Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-27

magnificent torch, his situation was
revealed to him. The whole shallow
basin took on a deep red glow, and
Hardy saw that narrow sandpit
separated him from the river proper
which was about quarter OF mile
wide at this point.
He arose to his feet, dripping aud
chilly, for the air was cool now, and
looked about him. There was a good,
sandy beach on the other side, and
the military road could be plainly
seen. It was time to take to the shore
and that stretch Of water must be got
over somehow. 1t was probable that
he could wade much of It, but some
OF 1t was, no doubt over his head,
perhaps Of great depth. He would be
carried, swiftly down stream, but the
beach extended as far as his eye could
reach, fading out at last in the dark
ness where the light from his pine.
tree torch failed to reach. Putting the
bottle with the despatch in his trou-
sers pocket, he removed his coat, i'm
provised string from the lining and
tied his shoes about his neck. He
remembered with smile that 1t had
occurred to him to take off his shoes
on leaving the Pushkin, hut that he
had been deferred by the presence of
the Princess.
Leaving his coat on the sand. he
started bravely around the basin 10
the point nearest the opposite shore.
So eagerly were his eyes fixed on
this. in his anxiety to get his bearings
while the tree was still burning, that
ne stumbled over some large object,
about the see OF log but too soft
for one. Looking down, he was hor.
rif1ed to behold three bodies of dead
Chinese, lying side by side, parallel,
In as exact position as though ar
ranged by human hands. They were
all gazing straight up at the sky with
CLASSY eyes, and the flare of the burn
Ing tree threw a CHASTITY light on
their yellow faces. Three or four
yards from them lay the body OF the
slain Bouriat, with his rude wooden
cross. the elblem of the Prince of
Peace and Of Holy Russia bound
to his breast. Hardy ran back, picked
up his coat, and, after a moments
hesitation, dropped 1t decently over
the Bouriat's face. He had lost his
life in defense Of the Princess. Then,
as the light of the burning tree flared
defiantly starward and went out in
the darkness, he waded boldly into
the black waters.
AS he had hoped, the water was
for much of the distance, shallow. At
times, however. 1T rose to his armpits,
and then the current was 80 strong
that 1t swept him from his feet. He
struggled resolutely onward, keeping
the current at right angles with HIS
body, and when at last he plunged in.
to deep water, he swan. not 1t is true,
with the amphibious assurance and
primal animal skill of Romanoff,
but with a cool, calculating ease that
told him the distance could not be
great and that he must not exhaust
his strength. He soon touched bot
tom again, after letting down his feet
half dozen times, and was gratified
that the slope shoreward was so rapid
that he was able. in a very few min.
utes, to run
An hour after leaving the basin he
was on the military road that stretch
ed, dimly gray, between the stoli.i,
silent black Of the Siberian forests
and the star-sprinkled, whispering
black of the river
He reached the military station
q rambling building Of square, hewn
logs, thanked by several small struc-
tures,- about ten O'Clock, and, break
ing his bottle, gave his despatch to q
white-haired and corpulent soldier,
with very red face, whose frayed
and faded uniform proved him petty
officer of some sort This man glanc-
ed through the paper with wondering
eyes, then read it aloud to nondes-
Nrsrt ~ =
soldiers, and farmer or two who
dashed into the house and set tele-
sometimes presided. to clicking.
Hardy, chilled to the marrow, now
that he had ceased walking and run
ming, and wearied to the point of col.
lapse, sank on rustic bench, believ-
ing himself forgotten in the excite
ment evidently occasioned by his
news. In this he soon found himself
mistaken, however, for toothless old
crone, with kindly face and red
handkerchief tied over her head, came
up to him and, taking him by the arm
inquired:
"Zakouska?"
He swallowed three glasses of vod-
XII anu IdVGuOuSly ueVOuTeQ several
caviar sandwiches, after which he was
supplied with warm, dry clothing and
tucked away in bed.
When he awoke it was mid-after-
noon, and the old commandant had
delved into Russian-French diction-
airy sufficiently to dig aht the words
which he pronounced many times
with smiling face, "Sauyes. Mon
sieur, tous sauves!" thereby afford
ing the American the greatest JOY and
relief and establishing his own repu-
tation at the station as a wonderful
scholar.
Hardy remained at the station one
week, at the end of which time he
resumed his journey to Stryetensk on
horseback, escorted by half dozen
Cossacks bound for Irkutsk, on some
military mission or other.
AS he passed by daylight the black
ened and devastated forests, his re.
cent journey up the Amur, ano his
experiences on the Pushkin seemed
like dream to him. When he reach.
ed the Pushkin, however. still reclin-