Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-07-12
CHAPTER XII.
THE SEARCH FOR THE FuG1TIyEs-rHE
HAYROAT sTApra

,
y iIg down the wharf.
\ r"Ho, there, on board this hayboat!.
shouted the officer.
Masters, am here" said Charka
rubbing his eyes and blinking in the
light Of the lanterns they carried.
has happened?"
"a prisoner Of the car has escaped!
Assisted by woman who is traitor.
he escaped from the prison at Tihis
tonight and must be, with his compan-
ion, somewhere in the city"
81 "Well. am the prisoner" H..
! mo, you pig" "
Gam I, then, the woman?'
"Curses upon you'll"
why am I awakened with these
shouts? Tam peaceful man from Ash
Ss;f2r, trying to sell my hay"
"Oh, your hay!" shouted one of the
soldiers, with laugh. with the bust.
ness of finding prisoner of state on
i our minds, we must think of your hay"
4 AS he spoke he thrust his bayonet deep
into the hay.
"By the GODS" exclaimed another,
shat is an idea! This man is from
A.Astrakhan and would no doubt assist
~ihe American to escape"
\ "Shut your mouth, foolw said the Of.
f1cer. "There is no American. 1t was
a Russian who escaped"
i pardon! I forgot. But the Astra-
khans do not love the car
4 "How much you love the czarw re-
yRbaied Charka. 1T is fear, not loyalty,
|tthat makes you curse me and stab my
hay"
by heaven, we will stab you! What
did you come to Tifis for?"
\ ITO sell my hay. 1t has been pur-
chased, but not yet paid for"
y "Insolent pig! And do you think we
want hay from your"
1T is for beasts of higher class /
keep my hay" said Charka calmly.
" A volley of curses answered him and
Va bayonet pricked his leg.
Charge the hayw said the officer.
''They may be hiding in it."
Burn the hay!'' laughed soldier.
TThat will settle it, .1.l
NBurn it if you dare! / have some
/ thing in my pocket"
i "a pistol, which you would use on the
soldiers of the czar?"
mo; a passport to safety signed by
the governor"
"Do not burn his hay!' shouted the
officer as one of the soldiers made a
light by twisting wisp of the hay
into the flame of the lantern. I'VE are
Aafter prisoners. We do not wish to run
zhgainst the passport"
The soldiers were crawling over the
hay, jamE.ing their bayonets deep into
it. The officer was slashing it with his
sabcr.
Dogs of Muscoyites! When / get my
money, l will not stay in this place!"
"What is that?" demanded the Of
ficer, turning on Charia.. "You call US
dogs-we who are your mastersT'
You should tell the mollah that. Hc
would be pleased"
Are you a follower Of the mollah?''
"WhO else? 1t is SO written. Char
ka Of Ashkar was never false to the
faith"
Then leave Tidis. The governors
passport will save you from harm, but
In the name of the ear / command
you to depart at once. There will then
be no chance of your doing mischief.
We know the fugitives are not with
you now. But if they came you would
give them shelter"
Il say truly would do so IL they
came"
Loosen your boat from its mornings
and take yourself to the Caspian"
q But my hay is already Sold"
1T Is robbing no one There is plen-
ty of hay, and you say the payment
get the passport"
With assumed reluctance Charka
went to the door of his box, into which
two soldiers had goue to investigate,
and came out with two sleepy Astra-
khans
Behold the loving acts of the car,
our MASTER" said Charka to his men.
I'VE have sold our hay. but before
payment is made we are commanded
to go to the Caspian"
ut will destroy the hay. There will
be no profit from the fair" said one.
Profits! You want profits from a
fair and get follow the molah against
the czar?" returned one Of the soldiers.
Charka made a sign. The men at
once began releasing the boat. amid
j the shouts and cries Of soldiers and dis
turbed boatmen all along the river.
Hundreds Of soldiers floc!lcd along the
wharfs, invaded boats, routing out
men and women that they might in
spect the most secret places.
Charka. grumbling and with much
make believe anger, slowly got under
way. The soldiers laughed as the hay
boat began slowly to descend the
stream. The boat was a most crude
affair. Its only means of propulsion
was great lateen sail, useless on this
quiet night, So the men resorted to
long poles, and the big boat crawled
along the bank.
The search throughout Tifis went
on. Generals and colonies, many of
Ahem informed for the first time that