The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1910-07-07
CHAPTER XIV.
An Exchange of Compliments.

An Exchange OF Compliments.
THE method of loshat and lotka was
ont of the question now, even for
con Catkoff. The wild bandits of
Manchuria, who respect no govern
ment on earth, and whose only patri-
onc sentiment consists in the fact |
thot they would rather kill n Russian |
tbon anv other foreign devil" were |
aroused and were thirsting for loot |
ond vengeance. 1t would be counting |
death to go up that river unless es.
corted by a troop of cavalry. More |
over it was the duty of every man
about the boat to remain by the prin-
cess side. Reinforcements were sure
IN arrive in the shape of muzhiks or
Rouriats. who. impatient of remaining
on the stranded steamer below, had
mshed on afoot or by lotka. There
was always the chance, too, that
eouad of Cossack cavalrymen might
come along, following the military
road a long stretch of which was Wis
ible from the boat, between the skirts
of the forest and the edge of the
river.
In addition to Hardy and the gen
eral and the captain, there were on
hoard five members of the crew.
Weapons could be provided for all OF
these. The captain took hurried in
ventory and found that, with economy,
there was enough food to last all
hands five days. AS the first day wore
on an occasional horseman could be
seen on the Manchurian side, in the
xNr 1,n fFr
horsemen appeared singly at nrst,
then in twos. and finally in groups OF
three or four They were evidently
increasing in numbers and collecting
IN the vicinity of the stranded steam
err. Toward evening Smulders ana MS
a "Chuia" came along. The German
had persuaded the Viennese to EN-
bark with him in lotka and they mad
made nearly as great progress as the
steamer with its frequent delays on
account of the sand-banks and the
necessity of taking on wood. they mad
come on, perfectly unconscious ol
danger, and probably owed their I'M
munity to the fact that they had stuck
close to the Siberian side, to which
the Chinese did not often cross.
we will stay here" declared
smuders. when Hardy explained Il
him the danger of continuing the jour
ney, and | will fight for my Chuil'
till | die"
How is your suit coming on? aske'
Hardy. smiling. She must like yo'
pretty well, or she would not come VI
the river with you
q All, she would have come up mt
i, Russian, so come along NIT the ohl
lotka and she have to come nit me
ID She will not much and ! have n
peevo, so think | go mad. Ach- loa
" her very heavy!"
Nothing happened that night say
r0 the arrival of four Bouriats, riding D
I'D turns a very tired and incredibly bon
horse After a shouted conVersatlo
with the captain, two of them molihle
\, the animal and rode out to the BOA
They We're armed with short rint
N and heavy cavalry swords. the
turned the horse loose, which swan
shore, and was used by the other I"
asa living ferry, one riding this tim
while his comrade held fast to u
" animals tail
In the morning six ManchuriaI
II rode down TO the waters edge and b
gan firing at the boat. The distah'
was long and they shot wildly NJ
putting Hardy and his friends in M
great danger, though they made the
Intentions perfectly plain. The Pm
II VeSs Romanovna, attired in the gov
,ysttr VI light blue ana the hat trimmed WI
athaf que flowers, stood by the genera
aue cycling the scene with calm
@est' twirling her open parasoI can
l%ssA NSsly on her shoulder.
sns AS they stood looking, reinior'
4 aehts to the Chinese arrived ire
aBD u'le to time other horsemen ro
nstH sut from the depths of the woods, q
me course of an hour. the streng
the company had increased ire
10 90 Hardy became conHlnc
mVM :" the Chinese Intended to atta'
VW eh their number should become $
Mn gently great, and here, by a strah
aS oil chance, he found himself
10y involved in the ancient ana
:, ~u'hg war between Russia and Al
laIst %Sed up in fight to the dea
~h was as much his fight as II "
cuulS a captains or the generals, or u
, reiupd'M Suy sailor or Bouriat on board
Va - h., "a 30, ~