, 1904-06-15

X 1OLONEL JURNIEFF, the gov.
ernor of the prison at Tifis
lS5rv11 sat in his office, which was
G4Sg a portion of the apartments
allotted to himself and family. Ar
open letter lay beside him On a table.
A perplexed look was on his face. He
was a cold man, usually imperturba-
BILE, but something in the letter had
disturbed him.
May the devil take hat Americana
he said as he picked up the letter again.
I'VE think he is in Paris or New York,
and nov he turns up with his con-
founded windmills in Astrabad. What
is worse, be is going to he big fair at
Mini Novgorod. BY the gods. he is
enough to turn the entire secret police
upside down! Undoubtedly he intends
to meet Alma at the fair, as he did
last year. But, thanks to her fathers
wisdom, | have her safe here where
she will hear no more of that fellows
fine words"
He touched a bell and an orderly
came to him.
"Has a letter been written or sent
from my family apartments today?
"None, your eX%cellency."
HAS any been received"
"None. your eXcellency."
"You must be doubly watchful. 1
have trusted you thus far; | will trust
you further. You understand the cir
cumstances, do you notg'
81 think l understand, your excel
lency. There was IL bad. wicked man
one of those Americans who care for
nobody"
There was ~indeed-not only was,
but is. AS you are aware, he and my
niece, Mile. Alma, met each other in
st. Petersburg, where the fellow was
selling some miserable American in
vention to pump water with wind
mills. Perhaps the machines were
good enough, for he sold a lot of them.
But these two fools must fall in love
when my brother, General Jurnieff,
had already planned upon having a
prince for a son-in-law. But the young
people outwitted him and met at the
big fair at Mini Novgorod last year.
After that we sent the American out
of Russia, telling him if he ever re-
turned we would look upon him as
having forfeited the right to his coun-
try's protection and send him to Sibe-
ria or have him shot"
'That kept him out, excellency."
mot a bit of it! l have just received
a letter from my brother, who has
heard from one of our secret agents at
Paris, that the American is now at
Astrabad, in Persia. selling his wares.
and has said he was going to the big
fair at Mini Novgorod, which soon be-
gins"
HE is a courage-he is a fool, excel
lency."
you might have finished your sem
tence. He is a courageous fool. But,
thank heaven, | have the young lady
safe here in Tilis. If he expects to
meet her at Noygorod, he will be dis
appointed. / must send word at once
to Mini Novgorod and Astrakhan. 1t
may be possible to intercept him on
the way"
The orderly bowed and was dismiss
ed. A few minutes later a higher of
uCef eutereu. IL WAS captain OrShOu.
81 salute you, colonel"
Il am glad to see you, captain. You
appear to be happy. Has anything
new been discovered concerning the
missing Biartelkis and his daughter"
81 am glad to say we have recovered
Koura. We have captured the two whC
were taking her away. They will bt
brought here and locked up to avail
trial"
''Then Biartelkis was not really try
ing to sell his daughter?"
"We cannot make head or tail of 1t
Koura knows little, but believes In he
fathers innocence. Surely he did no
need the money. Moreover, he canno
be found"
as that rascally Turk, Hafz Effendi
in the city,"
Eyes. have placed him under ar
rest"
"If 1t was a slave selling affair, Half:
had a finger in it. He is a shrewd ras
cal. But who was it you captured
and wherep
Lieutenant Thokt, with the gunboa
stationed near the Kur. ran down 6