Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-02-03
CHAPTER III.
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l@&SJ moored. Ii was substantial
enough vessel for the purposes for
which II was used-to convey mer-
chandise from one port on the Caspian
or its rivers to another IL had just
brought cargo OF goods 10 the bazaars
at the fair. 1t had high curved
prov, with strange looking carving
as a figurehead. II 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, Il Turk from Con
Stantinople.
Hassan was man well along In
years and had taken 10 the Caspian wa
fer 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 llassan
the trade had not proved as profitable
as he expected, because the Russian
government had given rights and priv
ileges-c concessions they called them
70 German company TO run line OF
steamboats, from port 10 port. HasSan's
feld-or sea-of activity was therefore
limited to those occasions when the fair
at Tihis or sudden rush OF goods to
Astrakhan made the usual boats unable
10 accommodate the increase of trade.
A caravan from Trebizond had
brought TO one of the Caspian ports a
vast amount OF goods for the fair, ana
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.
ne lay at the wharf trying to pick up
return cargo.
The night OF the day on which Hafz
Effendi and Mizik, 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 ware
house on the wharf and came cautious
~ 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.
"In the name of Allah, hold your
tongue came a reply in low tones.
cit is l."
by that voice should say II was
Haflz Efendi." said Hassan hopefully.
for he knew that II Haiz Erendi had
business that necessitated a disguise
II would pay we'll
81 am Hafiz," said the old slave trad
er as he walked upon the deck. Are
we aloner'
Sufficiently alone to talk. The men
are asleep"
"Let US sit down and talk. I have
come with an offer that no man who
Il not a fool will refuse. Hassan, hast
thou a wife"
"Thou knowest well l have two
care they well cared forr'
sI am poor and should have but one.
I was once better supplied with
wealth"
"As thought, my friend. Allah be
praised that you have so good a friend
as TO think OF you at time when
your purse could again be filed. How
would you like to earn thousand gold
pieces Of % 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 richT
'Tt Is that IL what I ask Is done.
thousand pieces OF % piasters in gold"
I'm the name OF Allah, what cargo
hast thou found"
"a woman. one who Will be a prtn-
cess. Harken. Hassan. In TiHis there
is q certain young woman beautiful as
O goddess. Like a 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 a certain prince"
"And she desires that convey her to
his palace"
''Nay; she desires nothing. She does
not even know"
"Why does not the prince ask her to
accompany him to his palaceT
"For two reasons Hassan. One Is
that the prince Is not here and would
hot set his foot upon the dominions of
the hated Muscovite. The other is that
were he 10 do so the father OF this
young woman would spurn him, for
the Muscovite does not regard his IA.
ther as n king"
"Thou speakest either Of the khan OF
Khiva or his enemy, the ameer OF
Bokhara."
at Is OF Bokhara | speak"
'"That is sufficient. No good Mus
eovite would consent TO that"
"But this young woman IS not Mus
covite. She is a Georgian"
"Hola! That is different! A Geor
rian would sell his Wife"
'This man will not. l have In tn
mast tried to obtain from him the con
sent 10 the marriage Of his daughte
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