Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-07-26

"Stop!" he commanded suddenly.
the other robbers would have killed
him, and he must feel some graft
tude."
But these fellows are shrewd. We
could do nothing with them unless we
granted them their freedom"
"And that, Of course, you would not
do"
; "No! 1 am an officer of the car"
"What do you intend to do with me?"
ut is my duty to return to Tiflis
with you and give you over to the au-
thorities."
"Just so. You are one of these ma
| chine made soldiers so common in
Russia-fight for the car and die for
yourself. Is that it? No.. that isn't
/ quite right-fight and die for the car
and to the devil with yourself; that's
more like it. Let's look over the prem
Uses. Take my own case in business
sense. l don't know where my wind
mills are. They were taken to Astra-
khan by that fool of German. Well.
/ supposing was at liberty to go after
them, the first thing would do would
be to outline plan Of getting as quick
! ~ as possible from where am at this
moment to the spot where I considered
it most likely would find them"
vi don't see-the connection"
''No, of course not. But tell me-
| what is your duty in the matter of
these robbers"
II have already stated that. must
take them to Tiflis and charge them
with robbery. Several times the Off
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 machine
soldier. The third section Of your po-
lice does not work that way"
"What wayY
without thinking. Pardon me, you
insist it is your duty to go at once to
Tiflis?"
Certainly, unless we can intercept
that vessel belonging to the amer"
Suppose we do not intercept it? Sup
| pose the rascals make port in Bo-
! khara?''
Then must return to Tiflis 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 Tifiis to ask permission to rescue
the girl You claim to love-"
81 am soldier of the carp
verify you are, and we'll have YOU
learned your lesson. am soldier of
/ commerce, and love it, but I would
| consider neither trade nor honor nor
citizenship against the chance of saw
Ing the girl love. To the deuce with
patriotism that destroys love. Orskoff,
do your duty! If you feel that it is
your duty to take me and the robbers
to Tifiis, do so, and forever bid fare
well to Koura Biartelkis."
"But what can I do? The girls are
by this time perhaps on Bokharan soil.
1t is against the orders of the car for
Russian soldier to step foot In that
country"
"Tifiis is several days Journey from
here: Bokhara but short distance.
Somewhere, In the clutches of the Bo-
kharans, are the girls you and 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 Tif1is 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 perplexity.
"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 ccme 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
or your Dve. Unuer the whiplash OF
your tongue 1 am torn in halves with
the bitterest conflict of my life. l have
led MY company in battle and have
faced the enemy without tremor, but