Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-18
CHAPTER xLvI

II An"s part 0k 6fpSEIH WHICH hes east
OF the great inland sea- Lake Baikal.
and west OF the mighty Amur, which
here turns abrir tly and bends north.
The stanovoi range of mountains.
continuing to the south, divides II
nearly in halves, forming q watershed
that feeds the lake on one Side and the
Amur and its tributaries on the other.
t The trans-Siberia1 railway, the
great artery through which the blood
Of Russia flowed uninterruptediy from
Alexandrov to Vladivcstok and Port
Arthur, pierces these mountains at .tn
advantageous point, and, passing
through StryetenSk, breaks into Man
ohuria.
I The time had come when this road
would be- tested to the utmost, and
put to that use which all warlike
nations have in view In the building of
great roads cof any sort the trans
portsaaon to the frontiers Of troops and
munitions Of war. The battieships of
Japan were pounding away at Port
Arthur by sea and her armies were In
vesting 1t by land.
If this stronghold fell, q dream Of
empire would fall with her, for Rus
sia had at last SO intrenched herself
at the threshold OF the East and the
skirts Of the Pacific that she was face
to face with the people who dwelt in
the islands.
The trans-Siberian cuts off a large
| tract OF northern Manchuria, nearly
the whole Of It, in fact, and those who
followed Russian policy for aundred
years back. and read between the lines
of her diplomacy believed that she
meant simply to absorb and gain pos
session Of this vast rich territory. Then
little. sleepy, filthy Korea would be-
come simply a bit of Russian sea
| beach, and the very existance of Japan
would be tmperiled.
| No one understood this better than
the Japanese themselves. whose states.
| men are as far-seeing as any that the
world has ever known The whole
Japanese people, too, comprehended
the situation, and the nation realized
that the time had come when 1t must
fight. They knew, moreover, that they
must strike hard in the very beginning
Of the struggle and disable their un-
wfeldy but brave and powerful foe
while he was still imperfectly prepar-
ed.
\ The blows that they hal already
struck had staggered the world with
their suddenness and crushing effect,
and SO, along the entire length Of the
Pacific to shoot down the soldiers of
the mikado. or II the Virgin so willed,
to be shot down by them
! On vast, colossar scale It was
an endless trail Of ants threading It's
way across continent to do battle
with another swarm. Without the
trans-Stberian road. built and conceiv-
ed in the beginning for just such a
purpose as this. 1t would have been
impossible for the blood of Russia to
flow into Manchuria and be spilled
there. and the dream of empire would
have been still many, many years from
fultilment. Even now there were de-
I lays, due to the feebleness Of the road
bed and the severe strain to which 1T
was put, as well as to the dearth Of
rolling stock and supplies. Rails must
be laid across Lake Baikal, on the ice,
and frequent repairs must be made,
while the long ant-trail was interrupt
ed and the poor. shivering ants, sent
SO many miles to kill. suffered and
died Of exposure and the bitter cold
on the great Siberian plains.
On a river in trans,Baikalia that
runs for many miles parallel with this
| mighty ant-trai1, a sledge was flying
eastward, drawn by three horeses, all
abreast. The river was frozen to the
| very heart and the SHOWS, drifting
over 1t, had swept and polished its
| surface TIL 1t was smooth as glass.
Wrapped In furs aud his head shrouded
| In thick cap, the driver sat on the
forward seat, partly protected by the
highcurving dash, managed the lines.
On a low seat behind him were a man
| and woman, also wrapped deep in
| robes OF fur, while a tnird woman sat
silent in the bottom OF the sledge.
| Somewhere behind them the rails
had spread and thesroad had given out
and the trains were halted while re-
pairs were made.
| There Frederick CORTLAND Hardy.
on his way to Stryetensk had over.
taken the Princess. Fastening to the
front, undergoing all ahrdships, entire
| 1y forgetful of self, that she might en-
ploy her strength, her fortune and her
high courage and example in the relief
of her wounded and suffering country
men.
She greeted Hardy with frank friend
liness. explained her mission and told
MIN that he had arrived just in time
to help her carry out plan Of hers.
I'VE can take sledges down the
river" she said, "to Petrovska-zavod,
where have no doubt we shall be able
to catch an outgoing train. / should
have started before. but was deferred
by the fact that-that-- in fact, / was
afraid. Now, with my gallant defender
Of the Amur. I shall have no nesita-
ton In going. Will You come with us,
| with my maid aud me?"
Thus invited, he cound not refuse.
In fact, the moment his eyes fell on her
all his resentment vanished. Her
gaiety, her coquetry, had disappeared.
She was pale and sorrowfnl. and-need
1t be said?- more beautiful than ever.
What If she mad loved Romanoff was
dead now, and when a man dies he
pays all debts. Why should not Hardy
enjoy these few hours In her presence,
! h%f~ fn1y3 ~