Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-23

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Herr Smulders? He seems to be badly
wounded, though he is being most
assiduously nursed and appears happy.
He would not let me do anything for
him. | am quite jealous
How thoughtless Of mel" exclaim.
ed Hardy. 81 have not even been TO
ask after smulders. With your
Highness' permission, \ shall go to see
him now"
Hardy found smulders lying on a
couch in the dining-room, his head
bound around with towel. The fair
Julia sat by him, holding his hand
and dabbing his face occasionally with
a perfumed handkerchief. AS Hardy
entered, she arose and walked away,
to make place for him.
Are you very badly wounded, my
friend?" asked Hardy, tenderly sitting
down at the Germans head SIS the
skull fractured?''
| "Nein," whispered Smulders, glanc-
ing mysteriously at Julia; sit is shust
a scratch, like form one students
duel. Mein Kopf is not fractured. 1t
ISIS not deep. but it is fearful to see.
So long as everything goes well, l
will lie here and let Chulia nurse
me. But if the Shnamens comes
| again, l rush into the fray unit she
t'inl1 | fight for her with one foot in
the grave"
Hardy arose
II predict" said he, laughing, "that
you will be fortunate both in love and
war"
II loaf her very heavy" sighed
ESmulders.
He is not badly wounded, Hardy IN
met her on the desk. "He could be
up and around, 1 am sure, were 1T not
that he is in love with his nurse. In
similar circumstances, should not
object to being wounded"
He could not refrain from making
this remark, and glancing at her mean
ingly- the old cotillion days were too
near, Stryetensk and the store too
far away, as yet. She flushed pretti-
ly, a fleeting and involuntary con-
fession that she understood, but turn
ing away, pointed to the Siberian
woods.
Have you noticed" she asked,
that the forests are on fire." He
looked. It was true. A dense cloud
of smoke was rolling up from behind
a long ridge that ran parallel with the
river, but no flame could be seen as
yet. Half an hour later the wind shift
ed and blew directly from the fire,
bringing the acrid smell of smoke to
the nostrils of the people quarantined
on the Pushkin. The columns were
evidently advancing up the hill, for
soon trees began to burst into flame
here and there along its creast.
And now the Manchurians appeared
again, on their own side Of the river,
as before. They could be plainly
seen, as the distance was in reality
not great, and their dark forms stood
out distinctly against the strip Of
white sand that stretched between
the woods and the river. They were
making preparations of some kind.
The general brought his field glasses
and studied them carefully. There
was no doubt that they were digging
hole, but for what purpose, it was
impossible to tell. The general turn
ed to the American, who was standing
by his side, and handed MIN the glass
es, asking, Canon canon?" one Of
the half-dozen French words that he
knew. Hardy looked long and replied,
as he passed back the glasses, "Nyet"
No, they were certainly not arrang-
ing to plant cannon. There was
nothing in what they were doing that
suggested such purpose. They we're
digging a post-nole, or something of
that nature. Their mysterious actions
caused the greatest wonder among the
Russians who stood In groups about
the deck, watching the shore. Several
even mounted upon the wheel house
and, shading their eyes with their
hands, gazed earnestly, but
without being able to suggest
any solution, as their silence
bore evidence. One thing alone
seemed certain, namely, that
Asiatic ingenuity had suggested, and
which meant harm to the little party
at bay on the Pushkin.
The Chinese did not leave their In
tenrions long In doubt for they
brought huge cross out irons the
shadows of the forest, and } strug-
Cling prisoner, whom they cast down
on the earth and proceeded to nail to
the cross. The general turned to
Hardy with white, drawn face
"Stenka" he groaned.
Yes, there was no doubt of it. The
unfortunate Pugacheff had been cap
tured and was now being crucified in
plain sight of his comrades. The eff
feet upon the latter, as soon as they
comprehended, was indescrible. They
seized their rifles, they shook i'm
potent fists at the shore and creamed
imprecations at those fiends, engaged
there in their horrid work
One of the crew. mounting coil Of
rope, addressed a few impassioned re-
marks to his brethen, crying:
Come on, brothers. let us save
poor Stenka, or die with him!"
Every member of the little band
| shouted:
| "We will save him or die With HIM"
and in a moment more all would
have been over the rail, had not the
old general drawn his revolver and
leaped before them, crying in Voice
of thunder: