, 1904-06-15

eTPu SOult lit WHICH, L hntN lpIlHtZ
Biartelkis would purchase. | could not
wait till morning, for hen | could not
reach Astrakhan early enough to take
on my cargo. | went to the bazaar of
Biartelkis and told him of my discoy-
cry. Biartelkis was just closing his
bazaar, and when he heard of the linen
he and his daughter accompanied me
back to my boat. | took them to nv
cabin and set wine before them and
went to prepare the linen for examina-
ton. | was suddenly attacked and
knocked down. A fold of cloth was
placed in my mouth. | heard the young
woman scream. but | could not go TO
her assistance.
81 heard Biartelkis begging for mer-
CIV and some one talking to him. Then
some one tool command of my boat,
and we moved down the river. | was
kept in ignorance for hours, your ex-
cellencies, but in the morning | was as
tonished to see two men OF board that
I had never seen before. One was q
tall man. looking like a Russian, and
the other was certainly an Osmanli.
They informed me hat niles | and
my sailors did as | was bid | would
be killed. They did not release me,
but we kept on down the river. Just be-
fore we reached Salain they left the
boat. They told me that Biartelkis had
agreed to the sale of his daughter to an
American who would board my boat
at Salain and that | must take them
both to Astrakhan. They told me that
l would be watched and unless | obey
ed | would be killed. They said |
could not go back to Tifis without. be-
ing murdered.
Il was afraid, your excellencies, and
did what they told me. AT Salain, how
ever, it was not my intention to take
on the American, but to proceed until
reached a Russian %gunboat, when l
would turn over the young lady. BEt
the American knew which boat she
MOS on. for he came out in a small boat
directly in my path and leaped OIL
board. He threatened me with a pistol,
and l was compelled to do his bidding.
Seeing another vessel on the Caspian,
l wished to get assistance from them,
but they feared us and ran away. The
gunboat came, and | told the officer
the truth. | swear it, by the prophets
beard. | have told the truth. l know
no more"
The magistrate turned coldly to Har-
vey.
"All of what that man says is a lie"
said Irons, except the mere fact that
1 did get on his boat in the name he
describes at Salain. l had taken pas
sage from Astrabad for Astrakhan on
a boat belonging to the German line.
They had also some machinery | was
going to exhibit at the fair. Arriving
at Salain, the captain of the boat in
formed me hat l would have four
hours in which to see the town. I
spent three hours and came back to
the wharf only to see the steamer dis
appearing. l was enraged. l wanted
particularly to reach the fair early,
and there would not be a boat up the
Volga for another week after the one
| had lost. | was standing on the
wharf talking with a peasant when I
saw the boat owned by Hassan COM
ing down the Kur. We hailed the
DOdC anu were lHlOTlltu ludL Sic was
bound for Astrakhan. There l was,
with a week to stay in that place and
a boat passing me that was going
straight to where | wanted to go. The
peasant got a small boat and rowed
me out to Hassan's. l climbed on
board and remained there. l die not
know until the officer from tue gun
hnot n N on hnor1 that thora Uo a
young lady there"
Colonel Jurnieff nodded, and another
man, evidently of the poorest class.
spoke to the magistrate. The dignitary
started, stared at Harvey and said:
There appears to be a multitude OF
lies in all this testimony. Let us hear
what this witness has to say"
II saw hat American in Tifis a
week ago." he said, pointing at Har-
vey. 81 saw him in the bazaar of BIZ
artelkis, and he spoke to him. l saw
much gold change hands, but do not
know what it was for. The Ameri-
can took nothing away"
THAT is the worst lie of all!' ex-
claimed Harvey Indignantly. Il was
never in Tifis before in my life"
Take the prisoners back to their
cells. The case needs deliberation,"
said the magistrate.
Harvey was marched to his dungeon.
An orderly, who heard all the proceed
ings, hurried to relate them to Marie.
From the moment that Alma Jurnief
heard what had taken place at the trial
she was a changed person.
S they have %conspired between
them to destroy the man l love-" she
cnid clo.nI.. nnI lolslo.n4nIu ~ hn Hn