The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-07-14

of agony. AZ last he stopped. for the
time had come for him to do the thing
he must do. He could get no nearer
without the absolute certainty of be-
ing shot down. There was no other
way. II would not have been pos
sible for Steukas friends to reach
that cross without all being picked
OFF from the woods. He cast one
glance at the shore, measuring the
distance with the keen, accurate eye
of the marksman. Then he removed
his glasses and wiped the moisture,
tears, perhaps, from his eyes. Re.
placing them, he aimed at Stenka,
and prayed
Receive his soul, Cod" He
| fired. The head stopped that dreadful
moving from side to side, and Hardy
could feel, even at that distance. that
the eyes were fixed on his own, In
comprehension. He will believe. to
his dying day, that there was graft
tude in them. He had missed, how
ever, and now the Chinese, grasping
his purpose, began shooting at him in
earnest, and several of the horsemen
urged their steeds into the water.
With the bullets scattering all about
him, Hardy set his teeth and fired
again.
| Poor Stenka's sufferings were over.
His chin fell forward on his breast
and the body collapsed Imply on the
wooden peg thrust between his thighs,
Thank God!" cried Hardy. and.
turning, he ran back toward the boat,
ran madly. desperately, as he had
run but once before, and that was
the time when he heard the princess
scream and saved her from the brig.
ands.
On he ran over the hard sand COW
cred with a sheet of ripping water,
carrying his rife low and bending at
| the hips. He realized that every step
was taking him farther from those
/ savages on the shore, was putting
! greater distance between himself and
their rifles. He scarcely believed that
he could get away without being
wounded. If they would only kill him
outright, or would hit him in some
spot that would not prevent his run.
! ming! He listened. as q hare before
the pursuing hunter for the sound OF
the guns, and still he ran on
But the Chinese did not shoot again,
and now from the Pushkin came half
a dozen men to the rescue, deployed
in open formation, like troop OF
trained soldiers, with their eyes fixed
on something behind him. They were
shouting to him. but Hardy could not
! understand
He turned. looked, and knew why
the enemy had ceased shooting. They
feared killing their own horsemen,
who were between him and the shore,
and bearing down ON him rapidly.
There were at least dozen of them,
and in a minute more three, better
mounted than the others, would have
been upon him. These were bending
close to their horses necks, and were
armed with long swords to cut him
down The American aimed at the
horses and fred rapidly, three times.
One of the animals, mortally wounded,
sank to his knees, while the others,
stung and maddened by the bullets,
became unmanageable and ran snort
ing back toward the Manchurian
shore.
The Cossacks now came up. and,
turning in volley on the mounted
brigands, emptied one saddle and
compelled the entire party to retire,
which they did slowly, shaking their
swords at the Russians and yelling
imprecations. They were destined,
however, to lose one more of their
number, The man whose horse Hardy
had killed was making frantic but UNI
successful efforts to get away, his leg
being pinned down beneath the dead
animal. To him one OF the Bouriats
ran up and, wrenching the mans own
sword from his hand, cleft his skull
with it and left him there with his
dead steed.
When Hardy again reached the
deck of the Pushltin. the general and
the captain each shook his hand in
silence, and the princess. her beauti-
full eyes red with weeping. said to
him.
1T was an act of mercy, my friend,
for which we all thank you The
soul of brave Stenka, now in heaven,
will be grateful to you"
1T was a hard thing to do" replied
Hardy, faint almost to falling. but /
could not endure the sight of the
agony-I could not bear to have you
look at it, 1t is what | should have
wanted some one to do fer me-" he
added, as though further eKtenuation
were necessary.
Then" said the princess with a
sad solemn SMILE" it was a Christ.
like act, deed of sublime courage
and so 1 shall ever regard It. But
you are faint, my friend. co and lie
down and be sure that the Virgin and
all the saints approve what you have
just done"
Thanks, thousand thinks" muir
INJURED Hardy. If you approve. am
sure that it was right"
And still there were no signs of
help, no sounds of galloping hoofs. on
the military road yonder, that wound
in and out of the dark forest, or
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