Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-18

.
ed during high water. He was some
fifteen minutes clyimbing the steep
bank and when he at last reached the
road, the Princess was nowhere to he
seen. Indeed, the road at this point
turned sharply away from the river
| and disappeared around the foot of a
hill Hardy knew, however, that it
must wind back to the river and he
therefore followed the wide dusty
trail confidently, although It seemed
to plunge into the heart OF tie wilder.
ness. Once or twice he asked him
self why he was walking SO rapidly,
and each time made answer: "Why do
keep UP with my 1otka, Of course. ;"
| He was too thorough gentleman to
admit to himself that he was pursuing
the Princess; he would not have done
such a thing on Beacon Street; why
should he do 1t on government road
In Siberia? At any rate, 1t would be
an -indiscreet thing to do, as she
would be sure to crush him for his
presumption. But he certainly had
Just as good right to get out and
walk as she. AS he was soliloquizing
thus and had about come to the con-
clusion that he was in fair way ut
last Of making an ass Of himself, he
thought he heard a shrill scream in
the distance. Listening, with his
heart in his mouth, he was sure, for
the first cry was followed by others,
wild, despairing shrieks, as of a
woman in the most excruciating fear.
"Coming coming!" shouted Hardy,
and, feeling in his pocket for the gen
erals American pistol, which, thank
God! was there, he ran as he never
ran before. Rounding little turn in
the road and clump Of trees he came
suddeNly on a sight that thrilled him
! With rage and sickened him with fear,
not for himself, but for the Princess.
There She was, struggling in the aims
OF big Chinese, one Of that half-sav-
age tribe that inhabits the wild re.
1 gions Of Manchuria. The beast had
lifted her in his arms and was run
ming toward the woods with her, while
another carried the A.ail Two other
MGi golians, with long war b,~s In
their hands completed the strange pic
tufe. Hardy shouted again, and the
fo,tr Chinese wheeled about and re-
/ gasded him with startled malignancy
that turned on me inetant to amuse-
| ment.
rtpse four great brr..as beheld one
rather small, dark man, Of dapper ap-
|ptarance, despite his weeks river
travel, - a slender. daels man in blue
'EC!g0 suit and neglige, shirt, who
inet lanically adju,icl his gold rince-
nez as hr advanced now a. a slower
raI. The two Chinese with the war
ktv's fitted long arrows to the strings
/ AMI. with E. sudden lift. of the left foot
arti widening # the arms, they let
drssc. One arrow whizze nv IIaray's
head and the other pierced his cloth.
. Ing, making a nasty scratch on his
4 left side. Then the pistol cracked
twice and the two Chinese fell sprawl
ing. with bullets through their bodies
The other two promptly dropped the
fafnting woman and started to run
Hardy aimed deliberately at the one
who had seized the Princess and fir
ed. It was long shot, but the bullet
took effect, as q scream Of pain testi
fled.
/ Neither the Princess nor the maid
eyinced any signs Of reviving, but lay
there huddled on the ground as though
dead. Hardy ran to the edge Of the
bluff and there, as good fortune
would have it, was the general
lotaka, and the general himself stroll!
ing along leisurely on the sand. The
/ American shouted SO loudly and flung
his arms about so wildly that the or
derby, the two muzhiks and even the
governor himself were soon scramb-
ling up the steep bank toward him.
The Romanovna had revived by the
time they all reached her, and sat in
the tall grass putting up her abundant
hair, woman fashion, and looking
about with awakening eyes. She was
al pale as a ghost and held out her
hands appealingly Hardy and the
1 general helped her to her feet. and it
was the American who supported her
until her trembling limbs regained
their strength. The general surveyed
the dead Chinese, and then, standing
| squarely in front of Hardy, removed
his cap and made a low bow.
4 At the next station they found a
small government boat, the Rushkin,
awaiting them, that drew only one
foot Of water. 1t had been sent down
\ by the authorities to pick up the gen.
erAl, and Courtland Hardy, ex-cotil.
lion leader, was taken on board and
one OF the four cabins was given to
him. although one Of the greatest
heiresses in all Russia was thereby
compelled to occupy room with her
maid.
CHAPTER XVII
The. Princess was sitting on one Of
! the benches of the upper deck, attired
In the costume. of Little Russia, with