Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-07-18

ton OF the steamer indicated that he
Vas aboard a small vessel and that
tbs small vessel was out in the open
sea. He believed that a noise of some
Kind had awakened him, and this was
Confirmed by a knock at his door which
CAUSED him to spring up and throw
back the bolt. The steward was there,
but in the dim light Of the passage he
saw nothing Of the sentinel. He knew
1t was daylight outside.
'eThe captain, excellency, wishes to
know If you will breakfast with him
orstake your meal in your ROOM"
present my compliments to the cap
tain and say 1 shall have great pleas
uf3 in breakfasting with him."
'1t will be ready in a quarter Of an
hour, e~xcellency."
livery good. Come for me at that
time, as I don't know my way about
the boat"
The prince washed himself, smooth
ed out his rumpled clothes as well as
he could and put IN his boots. While
engaged in the latter operation the
OVVE OHCACQ, aL1o IAC UlS SdptdlA ~
aelf entered, Enclosed in glistening oil
skins. ~,-
"Hyvaa pyvaa, highness," said the
captain. "Will you walk the deck be-
fore breakfast"
Good day to you," returned the
prince, land by your salutation 1 take
YOU to be a Finn"
IT am a native of Abo," replied the
captain, land, as you say, a Finn, but
differ from many of my countrymen,
as I am a good Russian ALSO"
''Well, there are not too many good
Russians, and here is one who would
rather have heard that you were a
1t Is to 6fsva6t any mistake" re-
Piled the captain almost roughly, "that
/ mention l am a good Russian"
Fright you are, captain, and as l am
a good Russian also perhaps good Rus
sian No. / can tell me to what part Of
the world he is conveying good Rus
sian No. 2, a man guiltless of any
crime and unwilling at this moment to
take an enforced journey"
1--WE may both be good, but the day
is not, highness. 1t has been raining
during the night and is still drizzling.
I advise you to put on your overcoat."
"Thanks, captain; l will"
The captain in most friendly manner
took the overcoat from its hook, shook
it out and held it ready to embrace Its
owner. Lermontof showed right arm,
then left, into the sleeves, hunched the
coat up into place and buttoned it at
the throat. ssk'a<~s~'
5.""Agaih, captain, my thanks. Lead
the way, and 1 will follow"
They emerged on deck into a disma
gray morning. No land or craft of any
kind was in sight. The horizon form
ed q small, close circle round the ship
Clouds hung low, running before the
wind and bringing internationally little
dashes of rain that seemed still fur
Their to compress the walls of horizon
The sea was not what could be called
rough, but merely choppy and fretful
with short waves that would not have
troubled a larger craft. The steamer
proved to be a small, undistinguished
dingy looking boat, more like a com
mercial tramp than a government yes
sci. An officer, apparently the mate
stood on the bridge, sinewy hands
grasping the rail, peering ahead int
the white mist that was almost a fog
The promenade deck afforded no grea'
scope for Professionalism, but captain
and prisoner walked back and fortl
over the restricted space, talking gent
ally together as if they were OLE
friends. Nevertheless there was a eel
tain cautious guardedness in the cap
tain's speech-the wary craft of an I'm
ready man who is in the presence Of
person more subtle than himself. TIL
bluff captain remembered he had beel
caught mapping the night before when
after refusing. to tell the prince the dl
rection of the steamer, he had givel
himself away by mentioning the gul
of Finland. Lermontof noticed thi
reluctance to plunge into the abyss o
free conversation, and so, instead o
reassuring him he would ask no NOR
4ucSllOuS, uc AlOAClJ COOA upoA LA
own shoulders the burden Of the tai
and related to the captain certain VOL
ders of London and New York.
The steward advanced respectfully t
the captain and announced breakfas
ready, whereupon the two men follow
ed him into a saloon not much large
than the stateroom Lermontof had oe
cupied the night before and not nearl.
80 comfortably furnished. A plenteou
breakfast vas supplied, consistini
principally Of fish, steaming potatoes
black bread and very strong tea. Th
captain swallowed cup after cup O
this scalding beverage, and it SCENE
to make him more and more genial, a
II it had been wine. Indeed, as tim
went on he forgot that it was a prison
er who sat before him, for quite innt
Gently he said to the steward who wal
ed on them:
'Have the poor devils below had any
thing to eatw
mo orders, SIR" replied the stewart
"Oh, well, give them something.
something bot. It may be their lat
vnnoI d, %hor $s,rnirO ho mot tho rovo =