Canyon City news. (Canyon City, Tex.) 1903-1908, 1904-09-02
A SOLDIER OF
COMMERCE
BY JOHN ROE GORDON
Copyright, 1902. By F. r. Toombs
BY JOHN ROE GORDON
Copyright, 1902. by F. II. Toombs
CHAPTER TX.
a CAPRICIOES WOMAN.

sss1J ColOneIJurnefr as he watch.
ed Prince DelinikoT and Alma swing
past.
Il don't know. This night is n revela-
tlon to me. All this year have been
obeyIng the commands of the general.
my brother. to keep the girl under
some restraint and careful watch.
My orderly is in love with her maid.
and through him | learn everything.
She has made no attempt to escape
nor to send or receive letters. The gen
ernl wrote that she was desperately in
love with an Objectionable man and
that he sent her to me till she consent
ed to wed the prince. Now she bios,
SONS out as a veritable coqucttc or else
she Is desperately in love with DelIni-
koff How do you read herr"
10 me she seems like a bird let
loose from disagreeable cnge," re-
piled the governor. Certain 1t Is that
she Ia the most fascinating young wo-
man this ballroom has ever seen Dell
nikon is to be envied."
"Rut the change is so snd0cn! How
do you account for it!"
Perhaps there is really no change
Young women Of the advanced type in
Russia are not what our mothers were
Then women We're even. deliberate.
and always the same. But now. Paris
has come to st. Petersburg. think
your niece has touch of the Partisan
spirit tonight. 1t is possible that the
girl never had any rcal opposition to
Delnikoff. He is rich. handsome and
no worse morally than any of our
young princes. Almost any young girl
would jump at the chance to marry
him. | think the girl has been mis-
~ understood"
Perhaps" said JurnieF. "It would
should become betrothed while Dell
nikOff Is here
"The general is n mighty power in
st. Petersburg. Should you succeed
where he failed. he would no doubt re
ward you by promotion"
"A garrisOned capital would be the
least he could give me. with the chev-
rons Of Il general"
"Truc Now let us conspire In n low
ing attempt to make these two young
people happy. You were young once,
Jurnieff: the same with me. With the
young, dclibcration chills enthusiasm.
Strike while the iron is hot! Bring
them out tOnight!'
Tonight? What does your excel
iency mean?"
Can you not see that the girl is
warming toward the prince? AS for
beauty. Why not make their betrothal
the toast of the supper"
III that could be done, my promotion
would be assured. Such an event would
cap the matter"
Then do It! Strike while the iron is
hot!'
Jurnieff spent many minutes think.
ing. If he could bring about the public
announcement of the betrOthal OF his
niece and DelnikOff at the governors
supper, the girl would not dare refuse
TO redeem the pledge. He saw Alma
8tulNlilS ulOiC lOi iIOiiSut huu WChI
to her.
"My dear niece" he said in his bland
est manner. ''yOu are charming tonight.
How have you changed so suddenly"
"Oh, one cannot he very charming
shut up In stupid prison. 1t is happl.
ness that gives one the power to
charm
"YoM have captivated everybody.
from the governor down. thought
you hated the prince"
Ibid I ever tell you so?"
"No; but your father wrote me to
that effect"
"And SO you kept me under surveil-
lance"
II - not exactly that. Alma, but l
perhaps misunderstood you and your
fathers directions. II have done
anything to make you unhappy during
your visit. | trust you will pardon me
and believe 1t was donc with an eye
single to your welfare"
You have been very kind. pre-
sumo II was the manner of my behav-
Tor that made you think | was unhap-
py; but. to tell the truth. I was an
cry"
angry At something I did?"
"You and my father. got so weary
Of the stupid story that was In love
with that American that l continued
10 act MS IL were. There comes the
prince Is he not noble In that splen-
did uniform? Had my father not been
60 cruel-well. there is no use rehears-
ing that"
But there is. The governor is infat.
uated with you. He has pet scheme
for the supper tonight. He has watch
ed YOU and Dellniko6. He says you
are the handsomest couple in all Rus
.;o