Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-16
By GEORGE HORTON

indeed the other side Of the question.
had no idea that you you Asiatics
were 80 confident as all that! You
forget the great Napoleon and his
expedition to Moscow!"
On the morning Of the seventh
Wang came into the Office and laid a
paper down before Hardy, pointing,
without word, to dcuble-leaded
article with scare" headlines.
JAPAN ENRAGED
Her Minister Leaves Petersburg.
The mikado, in a fit Of rage, with
draws Count Kurino from the Russian
capital--Peppery yellow people unable
to conduct civilized diplomatic nego-
tiations-The czar's calm and digni-
fled course
which set forth at length the Russian
governments reasonable and righte-
GUS course, as alleged by the writer,
and the hot-headed. childish and I'M
warrantable demands Of the island
ers.
WELL" he commented, "even this
does not mean war Russia will sim
ply wait--she has always been waiting
and the Japanese must strick the first
blow if she wants war"
wait and see," was Wang's only
reply.
1t was only two days later that Har.
dy became aware that something ex
traordinary had happened. Toward
evening the city was seized with ex-
element. Some great. some terrible
news was in the air. Men were talk
ing. excitedly in the corridors of tha
hotel, groups were gathering in the
streets, hoarsely shouting. Wang was
out, so Hardy rang for bell-boy and
asked him what was the matter.
Matter" cried the boy; ''the jap
anese have captured Port Arthur!
They have murdered a hundred thou
sand Christians. They have sunk the
whole Russian fleet, treacherously,
falsely, in the night The car will
send great army and kill every cur.
sed Japanese on earth. am going.
Curse the Japanese!"
MY God!" exclaimed Hardy as the
excited boy left, slamming the door,
they are at 1t in earnest, and the
Japanese have struck hard. This
means war, indeed. If the Russian
navy has been destroyed it means
long war. Wang will be wild"
At this moment the Korean entered.
but, to Hardy's surprise. he was not
carried away by excitement There
was q hectic spot on each yellow
cheek, and his eyes were burning, but
he was selfcontalned.
Well, Wang, said Hardy. "you
were right. after all, and the Japanese
have attacked. l have heard some
very wild runors Have you learned
definite?"
Yes" replied Wang; what seem
to be reliable reports have arrived.
The mikadq's fleet last night attack
ed the Russian ships at Port Arthur
and sank the Czarewitch and the Re-
tvizan, two of the heaviest battle
ships In the cars navy, and the Pal
lada, a cruiser. The Russians are
very indignant. naturally, but they
should save their feelings. The Jap
anese have only heeun"
Within two weeks after the break
ing out Of the war, during which
time many disastrous blows were
struck at the naval prestige Of Rus
STA. Hardy was ready for the long
railway journey back to stryetensk.
The American was considerably en-
aciated and not yet entirely recovered
from the effects c = wound, but ne
believed himself able to travel espe-
cially under such favorable conditions
as those offered by compartment in
the train luxus." and he was i'm
patient to get out of Moscow.
Perhaps, having definitely and re-
SOlutely put the Princess Rnrnpnavna
out of his life. he felt that it would be
easier to forget her If he went where
there would Re no danger Of seeing
her again. OF one thing he was GER
tain, that he wanted work, money,
power. Despite the fact that he knew
himself to be gentleman. according