Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-02-17
CHAPTER V.
THE GOVERNOR OF PRISON AND TIL
GIRL HARVEY IRONS LOVES

SEF51 sat In his office. which wa
0 portion OF the apartment
allotted 10 himself and family. Al
open letter lay beside him on a table
A perpleXed look was on his face. III,
was a cold man, usually imperturba
bic, but something in the letter hat
disturbed him.
May the devil take that Americanr
he said as he picked up the letter again
I'VE think he is In Paris or New York
and now he turns up with his con
founded windmills in Astrabad. What
is worse he is going to the big fair a.
Mini Novgorod. BY the gods, he II
enough 10 turn the entire secret police
upside down! Undoubtedly he intends
10 meet Alma at the fair, as he die
last year. But, thanks 10 her fathers
wisdom. | have her safe here where
she will hear no more OF that fellow
fine words"
He touched bell and an orderly
came TO him.
Has a letter been written or sent
from my family apartments today?"
None. your eXccloncy."
HAS any been receivedT'
None, your eXcellency."
'You must be doubly watchful. |
have trusted you thus far; will trust
you further. You understand the cir
cumstances, do you notf"
Il think | understand, your excel
lency. There was a bad, wicked man
one Of those Americans who care for
nobody"
There was indeed-not only was.
but IS. AS you are aware he and my
niece, Mile. Alma. met each other in
st. Petersburg, where the fellow was
selling some miserable American in
vention 10 pump water with wind
mills. Perhaps the machines were
good enough, for he sold n lot of them.
But these two fools must fall in love
when my brother, General Jurnieff.
had already planned upon having a
prince for son-in-law. But the young
people outwitted him and met at the
big fair at Mini Novgorod last year.
After that we sent the American out
Of Russia, telling him if he ever re-
turned we would look upon him as
having forfeited the right 20 his eoun-
try's protection and send him to Sibe-
ria or have him shot"
That kept him out, excellency."
Not a bit of III have just received
letter from my brother, who has
heard from one OF our secret agents at
Paris, that the American is now at
Astrabad, in Persia, selling his wares.
and has said he was going to the big
fair al Mini Novgorod, which soon be-
gins"
HE is courage-he is a fool excel
lency."
You might have finished your sen
tence. He is courageous fool. But.
thank heaven, l have the young lady
safe here in Tihis If he expects to
meet her at Novgorod he will be dis
appointed. | must send word ut once
20 Mini Novgorod and Astrakhan. II
may be possible TO intercept him on
the way"
The orderly bowed and was dismiss
ed. A few minutes later a higher Of.
hcer entered. 1t was Captain Orskoff.
salute you, colonel.
81 am glad to see you, captain. You
appear to be happy. Has anything
new been discovered concerning the |
missing Biartelkis and his daughterT'
II am glad to say we have recovered |
Koura. We have captured the two who
were taking her away. They will be
brought here and locked up to await
vial" I
Then Biartelkis was not really try
Ing to sell his daughter
I'VE cannot make head or tail Of IT.
Koura knows little, but believes in her
fathers innocence. Surely he did not
need the money. Moreover he cannot
be found"
'Is that rascally Turk. Hafz Effendi.
In the city?'
Eyes. l have placed him under ar.
rest"
IF 1t was a slave selling affair. Haiz
had finger In IL. He is shrewd ras.
cal. But who was 1t you captured,
and whereT
Lieutenant Thokt, with the gunboat
stationed near the Kur, ran down
Turkish craft and boarded it. The cap
aims name is Hassan. He was un.
ioubtedly trying to get the poor girl on
'oard a strange craft-a black hull.
hing she belongs to the ameer OF Bo-
Ihara."
$50 you found the girl on board the
rurkr'
"Yes, and also an American. who. I
IN sure, had a hand in the affair.
What his motive was. whether he was
rying to get Koura OF to marry her
r was acting as an agent for the
meer, ! don't know But he was ar.
ested and brought here. You will see
i'm soon"
What name did he giveY
He gave the name. I believe. Irons.
aid he was going to Mini Novgorod
sell pumps and windmilis."
Colonel Jurnieff nearly fell OF his
hair. He stared at Orskof till that
nicer thought the governor of the pris-
n was daft.
do you know himf Did the lien.
snant do wrongT
DO i know himi Now we have him
-eur- hands-HeMil finish him, Do Il