The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1904-08-31
I uonI see-rne connecuon. p

WITH rODDefy. several times the ON
GERS in charge of the money to pay the
soldiers have been robbed. We sus-
pected that it was done by some of
the mountain robbers and mistrusted
the Bokharans. But we could never
catch any"
'That's because you are a machine
soldier. The third section Of your po-
lice does not work that way"
"What wayT
without thinking. Pardon me, you
insist 1t is your duty TO so at once TO
Tifiis?"
Certainly, unless we can intercept
that vessel belonging to the ameer"
Suppose we do not intercept it? Sup
pose the rascals make a port in Bo-
kharaY'
"Then l must return to Tifis and ask
permission to enter the territory of the
ameer in search of Koura."
Harvey looked at him and whistled
"My friend, you accused me a short
time ago of not loving as you do. Yet
you sit calmly here and say you would
go to Tihis to ask permission to rescue
the girl you claim to love"
Il am a soldier of the cZarr'
"Verily you are, and well have you
learned your lesson. l am a soldier of
commerce, and love it, but l would
consider neither trade nor honor nor
citizenship against the chance of saw
ing the girl love. To the deuce with a
patriotism that destroys love. Orskoff,
DO your duty! If you feel that it is
your duty to take me and the robbers
TO Tiflis. do so, and forever bid fare
well to Koura Biartelkis."
But what can | do? The girls are
by this time perhaps on Bokharan soil.
1t is against the orders of the car for
a Russian soldier to step foot in that
country"
"Tifls is several days journey from
here; Bokhara but short distance
Somewhere, in the clutches of the Bo-
kharans, are the girls you and l love-
Your duty calls you to desert them in
their need; mine calls upon me to die
for them if necessary. Rather than let
you take me back to Tiflis I'll fight you
to the death"
Orskoff stared. Harvey turned and
resumed his walk. He took several
turns and closely watched Orskoff. The
Russian was deeply thinking, his brow
knitted in perpeXity.
stop" he commanded suddenly as
Harvey reached him again. "You sell
windmills. To no one save those who
employ you do you owe allegiance
You come and go as you see fit. You
are shrewd and brave and take your
wares to all countries and run risks Of
death to promote the commercial inter-
ests Of the company. You have spoken
of your love. Under the whiplash OF
your tongue | am torn in halves with
the bitterest conflict of my life have
led my company in battle and have
faced the enemy without tremor, but
that is nothing compared to the hell
that is surging in my breast now. In
me, in this breast, there is a conflict
that overshadows anything in my ex-
perience."
Il don't understand" said Harvey.
You would understand if you were
a Russian officer and at the same time
a man i'm love. Remember, | am per-
forming my duty when place you I'M
der arrest and take you back to Titlis.
You are condemned prisoner who has
escaped With your innocence or guilt
l have nothing TO do. 1t is my duty to
take those robbers to Titiis, and it is
not my duty to permit one of them TO
talk. Yet, as against this duty, the
girl | love is i'm the hands of the BO-
kharans. You, the man who is most
wanted in Tihs and these robbers are
the only men on earth who can help
me. For once the girls are on Bokharan
soil, am helpless"
"HelplessY
81 cannot stir regiments to cross the
border. The order must come from st.
Petersburg. BY the time we get that
order the girls will he married to the |
princes"
THAT is what | have been striving to |
show you-the usclessness of your
duty in this case. | claim your duty is |
TO go after the girls"
impossible! There is a secret corps !
for such work. | am not a soldier once |
off Russian soil unless sent there"
"WhO asked you to be n soldier? Come |
with me. Let us rescue the girls. Alma |
has really committed a crime, | sup
pose, but we must risk the danger of |
Tifiis. I'll take care of that part when |
we get the girls"
You would try to escape-wouid |
even try to kill me to escape"
trN L..
cuing the girls and let Alma Jurnleff |
escape, will go back to Titiis with you
and take my medicine"
"You wodld risk death and disgrace
for the girl you love"
Eyes. I'd risk hell for the girl l
love-"
''That is love! That is love! 1t is as
/ feel myself. Let me Think What a
problem for a man to solver
He abruptly left Harvey, who sat
down, preferring to let Orskoff work