effendi who once
acted as merchant in those goods the
men Of Georgia and Circassia had to
sell. l stole nothing, but when a ia
ther wished to place his beautiful
daughter in the house of wealthy
prince I carried on the negotia tions.
But that is all done Even the other
day a girl was stolen. but it was an
American, not an Osmanli. who stole
her"
'Yes. and we want that American
now" growled the officer in command.
What have you in those sacks?'
Nothing. excellent sir but some of
the goods took to the fair and which
did not sell. shall return to Astra-
way of the caravan"
''Go on" said the officer. and the
cayik shot away.
Nov, you" said the officer to Char
ka. Hello! 1t is that slow old hay
boat. We'll. my friend. where are you
goingI"
II. too, my master. am going to AS
trabad," said Charka.
Does every one who goes to tho fair
at Tiflis go from there to Astrabad"
"Not all. excellent captain; but at
Astrabad there are many caravans
gathering, and l can sell my hay. The
camels need it. To ascend the NolGa
to the big fair at Mini Novgorod wouio
take too long"
go en-. There will be fine min
Cling of races at Astrabad."
mo finer than at Titlis,' said CharRa
cs the hayhoat slowly drew away. THE