Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-04-14

- certainty was uOL MI.
Hardy's fault. On the Amur we were
again attacked by brigands, and Mr..
Hardy, as we'll as my cousin, fought
like a brave man. In my house in
Moscow my cousin, who was of a VIC
lent nature, insulted the American by
offering him money, and, when Mr..
Hardy Indignantly refused and
knocked his check-book out Of his
hand, struck him in the face. A duel
was fought, at which Mr.. Hardy, at
my request, spared my cousins life,
though he was himself severely
wounded. He has wonderful skill with
the pistol, and he shot a cuff button
from my cousins sleeve, which he
sent me as proof that he had COM
piled with my request. My cousin
was boastful of having wounded Mr..
Hardy, and / gave him the cuff but
ton and told him its story. He became
transported with rage and swore that
he would not rest till he had rid the
earth of this man. He conceived it
his duty to avenge the outraged honor
of the Romanoff family, as he ex-
pressed it. He thought he must kill
this man for other reasons here
the princess halted and blushed.
go on" said the czar, kindly and
much interested, this is a most re-
markable story! In it this Mr.. Hardy
appears as a hero!"
"Sire, in Mr.. Hardy's employ was a
young Korean boy whose devotion to
his master surpassed anything | have
ever before heard of. 1t was more
like that of a woman for the man she
loves when a woman really loves. This
boy-I am ashamed to tell it, sire
but now your majesty will understand
why l have wished to confide in you
alone-this boy heard my. cousin plot
ting to kill MI. Hardy. Your majesty
will understand that my cousin was
no longer a sane man; that rage and
-and-jealousy, perhaps, had rem
dered him for the moment irrespon-
sible. The boy, fearing for his mas
ter's safety and believing that a Rus
sian nobleman had the power to do
anything he wished, stole into my
cousins compartment at night and
killed him"
Wonderful! wonderful" said the
czar in a musing tone; "and are you
sui of all this?"
Absolutely. / give you my word
as a Romanoff princess that it is
true"
"And the boy? Do you know where
he is? He can be given up to JUS
tice."
"The boy" replied the princess,
solemnly, mo longer exists. Over
whelmed with horror at what he had
done, and feeling sure that the police
would find and punish him, he has
made away with himself. He told me
that it was his intention to do away
with himself, and he has disap
peared!"
At this moment Pypine entered with
Hardy's record. At the cars com
mand he read it, rapidly and in a mat
ter-of-fact, sing-song tone. 1t con
tanned nearly every act Of Hardy's
life, except what had actually hap
pened within the four walls of his
sleeping chamber, since he had Sc
foot on Russian soil. He was accused
of sympathizing with the Japanese, o.
having affiliated with Jews, of having
insulted the authorities at Vladivostol
by requesting that the imperial gov
eminent use its influence to get hin
a clean towel in the hotel there, will
having worn an overcoat similar t.
the one found in the nihilists' den Oh
, the evening Of the explosion Of thu
Frenchman's famous pill. Further
more, he had fought a duel with tn
Prince Romanoff, in which b,
had been wounded. This fact fun
!, nished the motive for his allege,
crime, which, coupled with his sus
, picious record, left little room, in tn
: Russian official mind, for doubt of hi
. guilt. Most of these points had a
ready been covered by the story tol
by the princess.
CAS- for the overcoat," she remarked
? IF he continued to wear it he coul
. not have left it, and your majest
d would soon discover, If your majest
r would stop for some time %incognito !
v Vladivostok, that the power of tn
3 imperial government Is by no mean
beHttled when it is asked to use il
influence in the procuring Of a clea
towel"
The emperor arose and pressed hi
hand to his brow as though he wer
Q suffering with headache.
r Little Father" said Romanovni
this man saved my life, my homo
n There are features in the case whicl
!, If it is tried, do not reflect credit Q
! my dead cousins name. Grant m
r. prayers. Let Mr.. Hardy be freed, an
the report given out that the polio
have secret proof of his %innocenc
y but are on the track Of the real GU
q prit"-and she sank again on he
/ knees.
Rise, daughter" said the car kin
!. ly. 1--WE have already decided on tn
course. It's a relief to know that
is innocent, the American ambass
i dor is SO troublesome. Pypine, 81
that this is done. Tell the proper a
:. thorities that it is our will"
If CHAPTER XIII.
y,
n Gray Ghosts.
" That part Of Siberia which lies ca