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

When Hardy awo4e in the morning,
the sun was shining against his open
window. He looked out and saw a
stretch of yellow water, cleaning like
gild in the bright rays of the early
light, and, farther away, the dark
green of the interminable Siberian
forests. 1t was a peaceful scene, with
nothing in it suggestive of the dread
full conflict of the night. The corpses
of the slain were even now miles be-
low, floating On and on by Cossack
villages and stretches Of MaAthurian
woodland, proclaiming with mute ton.
que that another conflict had taken
place between the Slav and the Mon
gol, and with the usual result. Hardy
went on deck and there beheld q
solemn and effecting scene. The
dead Bouriat lay on bier improvised
Of two benches, with cross on his
breast. The general, the Princess
with her maid, and his comrades, with
uncovered heads, stood by, while the
captain read the burial service All
were weeping.
The simple service finished, the
dead soldier, just as he was, in his
high boots and faded, blood-stained
uniform, ana with the rude wooden
cross tied to his breast, was lifted
and consigned tenderly to the water,
to float on and on in tireless but vain
pursuit of those other corpses, some of
which he himself had sent on their
long, sad journey to the sea. Hardy
saluted the Princess gravely, and
would have passed her by but she
detained him.
cit is dreadful thing for a Chris
tian body to be disposed of in that
way" said she, "but there was moth
ing else to do The men wished to
go ashore, bury him decently and
erect a cross over him, but the gen
eral would not permit it, Doubtless
there are Chinese hiding in the woods
on both sides of the river. and they
would have fallen on the men and
killed them. But what matters the
disposition of his body?" she cried, her
blue eyes flashing. He died. bravely
fighting for his car, and his soul has
gone to Heaven. Perhaps God will
heap sand upon him. They say he
killed two Chinese"
There was something in this the
ology suggestive of Romanoff, and
Hardy asked:
Glow is your cousin? | hope he Is
not seriously wounded?"
HE has nasty thrust through the
fleshy part of the thigh. They have
washed the wound thoroughly and it
is not dangerous. He will have to lie
still, which it would be hard to make
him do, in case the Chinese should
attack again. He is very, very brave,
is my cousin, but" she added sweetly
and with a woman's rare intuition,
"that Is nothing you are all brave
as lions. The captain and the general
both wish me to thank you for the
heroic service which you rendered
last night. They are fully aware Of
it's Importance"
II am grateful for their good opin-
ion," replied Hardy, ''but | sincerely
hope there will be no further occasion
for fighting. Another troop of Cossack
cavalry must surely pass by to-day
We saw them frequently as long as
we had no especial use for them"
God will send us succor," said the
Princess with conviction. "He never
permits so many of His people to be
massacred by heathens. Brave Stem.
ka will have reached the military
station by noon, and some time 10
night you will hear the galloping feet
| Of horses. Lying up the road yonder