The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1904-07-06

1T one of the wharfs on the
IAI Kur river, near Tifis. a pc
1891 culiarly shaped vessel lay
l251$SJ mOOred. 1t was>a substantial
enough vessel for the purposes for
which it was used-to convey mer-
chandise from one port on the Caspian
or its rivers to another 1t had just
brought a cargo of goods to the bazaars
at the fair. 1t had a high curved
PROV, with a strange looking carving
as a figurehead. 1t was broad amid
ships, and at the stern high deck Gov
cred the cabin accommodations. 1t
was manned by dusky sailors, and the
captain was Hassan, a Turk from Con-
stantinOple.
Hassau was a man well along in
years and had taken to the Caspian wa
ter trade as the best means of making
sufficient wealth with which 10 settle
down i'm his home at STEAMBOAT and en-
JOY himself Unfortunately for Hassan
the trade had not proved as profitable
as he expected, because the Russian
government had given rights and priv
ileges-coucessions they called them
TO a German company 10 run line of
steamboats, from port TO port Hassan's
tield-or sea-Of activity was therefore
limited to those occasions when the fair
at Tidis or a sudden rush of goods TO
Astrakhan made the usual boats unable
TO accommodate the increase of trade.
A caravan from Trebzond had
brought to one of the Caspian ports
vast amount of goods for the fair, and
Hassan had succeeded in 'Eetting some
of the overflow for his vessel. Having
delivered these goods to the Persian,
Russian, Jewish and Turkish mer-
chants TO whom they were assigned,
he lay at the wharf trying to pick up a
return cargo.
The night of the day on which Hafz
Enendi and Milk, from Bokhara, had
met, Hassan strolled on the upper deck
at the stern of his vessel smoking a
cigarette. He was disconsolate and
was seriously contemplating leaving
the river and getting back to the Cas-
plan, for his chances of obtaining a
cargo for any Caspian port seemed
slight
Suddenly a figure clad in a long
black coat. bent and bearded like the
usual trading jew at the fair, stole
from behind the shadow of a ware
house on the wharf and came cautious
~ toward the vessel. Hassan, bracing
himself and pulling from the folds Of
his garments dagger, advanced to
the edge of the deck.
"What do you desire, stranger" he
asked loudly.
in the name Of Allah, hold your
tongue came a reply in low tones.
"It is l."
by that voice | should say it was
IIafz Effcndi" said Hassan hopefully,
for he knew that if Haiz Effendi had
business that necessitated a disguise
it would pay well.
Il am Hafz," said the old slave trad
err as he walked upon the deck. Are
we aloLeY
Sufficiently alone to talk. The men
are asleep"
Let us sit down and talk. / have
come with an offer that no man who
is not a fool will refuse. Hassan, hast
thou a wife,"
Thou knowost well l have two"
Are they well cared for?'
81 am poor and should have but one
was once better supplied with
wealth"
AS l thought, my friend. Allah be
praised that you have so good a friend !
as | TO think of you at a time when |
your purse could again be filed. How !
would you like to earn thousand gold !
pieces Of 25 piasters each by taking a
certain person down the Kur to the !
Caspian
"By the prophets beard! A thou
sand pieces of gold! Hast thou como |
TO make me rich"
ut is that If what | ask is done. A |
thousand pieces Of 20 piasters in gold"
I'm the name of Allah, what cargo |
hast thou foundT
a woman, one who will be a prin- |
cess. Harken Hassan. In Tiflis there |
is certain young woman beautiful as
a goddess Like a marble statue is she. |
Pure white is her skin and like velvet |
One caress from her lips would turn
you from the Koran. She is desired in |
holy marriage by certain prince"
And she desires that convey her to
his palace"
NAY; she desires nothing. She does
not even know"
why does not the prince ask her to
accompany him to his palaceY
For two reasons, Hassan. One is
that the prince Is not here and would
not set his foot uDon the dominions OF