Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-03-03
CHAPTER xxvI.
Hardy Hesitates.

Hardy Hesitates.
Emery stayed on in Stryetensk,
%lengthening his visit into months, and
Hardy became greatly attached to
him, finding the companionship OF
this cheerful, bold, resourceful, self
made man an inspiration which the
fellowship of his former society
friends had never afforded him. The
old merchant received frequent adj
vices from his agent in Japan which
confirmed him in the belief that war
was imminent, and Stryetensk, at the
head of river navigation in Siberia,
seemed to him the most important OF
the company's posts in Russia.
Vasili, who was suspected Of hav-
ing been active in exciting popular
hatred against Hardy, whom he re-
garded as having s%upplanted him, was
transferred to Blagovestchensk. And
during all this time the Korean boy,
whose intelligence and adaptability
we're truly marvellous, steadily grew
in favor with his employers. His
progress in Russian was phenomenal,
and as it TRANSFERRED that he also knew
| Japanese and some Chinese, he was,
after a couple of months, promoted
from errand boy to the office, and set
to writing letters.
In the meanwhile Hardy received
another letter from the Princess Ro-
manovna, a chatty, delightful letter.
in Russian this time, complimenting
him on his progress in the language,
and telling him much of her own life
and of affairs in Moscow. Among
other things, she mentioned the fact
that she had spoken of his heroism on
the Amur to the emperor and of the
debt Of gratitude that she owed him.
She assured him that she would be
glad to hear from him from time to
time and signed her, Your friend,
Elizabetha Romanovna."
In January, Emery announced to
Hardy one day that he wished the
young man to take a trip to Moscow
and perhaps to st. Petersburg or
business.
"By the way" said Hardy, STAN
mering slightly and feeling a trile
confused, there is a-ah-matter O
which | wish to speak to you, YOU
know this country so much BETTE
than |, and its customs. l have re
| ceived an invitation from the Princess
Romanovna to call on her while il
; Moscow"
, It was a little difficult to speak t.
Emery on this subject, he was s.
/, practical and his gray eyes were s.
shrewd. and at times twinkled s.
humorously. Yet he was thorough.
kind-hearted, he loved Hardy, bot
for his W and for his fathers sake
| and he took a paternal interest in tn
young man.
rs she the one whom you save
from the Chinese b%rigands?"
/ "She is the-ah-the one whom
e came up the Amur with" reptile
t Hardy, modestly.
VI well, go and call on her!" decide
Emery, without a moments though
Eyes, but I feel some little hesiti
t ton. She is a princess, and am no.
a merchant, and we are in Russia.
don't want her to feel under the leas
obligation to me for what | have don,
That is to say, / do not want her I
feel that | am taking advantage Of !
c1.1 no,- al ,irht h,,t talYinu mo II
It might cause her some little %inconve,
fence or embarrassment. Her rel
It tives are proud and naughty, and
$. don't belong to her social set"
d Social set be banked" roare
" Emery. Haven't you got that Bo
r. ton tommy-rot out Of your. head We
a You're an American gentleman, al
l. an American gentleman is good cor
pany for any princess that walks IL
i surface of the globe. Besides, II W
is stay with me and this val goes rigt
I'll make a merchant-prince out
st you, my boy, and those are the on
a. princes these days"
10 One week later, in the middle
re January, Frederick CORTLAND Hare
Or crossed Lake Baikal to lrkutsk al
" there took the magnificent "tra
/, luxus,'' a nine-days' railway journey
N Moscow. Though he was going
ID important business, yet he ft
e- strangely agited over the fact that
was soon to see the princess agai
With the agitation, too, was mingled
ia certain degree of misgiving and fol
boding. He was not sure that his Sc
2" ing her would conduce to his pea
e. of mind.
M He was accompanied by his secl
n tary, Wang, the Korean boy, who n
IS. rendered NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
" his genius for details.