Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-06-17

10I hur river, near IlnlS, pc
Ns culiarly shaped vessel lay
S moored. 1t was a substantial
enough vessel for the purposes fol
which it was used-to convey mer'
chandise from one port on the Caspian
or it's rivers to another. It had just
brought cargo of goods to the bazaari
at the fair. 1t had high curved
Prov, with a strange looking carving
as a fgurehead. 1t was broad amid
ships, and at the stern high deck Gov
cred the cabin accommodations. II
was manned by dusky sailors, and the
captain was Hassan, Turk from Con
stantinople.
Hassan was a man well along In
years and had taken to the Caspian wa
ter trade as the best means Of making
sufficient wealth with which to settle
down in his home at Stamboul and en-
Joy himself. Unfortunately for Hassan
the trade had not proved as profitable
as he expected, because the Russian
government had given rights and priv
ileges-concessions they called them
to q German company to run line Of
steamboats, from port to port. Hassani
feld-or sea-of activity was therefore
limited to those occasions when the fab
at Tifis or a sudden rush Of goods To
Astrakhan made the usual boats unable
TO accommodate the increase Of trade.
A caravan from Trebizond had
brought to one of the Caspian ports q
vast amount of goods for the fair. and
Hassan had succeeded in getting some
of the overflow for his vessel. Having
delivered these goods to the Persian,
Russian, Jewish and Turkish mer'
chants to whom they were assigned.
he lay at the wharf trying to pick up q
return cargo.
The night of the day on which Hafi1
Effendi and Milk, from Bokhara. had
met, Hassan strolled on the upper deck
at the stern Of his vessel smoking a
cigarette. He was disconsolate and
was seriously contemplating leaving
the river and getting back to the Cas-
plan. for bis chances Of obtaining a
cargo for any Caspian port seemed
slight.
Suddenly a figure clad In long
black coat, bent and bearded like the
usual trading Jew at the fair, stole
from behind the shadow Of a ware
house on the wharf and came cautious.
ly toward the vessel. Hassan, bracing
himself and pulling from the folds OF
his garments a dagger, advanced to
the edge Of the deck.
"What do you desire. stranger" he
asked loudly.
I'm the name Of Allah. hold your
tonguew came a reply in low tones.
ut is l."
"By that voice l should say 1t was
Hafiz Effendi," said Hassan hopefully,
for he knew that If Haflz Efendi had
business that uecessitated a disguise
it would pay we'll.
81 am Hafiz," said the old slave trad
er as he walked upon the deck. "Are
we alone?"
"suficiently alone to talk. The men
are asleep"
"Let US sit down and talk. have
come with an offer that no man who
is not fool will refuse. Hassan. hast
thou q wifeT
"Thou knowest well have two"
"Are they we'll cared forp'
81 am poor and should have but one.
was once better supplied with
wealth"
"As l thought, my friend. Allah be
praised that you have so good friend
us l to think Of you at q time when
your purse could again be filled. How
would you like to earn thousand gold
pieces of 25 piasters each by taking
certain person down the Kur to the
Caspian?"
"By the prophets beard! A thou
sand pieces Of gold! Hast thou come
to make me rich?"
ut Is that II what I ask is done. A
thousand pieces of rs piasters in gold"
"In the name Of Allah. what cargo
hast thou found"
~
cess. Harken, Hassan. In Tifis there
is certain young woman beautiful as
q goddess. Like marble statue Is she.
Pure white Is her skin and like velvet.
One caress from her lips would turn
YOU from the Koran. She Is desired In
holy marriage by certain prince"
"And she desires that convey her to
his palaceT
May; she desires nothing. She does
not even know"
"Why does not the prince ask her to
accompany him to his palace"
"For two reasons, Hassan. OAe is
that the prince is not here and would
not set his foot upon the dominions Of
the hated Muscovite. The other is that
were he to do so the father Of this
young woman would spurn him. for
the Muscovite does not regard his IA
ther as king"
Thou speakest either Of the khan OF
Khiva or his enemy, the ameer OF
Bokhara."
1T Is Of Bokhara I speak"
THAT is sufficient. No good Mus
covite would consent to that"
"But this young woman Is not Mus
covite. She is Georgian"
"Hola! That Is different! A Geor-
glan would sell his wife"
"This man will not. I have In the
past tried to obtain from him the con-
sent to the marriage Of his daughter
with q wealthy Osmanli. He will not
consent"