Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1910-06-30

'He struck you!" cried the Korean.
II could spit on his corpse. I could
spurn it with my foot"
Il have no doubt you could, thereby
displaying your devotion to my un-
worthy self. Your plan is imprac-
ticable, however, for the simple rea-
son that there is no corpse. Romanoff
is alive and we'll at the present mo-
ment and is no doubt gloating over my
discontinue"
He is not even wounded? asked
the boy.
mot even wounded"
But why did you not kill him when
you had the opportunity? 1t surely
would not have been difficult to hit
that great hulk of flesh. Is it then
safe to strike an American gentleman
in the face?"
Not always. My reasons for not
killing him are too complicated for a
boy to understand. They involve a
lady's sanction of duel, and then her
subsequent multiplying of that sanction.
They involve, In general, a ladys re-
quest, which can hardly be overlooked
when she is, in reality, the cause of
the hatred which made the meeting
necessary. Do you follow me, Wang?"
II think I do" replied the boy,
wearily. "You spared him because
the princess asked you to. You have
been magnanimous, whatever the COST
to yourself, and given the princess her
admirer, for whom, in his moment OF
extreme peril, she found that she
cared more than she had supposed.
And now you are done with the whole
Romanoff family"
Hardy forgot his pain for the mo-
ment and started at the boy in open
mouthed wonderment.
IF you were not boy" he said
at last, sinking back on the pillow, II
should think you were a woman. Your
intuition in such matters is positively
marvellous. And now l mustn't talk
too much, for it makes this shoulder
ache like a bad tooth. l must get
well, and we must go back to Stry-
etensk and the store But there is one
little thing that I want you to do for
me. Go to the place where the duel
was fought this morning. I shall de-
scribe the location exactly to you. Ro-
manoff stood near a large oak tree,
whose trunk divides about six feet
from the ground into two trunks equal
in size. Look about there and see if
you can find in the snow a gold cuff.
button. 1t is there, and, shining
against the white, should be easily
found Bring 1T to me as quickly as
possible"
Wang left without another word.
Not long after the boys departure
the nurse brought in a bouquet OF
priceless orchids, which she arranged
in vase and set on a table near his
bed.
An isvoschlk brought them." she
explained to Hardy. Here is the
note that came with them"
She handed him tiny billet-doux
and raised one of the shades. Holding
the note in his teeth, he opened the
envelope with his good hand. and
read:
My Friend I do not know what your
feelings ara toward my unhappy self I
had no Idea that this deplorable affair
would end as u has. VIII you allow me
20 come In person and express my regret
and do whatever lies In my power 20 al.
leviate your sunerngsf Thank God you
are not killed.
ELIZABETHA ROMANOvNA
Tell the man that there is no au-
swer at present" said Hardy to tho
nurse
Wang was gone two hours. When
he arrived be came straight 20 Hardy's
couch and handed him small gold
object, with a biz OF linen hanging
20 H.
"llere Il is." he said; 1T Is stamped
with the crest Of tho Romanoff family.
/ thought you had lost one OF your
Own Gun buttons"
7Bring paper and envelopes" Hardy
requested OF tho nurse. and then
The woman complied
"N0w take nay iudeliblo pen from
my waistcoat pocket and write"
Wang sat down at the table aud
looked lnqu.rlugy az bis master.
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