Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 September 1904 — A SOLDIER OF COMMERCE [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A SOLDIER OF COMMERCE

By JOHN ROE GORDON

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. Chapter I—Harvey Irons, a commeecial agent in Russia for a firm of American manufacturers, has been expelled fromtheczar’s dominions. The czar has just prohibited the traffic in Georgia women. Hufiz Effendi, a Turk, and Mizik. agent for the ameer or Bokhara, are in Tiflis seeking a bride for Prince Davonca. ll—Hafiz points out to Mizik the bride he has selected, a beautiful Georgian. Koura, daughter of a rich merchant in Tiflis. Hafiz agrees to deliver the girl to a boat captain on the Caspian recommended by Mizik. Captain Orskoff of the czar’s army has the Turk under surveillence. Ill—Hafiz and one Hassan, a greedy captain on Kur river, lure the merchant and his daughter on board of Hassan’s boat at midnight. Hafiz kills the merchant, and Hassan sails away with Koura looked in a cabin, Koura has pledged her hand to Captain Orskoff. IV—While beating about the eastern waters trying to reach Novgorod Irons boards Hassan's boat against the will of the captain, who. however, takes a bribe to carry the American to Astrakan. A Russian gunboat overhauls the craft. Hassan tells a plausible story about the presence of Koura, implicating Irons, who is arrested for abduction of one of the czar's subjects. V—lrons is taken to Tiflis. In the family apartments of the prison where he is confined his sweetheart, Mile. Alma Jurnleff, niece of the governor. Colonel Jurnieff, is kept in seclusion. Her father and uncle had caused the banishment of the American to separate the lovers. Alma hears of Irons' plight and vows to save him. Vl—Colonel Jurnieff is conspiring to crush Irons. Hassan appears in court as witness against the American, who. he says, was abducting Koura. Vll—Prince Dellnikoif is coming to Tiflis. He is the choice of Alma's father for a son-in-law. Alma buys a ship's cargo of hay to be delivered at Astrahad, Persia, and stipulates that the ship shall carry a man as passenger. VIII—The governor gives a ball in honor of Prince Delhiikoff. Alma, by her graciousness and witehcrv, captivates both the prince and her uncle. IX—Colonel Jurnieff expects to win promotion by bringing about The marriage of his niece and the prince. He urges Dellnikoff to have the betrothal announced at the ball. Dellnikoff proposes and promises Alma any favor she may wish. She asks for one of his uniforms to indulge in a lark as pretended inspector of prisons. X—Disguised as the prince. Alma inspects the dungeons. The prince himself, enveloped in a long cloak, accompanies her. Dellnikoff gets stupid from wine. Alma locks him in a cell, first securing his cloak, which she gives to Irons, whom she releases. Irons passes the guard unchallenged. Xl—Alma conducts Iroqs to the hayboat. As the lovers are about to separate the alarm sounds in the prison. Alniu escapes with Irons, and they hide under the hay. Xll—Soldiers search the boat. It is ordered to leave Tiflis at once. Xlll—Captain Charka is lost overboard during a storm, and the crew go to his rescue and refuse to return. XlV—The drifting boat falls in w>ith the black boat of Bokhara which Hafiz had engaged to convey Koura to the ameer's country. Alma is taken on board. Meeting of Alma and Koura. Irons left to his fate on the hay-boat.

CHAPTER XV. FOUR GENTLEMEN OF WEALTH. SHE situation of Harvey Irons on the hayboat was critical in tbe extreme; but, great as was his danger, he regarded it as nothing compared to the danger that threatened Alma. He was almost exhausted from hunger, cold and grief. The boat slowly drifted In a southern direction, making toward the eastern side of the Caspian. It drifted out of the ordinary course of navigation, and he watched in vain for a passing vessel. He watched as long as possible the course of the ameer's sloop and reasoned that it was making for the nearest Bokharan port. Night came on, with no rescuing vessel in sight. Hour after hour he drifted, hoping almost against hope, ever thinking of Alma and of a way to help her. About midnight it seemed to him that the rocking motion of the boat had ceased: that it had become stationary. “Here is a pretty mess!” he exclaimed. "I wonder if this old hulk has run aground. The Caspian is shallow, hut I did not think a boat like this could ruu aground in the middle of it.” An examination iu the dark was not easy. Harvey slid down the pile of hay’, groping about with one hand while he clung for safety witii the other. He fancied he saw a faint light glimmering some distance from him. but it disappeared as suddenly as it had come. He saw the light again, a quick passing from one point to another, but showing for a moment only. “Now, that light is not on a vessel,” Harvey reasoned. “It is a lantern carried around by a person who is walking on land. If I drifted aground here, certainly there cannot he water enough at that place to float any kind of vessel. I’ve probably drifted on the shore of some island. Is it a hospitable island, or will I be worse off in the clutches of the inhabitants than where I am? The wind may drive me off again before morning and a vessel pick me up. But would the vessel be any safer than this island? And how can I investigate without attracting attention?” Soon there was another gleam of light such as might come through an open door from a light within. A man was standing between Harvey and the light. He seemed to be looking toward the hayboat, but soon disappeared into the same place from which came the mysterious light. “It is an island,” said Harvey. “I am now resting on a shoal, and the water cannot be very deep between this and the island. I’ll swim ashore and risk it.” He removed some of hia clothing, made a bundle of it and slid off into the water. To his surprise he could stand on bottom. Carefully he felt his way. For a short distance the water grew more shallow. Then It got deeper, and he was forced to swim. After a short swim he again felt the ground under-his feet, and he waded on to dry land. The shore was sandy. He moved slowly and cautiously. It was difficult to locate where the light had been. He groped along, wandering in many curves. Trees were on the island, but he could see no trace of a building. After groping some time in the darkness he discovered what appeared to he a rock about five feet high. Feeling the surface of this, he

found that it was not a solid rock, but a rocky formation with an opening on one side. Lying flat on the ground and peering in, he saw a light far in the earth, apparently from a lantern bung on a peg. He slow ly crawled inside the cave. After advancing for several feet he found that he could stand up and walk. A voice came from behind a shelter of the rocky wall that projected into the chamber. It pleased Harvey that it was not the voice of a Russian, for Russians were the only people be bad any reason to fear. “I have spoken,” said a calm, stern voice within the concealed chamber. "I have given the treasure as it should be given.” ‘‘But, no, my brother,” came a voice that seemed to Harvey to tremble with emotion. It was a harsh, cold voice, not like the other. ‘‘You have done well for yourself. You have done well for the clans in the mountains. But we have not fared as we should. Was It not our courage that made the accumulation of this booty possible?’’ “Yes; that is so,” answered the first speaker. “But I am Palpnk, chief of the Zannucks, and It was I who planned everything. The wealth that came from the ameer’s people we were compelled to hide here until the ameer’s soldiers had finished their search among our villages, and the wealth that came from the Buddhist temples, which we found the most valuable of all, and the gold that came from the paymasters of the Russian soldiers whom we attacked and robbed. All these are mine—mine! Do you understand, Domitan? It was I’alpak, the chief, who in the Interest of all his people, downtrodden as they are by the wicked ameer, strove to gain that with which we could buy horses and cattle and make the Zannucks wealthy. I have given you enough. The rest must bfe divided among the people.” “No,” said a third voice, thick and guttural. “Domitan is right, Palpak, though you be chief. We were with you in all the ventures. It is not right that you should rob us now.” “Rob you!” cried Palpak angrily. “Rob you of what? In the name of the white bull, of what can I rob you when you buve nothing save what I have given you? I tell you I am working not for wealth for you, my brothers, but for the whole people. The Zannucks have been downtrodden and robbed by the ameer. He demands more tribute than we possess. He taxes us for our wives, for our cattle, and then his soldiers steal the cattle. He taxes us for our families, and the soldiers steal our children. Our boys are compelled to enter the ameer’s army, and our girls—curses upon the ameer and upon you If you cannot see the justice of what I am doing. But the ameer has desisted from his search. He has some great affair now in progress. It is time we took the treasure to the mountains and distributed it among the people and then begin again to plan.” “It shall not be so! I swear it!” “There are three of us!” growled the surly voice. “And we are determined men!” said one who had not spoken before. “Do you intend to defy me?” demanded the one who called himself Palpak. The three laughed. “We intend to—you will see what we intend." Harvey began to catch the drift of things. “This,” he reasoned, “is what is popularly called honor among thieves. Here’s a band of four who have been successful in gathering treasure by robbing everything and everybody to enrich a people kept down by that miserable wretch of an ameer. And now the only decent one, if there is such a thing as decency among them, is to be killed so that the other three can keep the treasure Instead of putting it to the

“ Who are you t?’ the robbert demanded. use originally intended. Three againat one. If I can save the leader, I can no donbt enlist him in my behalf.'’

He crept to the wall and peered around. A strange sight met bis eager gaze. On a wooden .peg that had been driven into a crevice of the rocky wall hung a lantern. On the stone floor of the cavern squatted four men in a circle, and between them were many bags of gleaming jewels, bales of choicest fabrics and bags of gold. It was not difficult to pick out Palpak, for his'watchful eyes were roving from one to the other as he remained on his guard against an attack. But the plans of the other three were already laid. It was evidently a preconcerted arrangement. The one called Domitan shouted “Now!” and the three hurled themselves upon Palpak. “Hold on there! Let that man alone!” shouted Harvey, rushing in. His presence disconcerted the robbers, and they stopped fighting. Domitan, with a curse and gasping for breath, rose to his feet and seized his knife. “Who are you?” the robbers demanded in chorus. The four seemed ready to Join against Harvey. “My friends,” he said, “permit me to say that this conduct upon my own territory, to which you were not invited, is most unseemly. I am the owner of this island, having just purchased it from the Russian government. I’ll have no murder committed here.” “You! The owner of the Island of Ping Shong!” “That’s what I said! At this moment I own the island.” “It is a He!” said Domitan. “You die on your Island, then.” He made n rush, but Palpak intercepted him. The other two, recovering from their astonishment, joined with Domitan. Suddenly from the outer cavern came the rush of booted feet and the clank of arms. “Seize them all!” commanded Captain Sergius Orskoff to the force of Russian soldiers, who rushed upon the combatants and executed the order before the American and the robbers were aware of their presence. At the moment Harvey recognized Orskoff the latter exclaimed: “The American! I have found you at last!” CHAPTER XVI. AN ARGUMENT AND AN EXPLANATION. BENGEANCE gleamed in Orskoff’s eyes. His sword was 8t the throat of the American. “Stealer of women! Scoundrel who has twice stolen the daughter of Biartelkis. Where have you hidden her? The searchlight of the gunboat revealed the hayboat, but she 16 not there. Where have you hidden her?” “Now, captain,” said Harvey, “don’t be too hasty in this matter. I did not steal Koura Biartelkis, but I know where she is.” “You know! Of course you know! But you lie when you say you did not steal her. You came down the Kur In a hayboat belonging to the Astrakhan Charka with a woman disguised as a man? Who else was that but Koura?” “You are getting excited! Kindly take that confounded sword from my throat. I’d like to talk with some comfort.” “Comfort! A stealer of girls askß for comfort! That is the limit of American effrontery. I’ll run the sword to the bone.” “If you do, I assure you that you will never see your Koura again.” “See, he admits he has the girl! He has accomplices who will kill her if he is harmed!” shouted one of the soldiers. Something in the words and manner of Harvey impelled Orskoff to lower his sword. He turned to the soldiers who were guarding the four robbers and said: “Take them on board the gunboat. It is evident that they have robbed Russians, for here are bags of rubles. They must he taken at once to Tiflis. Convey all the treasure on board.” Turning again to Harvey, his face resuming its expression of hate, he said: “You know that I love Koura, and to rescue her I am willing to parley with you. 1 had determined to kill you on eight. Come with me.” Harvey followed his captor to the entrance of the cave. Here he found a guard of additional soldiers with lanterns. In the distance a brilliant searchlight sent its gleam upon the island. lighting it as by day. In the great light from the gunboat Harvey could see that the old hayboat had stuck in the mud near the island. At a little distance was a sailing vessel, evidently the property of Palpnk and his robber brothers. On the shore were two boats, which had landed the Russians. - - . . The five prisoners were jostled rudely while getting into the boats and at a command from Orskoff were soon on the way to the waiting gunboat. They were received on board by a young officer, who saluted Orskoff. “I congratulate you. my captain. I am told by the men that you not only captured the American who stole the daughter of E(inrtelkis, but that you also had the good fortune to seize the four robbers who attacked the paymaster and robbed him at Mogda.” “Are you sure these are the men?” “I could not be mistaken. The leader is Palpak, chief of the tribe of Zannucks, nominally under the rule of the ameer, but hating him.” “Guard them well then.” “Shall we get under way at once, my captain?” “No, lieutenant. As you know, we want to find Koura Biartelkis. I have, it Is true, captured the man who stole her, but I have not succeeded in finding the young woman. Remain here while I investigate. I shall go on that ißland in the daytime and search. I can see little at night even with the searchlight.” Harvey stood waiting to be questioned, but Orskoff paid little heed to him. “Put the prisoners in irons,” he said to a subaltern.

“But Irons won’t unlock my lips,” said Harvey. “I will find a way to unlock your lips. If I cannot find Koura on that Island In the morning, I will hang you by your thumbs till you tell the truth.” “But I am anxious to tell It now. You won’t listen.” Orskoff waved his hands, and Harvey was dragged away. The gunboat remained, and as soon as it was sufficiently light in the morning Orskoff took a squad and returned to the island. He examined every foot of the place and returned to the gunboat chagrined and angry. “Bring up that American!” he commanded. Harvey was hustled to the deck. “Lieutenant Nevisky; attend!” said Orskoff. “Now, stealer of women, I will give you one more cliapce to tell the truth. If you do not, your thumbs will be torn out. Your life depends upon your answers. Tell where you have hidden Koura. Your punishment will be worse than death If you do not. Koura was to have been my wife”— “You said something like that before, but that she was to be your wife is news to me. For my part, I am willing to tell you where she is.” “I have searched .the Island. lam convinced that Koura is not there.” “I could have told you that and saved you trouble and time. Koura is getting farther away every minute. You will never find her.” “You fiend, I will have your life!” howled the captain as he sprang to his feet. “You do seem inclined that way, but before you take it, reflect. Just show a little common sense, if you have any. If you kill me, how do you expect to find Koura?” “But you say you do not know where she is.” “I said nothing of the kind. I said I did know where she was. But I did not take her there. Take off these confounded irons, treat me like a man, and I will tell you what I know.” “Remove the irons,” said the captain. The lieutenant unlocked them. “Come with me alone,” said Harvey. Surprised, Orskoff beckoned to Nevisky, who turned and walked away. “Beware,” said Orskoff, “how you trifle with me.” “I am not trifling with you. I am the only man who can help you find your Koura, and it happens that I have as ardent, a reason to want to find her as you.” » “You—you love her!” “I don’t even know her, but one I love is with her.” “Then you did take her away?” “No, I did not. I know nothing about Koura—that is, except where she is this moment. But, before I tell, you must first tell me how you traced me to the island.” ito be Continued.)