TALES AND SKETCHES.
THE PRINCESS ROMANOVA, A TALE OF THE AMUR. (By GEORGE HORTON.) [Aii Rights Resekvbd.]
CHAPTER XXXV.
" IN THE NAME. OP THE CZAR ! TKe Nihilists were thrown into panic by this sudden move on the part pf Hardy. For the moment he was m control of the situation, though he was well aware that he could not remain so for long. . . His arm would tire, or a quick move on the part of one of the members Svould obscure the ball from his sight.He must decide upon the next step instantly. , . , In the meantime every face in that room was turned toward him, P ale > eager, agape. On. many fear had set its stamp unmistakably, and Hardy had fancied that the hair had^ctually arisen in fright upon several heads. One man sprang to the window, against the frame of which he had set his palms . and was looking back at the American over nis shoulder. The others were cowering in their seats. , , All doubt as to the genuineness of the " pill " Vas dissipated by a glance art the countenance of that great inventor. Monsieur Hulin, dark m its normal state, now in, a yellowish green. His teeth were chattering, and he was licking his thin lips in a fever of year. I_ was evident that these people had no. relish for their own medicine. j "Do not shoot," faltered Bielinski, ''perhaps some other arrangement can be made in your case! Perhaps something else can be thought of ! I have xm> 4-aiibt something else can be thought «>f i" "If a single member moves," said Hardy, in a clear, ringing voice, "1 ■hall certainly shoot. And now, hear nr* terms. I must be allowed to go. I stall back out of this door behind me.- If -anyone opens the door while I am- crossing the adjoining room, I shoot io kill, and the noise will probkbly briiig the police down upon you. jl promise you that I will not notify the police of your plot nor point out your blaoe of meeting till twelve hours after mv escape. 'Now repeat after me: 'We call the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost; the Virgin Mary, and all the Saints to witness ' Repeat, I say, every man of you, in concert— l give you till I • count three to begin I' He extended his arm; the elbow of which was : ' resting against his side, and bighted along the pistol. "One, two " A murmur arose, as of a congregation, repeating in response: •"We call the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, the Virgin and all the Saints to witness—" ,','*,'■ "Very good! But speak wilder. : ' That we will permit the American to pass > freely from his house.' " '■ " That we will permit the American to pass freely from this house- " came the response, louder this time. " And we call down upon our heads the vengeance of God and all the saints, ifne is interfered with and his departure prevented !" This also was repeated in chorus by the Nihilists. " i '"If we break this oath, may we all Doino to Violent ends, and our souls , burn in hell for over f Amen J" said : 't__jr<_y_* "''■' ''''.'"' **If we break this oath, may' we all oorne t_» violent ends, and our _ souls burn in hell for ever, Amen," said the Nihilists. , "The American, still aiming at the jgphere, backed to the door, passed through it after some little nervous fumbling for the knob, closed it behind him and started to run rapidly across the empty room, in -which, he now found himself, not without, however making an effort to lock th© door, .w_u__i was impossible,' as there was no key on the outside, and no bolt. '. A savage uproar broke loose in the room whioh he had just quitted— the pound of men struggling,, curses, shouts; and ere he had traversed half the distance of the hall, the door behind him flew open, and half a dozen nihilists were vomited forth. Several of them were armed, and, pointing pistols at Hardy, they shrieked: "Drop that revolver, or we shoot! Yon cannot escape!" » "But your oathl" he cried, facing them. ■ " Oath, hell I Do you think an oath binds us? Can anyone live in Russia and believe in God?" ' At this moment the hall door was thrown open, and a man rushed to Hardy's side. It was Mordecai, the Jew, with his red eyes, hiß bushy red Whiskers, and his big hook nose. ' "Mr Hardy!" he cried, "my dear pupil," and he sprang between the Americans and the pistole which, were pointed at the la,, tar's body. " Stop, brothers, stop!" he shrieked. "What madness is this? -What is this man accused of? I know him. _ He is a friend. I will vouch for him on my life. I will defend him. If you kill fiiTTi you must kill me too!" "He is a friend of aristoorats," explained 'Bielinski, stepping forward'; *' he entered here by mistake, he says, but it is possible that he ie a spy. At any rate, he knows our secret, he has overheard our plans ; and he will betray us. He must die." "And I say that he shall not die," oried Modecai. "It was he who braved the Russian mob at Stretinsk, and saved my life.- He is no. spy 'nor aristoorat, he is a simple merchant, an American. Though he does not belong to the order, he is in spirit a brother, and he is a friend of the downtrodden and the oppressed, for whom he is willing to risk his life." " He is also willing to risk his life 'for aristocrats," hissed one of the Nihilists. "It was he who saved the Princess Romanova on the Amur." "I admit it," replied the Jew, "and I would that he had not done it — burse her and all her foul kin! But in saving her life he was fighting also for his own. Shall a man die if he can HveP But I tell you he risked his own life to save mine, and I aon a despised and per_ecuted"'Jew. My mother was murdered through the ' connivance of the Russian authorities. Who doubts my fidelity to the cause P Who has more reason than I to hate the Government — all Governments? "Mordecai is a Jew," cried one of the Nihilists; "he would betray us lor thirty pieces of silver. Let us kill them both!" . And at this that old murmur arose, that burden of hatp which in Russia is stronger than hate of the government or the aristocrats of oppression, that stfibboleth whioh makes all Russians brothers, high and low : — " Moschke 1 Moschke ! The Jew ! The JewV "My brave friend," said Hardy, " they are going to shoot now. Save yourself'!" and grabbing the grateful Jew by the shoulder he jerked him suddenly from his feet and sent him iprawling to the floor. . The game was played out. The mad fanatics before him, wild-eyed,' some .with pistols in their hands, some with
knives, others with their fingers ben+ like the talons of birds of prey, were, intent upon his death. Had his own weapon been loaded, he might still have checked them long enough to escape through the door, by a shot or two. But they had forgotten his weapon in their passion, and there was no way to remind them of its existence. Nothing save the Tinging report of a shot would penetrate that delirium ot malice. The hatred bred of ages of wrong r was overflowing from those embittered hearts, and, like the : angry waters bursting from a broken dam, it would not stop to chocse its victim. Hardy closed his eyes and commended his soul to God, when a loud hammering was heard upon the outer or -street door. "Silence!" gasped Bielinski, in a whisper, a whisper, nevertheless, that could be heard more distinctly in the sudden silence than a shout. " What is that?'/ c As if iin answer to his question, the door giving into the hall flew open, and the old woman looked in, dishevelled and pale, moaning, as she crossed herself rapidly : — "The police! The police i" Again that thundering upon the door J sounded through the house, and a stern voice could be heard commanding: — " Open, in the name of the Czar !" Hardy was forgotten. The Czar, their arch enemy, was at the gates x>f their fortress, and his name was a word of terror. The Nihilists flew past the American on tiptoe, into the hall', several of them jostling and* almost knocking him over in their eagerness to escape. : " Come with me!" whispered Baruch, ! who had regained his feet. "You must not be found herel" and, seizing Hardy by the arm, he also jumped for the open door. Hardy made no resistance, and was soon running down the long hall with the others, accompanied by. the Jew. They came to a narrow flight of stairs, leading to the cellar, andvdown this they crowded, scrambling and^fighting, some of them losing their footing and rolling to the bottom. A loud crash arrested Hardy's attention. He was standing in the darkness, but at the farther end of the hall was a hanging lamp, turned low, and by the lighjb of this he could see the door fly in splinters and the officers of the law pour in. "Throw yonr bomb, brother; throw your bomb!" said Bielinski, and Hulin, leaping like a cat into the middle of the passage, hurled the sphere down the hall with an oath. There was a muffled report, not loud, and much jingling of glass. The light went out, but by the momentary flash of the explosive Hairdy could see several policemeh pitch forward on their faces. "Come, , oorne away!" eaid Mordecai, and Hardy (scurried down the dark cellar steps with the Jew.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
ONE GOOD TUBN DESEBVES ANOTHER. Thoy were in utter darkness now. Above oould be heard a horse uproar, faint and confused, shouts and sounds of heavy boots on the flooring; here in the cellar, the shuffling feet of the escaping Nihilists, the bump or rattle of an occasional obstruction kicked or run against, muttered oaths, Morder cai, still holding Hardy hf the- .arm, pulled him rapidly across the cellar, un>til they stumbled against the feet of men crawling on their hands and knees." The American pitched forward upon the back ' of one of these, who kicked at him savagely, and swore a foul oath under his breath. " Get down," whispered Mordecai, "and crawl, crawl with me!" They passed through an opening in the wall, so low that it brought the American flat upon his stomach, and yet scratched his back. That it was barely wide enough for two at a time was evident from the fact that, though he had crowded close to Mordecai, the wall scraped his right side. They were through in a trice, and still in utter darkness 1 . The sound of scuffling feet again could be heard, of the Nihilists fleeing. ' "The fools!" muttered Mordecai, " they forgot to put back the stone." It was evident from his grunts and a scraping sound that he was struggling with some heavy object. "There," he muttered at least t "it is flush now, and just in time ! Listen, my dear pupil, dovyou not hear themP They are in the cellar. Put your ear against the wall." Hardy did as requested, and he could indeed hear fain^; sounds on the other 6_de of the wall. "Where are we now?", he asked. # " We are in the cellar of the adjoining house, belonging to a member of the order. The brothers have escaped by an underground passage—^by an old forgotten sewer. But it will not be safe for you to follow them. They will have recovered their wits by this time, and some of them will lie in wait for you and kill you, feeling eure that you will tell what you have seen and .heard." Hardy's _y_s were now becoming accustomed to the darkness, and in the distance he could see a slit of dim, grey light; He felt his way to it, colliding with a barrel and hitting hia . head against a hanging shelf on the way. By tie sense of touch he assured himself that he had arrived at the cellar window, boarded up, and that the slit of grey light came through an imperfect joining. The door must be somewhere near. With his fingers against the wall, he took several steps to the left without finding it; then he. returned to the right, made the same experiment and his efforts were rewafded with success. Mordecai was at his side. " What are you going to do?" asked the Jew. "I am going to walk boldly out of> this door," replied Hardy. " The explosion will have drawn the whole neighbourhood to the front of the house, on the other street, and I shall not be noticed. If I am, I can explain how I came here, and how I escaped. lam goirig to chance it, and the quicker I go the better," and he pushed back the heavy bolt, which he had found by this time. " Goodbye, my friend, and thank you. I suppose you will rejoin your brethren. You have saved my life and I shall never forget it. For your sake, I will say nothing about what I have seen and heard this night. The nest is broken up for the present, and the police do not seem to need my aid." " Go, then," said Mordecai, " and farew.ell, jand luck go with you ! I shall attempt to escape alone. I shall not rejoin thdse ingrates. I became one of them to avenge the death of my mother, but there is no place for the Jew in Russia, either among the friends or enemies of the Government. I shall go back to America." " Good-bye," said Hardy, once more, " my dear friend and teacher " ; and he took the thin, clammy hand in his, pressing it warmly. " Good-bye 1" sobbed Mordecai, "my dear pupil!" Hardy opened the door and stepped out. He closed it quietly behind him and ran up the cellar steps into the 'starlight. He was in a back yard sur-
rounded by a high fence, over which a street lamp, peeping, cast its yellow gleam over a midnight world of snow, tie walked briskly down a broad path, passed out of a gate into an alley, and hurried away. As he had anticipated, no one noticed him. The half-dozen police who had been stationed at the rear of the adjoining house had run around to the front to the aid of their brothers, on, hearing the explosion. The American walked a couple of squares, then turned sharply to the right and gained the main street. He was safe now, and, hailing a passing cab, he ordered the isvo-chik to take him to the Gosteenneetea Russia. As he stood on the walk, waiting for the vehicle to draw up, he felt chilly and, his excitement having subsided somewhat, made a discovery that gave him a shock and filled him with a feeling of uneasiness that was destined to possess him for many days to come. He had left liis overcoat behindsomewhere in that den of Nihilists ! He got into the cab, and as it tore through the streets, the wheels squealing in the snow, he sat there shivering, his chin in his hand, racking his brain to remember,'if possible, whether there was anything in the pockets — a , letter, cards, a cigar case — that might betray the* identity of the owner. To save his life he could not settle this point in his mind. It was one o'clock when he reached the hotel. To his surprise, he found Wang sitting up, reading. The boy sprang to his feet, trembling with.delight., "Ah^ my dear master!" he cried, "so here you are at last!" " But why did you not go to bed, Wang?" asked Hardy, not unkindly. "You look pale and tired. You have been working too hard lately, and you need sleep." "I fell asleep," replied Wang, ".and I had a horrible dream about you. _ I thought you were in a cave filled, with poisoned . snakes, all about your feet, and hanging writhing from the ceiling, close to your read. It seemed to me that you did not dare to stir, not even to breathe, for. fear they would strike you, and I, who was looking in at the entrance, could not help you — oould not cry out nor even move a finger, for the same reason. For a moment all the snakes seemed unaware of your presence, then one, at the far end of the cave, fixed his twinkling, malignant eyes on you, and began to glide through the noisome, poisonous mass toward your face. Closer and closer he came, and juet as he drew back his head to 6trike, I awoke. Ugh 1 'Twas a frightful dream." " Yes," laughed Hardy nervously, "it certainly was a nasty nightmare, but pure imagination, I assure you, for I have been in no cave filled with snakes. Now go to bed, I command you. Good-night!" Hardy passed into the adjoining room, and went to bed, but he got but little sleep that night. He was listening for the tramp of heavy feet upon the stairs, the thumping of a sword-hilt againsij, his bedroom door, and that gruff command again, which he had already heard once: — "Open, in the name of the Czar!" But tEe hours passed and he was undisturbed, and just as the greyylight. of dawn began to sift in through the curtains he fell into a sound slumber. It was 'fully ten o'clock when he went out into his office and sent for his coffee. As he was drinking it Wang entered in great excitement, with a newspaper. "Look at this!" cried the boy. "The police raided a den of Nihilists last night, and the latter threw a bomb, killing four of the officers and wounding six others. It was the society known as 'The Enemies of Russia,' made up of disaffected Russians, Poles, Finns, even Jews — all who hate this accursed Government." Hardy glaneed at the boy, marvelling much at the revelation of hate in that ingenuous word " accursed." " Why are you an enemy of Russia?" he asked. " Oh, for no particular reason," faltered fhe boy, turning pale. "I — perhaps lam not. The Nihilists all disappeared, as though the earth had -wallowed them up. Not a thing was left to prove the identity of a member, except one * costly fur-lined overcoat, which proves that this | society numbers among its mem- i bers some of the wealthier classes, perhaps the nobility. I tell you," and Wang struck the paper with his right hand, in- his excitement, "that tnicountry is a hcvijse divided against itself. Leave it aione, and it will work out its own destruction — and salvation !" The boy's eyes were flashing and his cheeks were so aflame with excitement that the scar nearly disappeared. Hardy gulped down his coSee and started for the door. "If anybody calls for me, Wang," he said, " tell them that I will be back In an hour." He did return within that lime^ wearing an exact duplicate of/ the overcoat which he had lost the night before. And still there were no signs of the police. He felt reassured. Had there been any tell-tale letters, cards or documents in the pockets of the missing >. garment, the officers of the law, he reasoned, would, have lost no time in laying hands upon him.
CHAPTER XXXVIL
KO-IANPFT BECOMES INSOLENT. The Princess Romanova was attired in a gown of pale blue silk, decollete, trimmed with dainty cream lace. Her neck was encircled by a string of pearls, of priceless purity, evenness of size and perfection of form. There was something in the creamy softness apd whiteness of her skin, faintly, almost imperceptibly, glowing with the warm red hue of health and youth, that suggested the delicate tinting of the interior of a sea-shell, or foam shot through with the first rays of the morning sun ; and the pearls seemed at home with such a background. Her shoulders were so exquisitely sculpted that revealment became a duty and a matter of course. Immodesty is the child of ugliness. Her arms were round and firm and beautiful 1 When she bent them, there was no angle at the elbow, or unsightly projection, but a perfect, graceful curve, and when she straightened them out the skin did not wrinkle there and corrugate, but dimpled lavishly^ Hardy, accustomed to fashionable and high-bred women, noticed, as she advanced toward him with welcoming hand extended, that her soft, light hair was parted in the middle and combed low over her broad forehead, and that the thick, glossy knot, confined in an invisible net, was set low down at the nape of her neck. She held her head high and haughtily, as the head of a queen ; yet her red, full lips parted' in a dazzling smile, and perfect friendliness shone from her blue eyes. " I received your note at ten o'clock this morning," she said in French, in the most natural way in the world, as though she had seen him but yesterday, "and, fortunately, I had no unavoidable engagements until I— — ? Ji
Hardy arose from the chair in which he sat awaiting her entrance. They stood in the centre of a luxurious salon, flooded with a soft rose-coloured light from electric bulbs ingeniously disposed about the ceiling. "I was very sorry," ho replied, "to disappoint myself last evening, and also to put you to any possible annoyance in waiting for me. But the fact is " " But," she exclaimed, in her own tongue; "you are positively speaking Russian. And so perfectly, too! _ I can hardly believe my ears. It is incredible! But don't let's . remain standing here like two posts. Sit down — over here — and we will have a nice cosy talk. I can give you -two full hours." She crossed the room -to a low divan r and seated herself comfortably upon one end of it, among admass of luxurious pillows. Hardy took his place beside her, and said easily:- — " The hope of conversing with you sometime, in your own tongue, Princess, has been a great incentive to me in my studies of Russian. Without that incentive I should scarcely have made such progress as you are kind enough to credit me with. 'J He was at home now, more at home than in the store at Stretinsk, or the. wholesale houses of the Moscow merchants, and these words of delicate flat tery came naturally to hie lip6. The Princess flashed one quick, searching look at him. The man was a gentleman, in the conventional sense. as well as a hero, and no more afraid of a princess than of a Chinese brigand. " So you learned Russian that you might talk with me!" she laughed, with a slight tinge of coquetry. " How per fectly charming. But," she pouted, " I fear that your desperate struggles with the terrible Russian tongue is but a poor compliment to my French. Did vou then find that so unintelligible?" " Not at all," he replied, " except so far as my own poor mastery of it "rendered it so. But my desire to converse with you in Rusian was quite natural. I used often to wish that I could understand you when you were talking on the Amur steamer. Besides, Russian, as spoken by you, seemed a very beautiful language, and one well worth acquiring." She did not see fit to pursue this topic farthex. "You shall always speak Russian with me, then. By the way, have you heard anything further from your heroic friend Smulders? I hope you have not lost all trace of him. I should so like to know how his love affair with the fair but tantalising ' Chulia ' came out." ' Of that I am able to inform you, as I have recently heard from Snlulders. He and 'Chulia' are married and living in Amsterdam. Smulders is in the seventh heaven of happiness.'* Ilie Princes clapped her little hands with joy. " Isn't that delightful," she exclaimed, "to hear of a love-affair that ends happily? And I liavo no doubt that ' Chulia ' will settle down into a .sensible, affectionate wife, and repay him for all his sufferings. Was not that a terrible happening last night — the j killing ' and wounding of those J poor officers? The Nihilists are becoming bolder and bolder evtry day. Only the severest measures will stamp out this evil of Nihilism. There is no other way to deal with these fisguided men who, if they coulct. but be made to see it, are their own worst enemies. Could they know how it grieves the Little Father to be severe with any of his children, they would not resort to violence." "Do you know the Czar?" asked Hardy. " Oh; qute well. I assure you that he has the heart of a woman, and that he loves all his people as a mother loves her children. His constant care and study is how he may better their condition ; and many are the sleepless nights which he passe., till his physicians are positively alaraned lest be wreck his health, worrying over the sorrows of the poor and the downtrodden, and devising ways for the amelioration of their condition. You little realise the difficulties that he has to contend with." " I suppose not. And yet we in America have a pretty good idea of the nobility of his character and the goodness of his heart. There is no reigning monarch of the world moro highly respected in democratic Amerioa to-day than the Czar of autocratic Russia." "Oh, I am glad to hear you say that!" exclaimed the Brin_ess,_ her beautiful eyes dimming with a mist of tears. " 1 shall tell him of this when next I see him, and I assure you that these words, coming from an Amerk can, will afford him great satisfaction. But you must not call us ' Autocratic | Russia,' for there is no more demoh I cratic a people in' the world than our. I Russians. I assure you that no on© isinterfered with who obeys -he laws.. But when men plot to murder and kill, what ©an you do with them ? What did you do with your own anarchist© not eo many years ago in Chicago^ Let me see, how many did you hang from one scaffold? Twenty-five, wais it not?" "Oh, dear, no! We _>re not so-, a h — wholesale as all that in America. Only five were condemned and four executed. One committed suicide." : "Well, the affair made a great impression in Russia, and confirmed the authorities in' the theory that drastic measures would, in time, be effectual. By those executions anarchy was stamped out in Amerioa, ae we kill a snake by stamping on its head. I wish it could ae easily be destroyed here 1 am sorry for the families of the killed and wounded officers! I have _*__":- ed a subscription for them, which has already been generously responded to." "May I put my name down for a Email amount?" asked Hardy. "lt would be so generous of you! But it does not seem right to allow you to contribute to the relief of people who are not even your own countrymen." " I should be very glad to subscribe to this," replied Hardy, "for I can understand the destitute condition in which these women and children must be left, and the case strongly- appeals to my sympathies. But even if I don't know all about it, I should he.qmte sure that I was right in contributing to any charity that had your approval." The Prinoess laughed, as ehe arose. "You forget that we were talking Russian," she said. "Why?" "It is only in the French tongue that one pays these delicate compliments. But excuse me at this moment, till I get my list of contributions." She left the room and returned almost immediately with a paper, which she handed to Hardy. "It's good for you," he said, "to let me in oh this. It will give me great pleasure to put. my name down to such a cause, especially . when it is headed by so fair a promoter." " Mais vraiement. vous ym'obligerea '
a parler Francais," exclaimed the Princess. Hardy noticed that the list was headed "Elizabeth Romanova, 1000 roubles," and that several others had contributed equal sums. The last name thus far obtained, and next to which Hardy must sign, was that of Boris Romanoff, who was down for 2000 roubles. ' The American was puzzled for a moment. He knew why this handsome, dare-devil Russian had subscribed so large an amount. That Boris Romanoff was touched by the sufferings of the poor was a thought to bring a smile to the face of any who chanced to know him. Hardy was not rioh, as we know. He had saved a few thousands from his fortune, and his 6alary and profits from commissions brought him a respectable income. He held his indelible pen for a moment suspended, as he remarked, looking the Princess quizzically in the eye. " Your cousin is very tender-hearted. Is he not — quite charitably disposed?" " Ho hae responded handsomely, ha6 he not?" she replied carelessly, but there 1 was an amused look in her eye. " But he is rich, and doesn't mind a little sum like this. Besides, he knew that I am anxious to make these poor people comfortable." Hardy scribbled his name upon the paper, and handed it back to the Princess. "But, monsieur!" she gasped, "my friend, I could not accept this much from you ! You have made some mistake here !" He adjusted his gold pinc-nez, looked critically at the paper, and read 6otto voce: — "Frederick Courtland Hardy — roubles 2500. No; that is quite correct, your Highness. I shall take great pleasure in sending you a cheque iq the morning. You have little idea how this cause appeals to me." She flushed and held the paper in her hand for some moments in silence, looking at it. " The Americans are as generous as they are brave," she said at last, in. a low voice. "I will accept the noble gift on behalf of my poor people, in whose name J thank you." At this moment a servant appeared at the door and announced — "Lieutenant Gortchakov!" "I regret that I must be' leaving you now," said the Romanova! "But stay ! I should like to introduce you to the Lieutenant. He is a great admirer of America and Americans. Show the lieutenant in, Aleko." The lieutenant entered, tall, in his twenties, slender and very handsome. He was attired in the uniform of the Imperial Guard. Seeing the Princess, he bowed very low, clicking his heels together. Then he walked rapidly to her, and, bending with exquisite grace and assurance, lifted her hand and kissed it. Then he turned politely and inquiringly toward Hardy^ who arose. " Lieutenant Gortchakov," eaid the Princess, "this is Mr Hardy, the brave American of whom you have heard me speak. I desire you to be friends. 4 ( It gives me great pleasure to make your acquaintance," said the lieuten- - ant, extending his hand. " The pleasure is mine, I assure you," replied Hardy. " General Popoff has already told me of your heroic deeds upon the Amur," added the lieutenant. " I have been hoping for some time that I might have the honour of meeting you. I had no idea that you .were in Moscow." Gortchakov was a frank, ingenuous youth, to whom the American took an immediate liking. "I will leave you two together," said the Princess, rising, "while I go and get my wraps. Oh, by the way, Alexieff, why can we not drive Mr Hardy by the Hotel Russia? The lieutenant has a new pair of white Arabian horses, which he is anxious for me to see. I am sure that Mr Hardy can appreciate fine horses." " I shall be most happy," replied the lieutenant, " if Mr Hardy will accept." "Oh, I am sure he will," laughed the Princess, "if he is sufficiently urged." The Princess left the room, and Gortchakov began to explain that he was driving her to a reception, and that the Russia would be right on the way. He had not been talking over a minute when Boris Romanoff entered, superbly handsome in evening dress. An older man accompanied him. Romanoff shook hands cordially with Gortchakov, whom he addressed as " Aleko," and to whom he introduced his companion, General Koukolnik. He did not introduce Koukolnik to Hardy, but said to the latter, with an evil, insolent smile: "Hello, Hardy, how's trade? But these Americans are enterprising!" he explained affably to the general. "This fellow here - is a storekeeper, who, it seems, is working the Russian nobility for all it is worth. What's your scheme now? Tell us, that's a good fellow! You shall have our influence with the Princess — she ought to be an easy mark under the circumstances — eh, general?" The American paled with rage, but he looked Romanoff full in the eyes, returning insolence for insolence.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
A BLOW AND A CHALLENGE. " Being only a merchant," replied the American, " 1 find it necessary to cultivate good manners ta a certain extent. Were I a prince, I might ale© be a boor." "Upon my soul!" exclaimed General koukolnik. " but this is a very peppery I merchants' The general's cheeks and nose were adorned with a network oi varicose veins, the result of innumerable deep potations of vodka. He wa_ that anomalous oombination, an excitable fat man, and he had a habit of jerking so fiercely at his long pointed side-whiskers that he pulled down the puffy under lid of his eye, disclosing the red conjunctiva. Romanoff flushed with rage. "Fellow," eaid he, "I am not going to wast© any words with you. I grant you a certain degree of courage, considerable shrewdness and any amount ot insolence. But you are making a sad mistake if you hope to force your way into high society, simply because you happened to kill a Chinaman or two on the Amur. You may take ad- , vantage of my cousin's good nature, out you cannot impose on the rest of u s- The best thing for you to do is to accept a good, substantial cheque for your services to the family, and take yourself off. How much shall it be?; and he pulled a cheque-book from his pocket. "Better take my advice and secure, it now, while we are in the mood, a u £ he offer is open." . ._■• Upon my soul!" exclaimed Koukolnik. ! "J , suppose that I shall be offended at B_laJ?r>"8 _ la J? r >" drawled Hardy, "when, I «©t to thinking it over. At present S»«
are too interesting as a study in — ah— zoology. I do not believe there is such another boor and ruffian living in all Moscow as you. Certainly, the Russians of the better class that I have met thus far have all been gentlemen." " I trust this doesn't bore you, Aleko, nor you, general," said Romanoff, " but I really must settle with this fellow once and " for all, and have it over, with. I met him first in Japan, where he- played a low trick, for which he no doubt received money from the Japanese Authorities. He became infatuated with a woman of disreputable character there, and he and the woman had me puj; upon a boat, ostensibly sailing for Vladivostok. I soon found out that I was to be imprisoned or put to death. This fellow remained in Japan with his paramour, and he came on here afterwards ■at hi6 leisure. I have had him watched since by the police, and It is certain that he "is .anenemy of the Government, and perhaps a Japanese spy. It is known that he consorts with Jews, and I strongly -aspect that he. is himself an American Jew. The Romanoff family is, unfortunately, /under certain obligations to him, for which I am offering to pay him liberally. Come now, my man, how much shall it be?" " There must surely be _ome mistake here," said Gortchakov. "I was introduced to Mr Hardy by the Princess, who recommended him to me as a possible friend. What have you to say to these accusations of the prince, Mr Hardy?" ' * * . ' "Nothing," replied the American, "save that if we were not under the roof of a lady, I should tell Romanoff that I cannot believe that he is mistaken " ' "You would have lis think, then?" •suggested Gortchakov "That he is undoubtedly lying!" "Have a care!" cried Romanoff, raising his voice. "Do not presume too far on the protection of the Princess ! Once more, and for the last time, I ask you, how much do you want?" and he thrust the cheque-book under Hardy's nose. " You are positively growing tiresome," said Hardy, and with a motion he flipped the book from Romanoff's fingers, so that it flew fluttering halfway across the room. "Hell and furies!" exclaimed Romanoff. "Take that, you son of a dirty Jewess!" and he struck Hardy violently in the face with the flat of his hand. The blow staggered the American and left a number of red welts, that contrasted strangely with the marble whiteness of his cheeks. " This insult must be answered for elsewhere," he eaid, in low, even tones. "Lieutenant Gortchakov, I am a comparative stranger here; will you do me the honour of seconding me in this affairP" "You want me to fight a duel with you?" laughed Romanoff. . "With you, a Jew storekeeper ? Leave this house instantly, or I Bhall have you kicked into the street." " I am an American," Hardy explained to Gortchakov, " and the gentlemen of America earn their living by honest toil. Moreover, I am by birth and education a gentleman. Will you be my second?" Gortchakov caught sight of a stately white figure standing in a distant door ; the figure of a tall woman, wearing a long white opera cloak, a coronet blazing with white diamonds surmounting her -regal brow. He extended Ms hand to Hardy. " I will be your second," he said. "Are you mad, Aleko?" said Romanoff. " I cannot fight with this low fellow, this' tradesman." " I know Mr Hardy through the introduction' of the Princess^ Romanova," declared Aleko, raising his voice, and that is quite sufficient for me." "You will either fight me or I' will horsewhip you in the public streets," Hardy insisted. "I knew you to be a liar ; I did not suspect that you were also a coward!" " Gentlemen, for shame !" cried the Princess, advancing to the angry group, her eyes blazing with indignation. " Do you forget that you are in my house?" "Bless my soul!" exclaimed Koukolnik, "it is the Princess. Madame, I humbly salute you," and, clicking his heels together, he made a low bow. "Ah, good evening, cousin," said Romanoff. "I beg your pardon for this disturbance, but really this fellow here is to blame. I offered to pay t him for the service which he has rendered to a member of the family. He knocked my cheque-book from my hand, and I very properly chastised his insolence by slapping bis face. As the head of the family, it is my duty to protect you from low adventurers. I demand now that you hid him begone!" "Oh, Boris !" cried _ the Princess, more in sonrow than in anger; "out of your own mouth I condemn you. If you offered this gentleman money, I am obliged to decide that he did a very spirited and proper thing in knocking your cheque-book from your hand. In the name of the Romanoff family, Mr Hardy, I ask your pardon for this insult that has been heaped upon you under my roof!" " I will pardon him," replied Hardy, " after he has fought me, according to the custom among gentlemen in this country. He has struck me, and he must give me satisfaction." "What!" oried the Princess, "a duel? It is against the law. I will not permit it." "This Jew, this shopkeeper, wants me to fight him," sneered Romanoff. "Your Highness has been, pleased to express gratitude for certain services which I have been fortunate enough to render you— to express a hope that yon might be able, in fact, to do something for me in return. I now demand a gentleman's satisfaction for this blow. It .6 all that I will ever ask from the Roma-noff family." "I will afeo pay you for the blow," snarled Romanoff. The Princess glanced indignantly at Romanoff, then turned her eyes searchingly upon Hardy, who stood there, white to the lips, rigid as a statue, looking scornfully at her cousin. "You must fight him, Boris," she said at last, in a voice low, yet perfectly distinct in the . tense silence. Romanoff bowed gracefully, with an evil smile. " I will kill him with pleasure, since you desire it," he said. " My seconds will wait upon you in the morning." said Hardy. " Madame, I am your debtor and j*rateful servant. I have the honour of wishing you good evening"; and he walked from the I room. I
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE PRINCESS MAKES A STRANGE BEQUEST. In the preliminary arrangements for the duel. Lieutenant Gortchakov repre^ sented tne American with zeal and fidelity. Romanoff's seconds, fully aware of Hardy's reputation for 6kill with the pistol, objected to that weapon. "Why, bless my soul!" exclaimed General Koukolnik, "an exchange of bullets would be nothing less than murder, and none of us, as Russians, could permit that. This American could pink his adversary through the heart or between the eyes without the least -.rouble in the world; and his hatred of him is so great, that he will .certainly do,;it.
We can't permit that — upon my soul we can't!" " For the time being," replied Gortchakov with firmness, " I snail forget that I am a Russian, and shall demand justice for the man who has asked^ me to represent him. My man has little or no knowledge of the rapier. A combat a _ l'outrance with swords would mean just as surely his destruction. He is, moreover, as you well know, the outraged party, and the choice of weapons should be his. Romanoff, moreover; is not unskilful with the pistol, and there is no doubt as to the quality of his nerve." Fortunately for Gortchakov's contention, the Baron Koubelik, Koukolnik's associate, believed Hardy's reputation for skill greatly exaggerated. "The fellow is a plebeian, too," he urged, "a mere tradesman, who will lose his nerve when made to 6tand up and be shot at. Take my word for it, Koukolnik, his' arm will tremble like a dog's tail when you pat it on the head. If it were I, I'd. rather shoot him down than dirty .my sword on him ; and I've no doubt in the world that Romanoff will feel the same. If w insist on the rapier, too, when this American is, as you know, the aggrieved party, we shall be casting a slur upon our man's courage. No Russian nobleman fears any adversary, with any weapon." By this time Koukolnik had taken so many potations of vcdka that the bravado in this sentiment appealed to him. " You are right !" he cried, " and pistols it shall be. Prince Romanoff shall shoot this tradesman down, he shall not soil his rapier upon him." Gortchakov wa6 jubilant over this arrangement, and he .hastened to Hardy's quarters in the hotel to tell him of the success oif his negotiations. "All you have to do now," said the dapper young Russian, " is to shoot the great bully through the heart, or between the eyes." Hardy glanced at Gortchakov's flushed face. He was struck by the eagerness of his manner, and his evident delight at Romanoff's mortal peril. "Don't wait till he shoots ' first," counselled the lieutenant ; "for he has a sort of awkward skill with the pistol himself. Take aim and shoot just as you hear the word ' three ' ! My associate and I will 6ee that you do not get into serious trouble with the law. We will testify to the grossness of the insult. The Princess, too, will stand by you. Whatever her feelings for Romanoff, she is too much of a thoroughbred to see an injustice done, and she has great influence with the Czar." There was a slight break in Gortchakov's voice when he mentioned the name of the Princess, an agitation in his manner that suggested a possible explanation of his hatred of Romanoff. Hardy remembered the old adage, " All is fair in love and war." The Princess's beauty was of the sort that breeds murder in the hearts of men. "If her Highness loves her cousin," he 6aid sadly, " killing him will not make her love him the less, or — or — lithe more. She is not the sort of woman who loves twice in a lifetime." " She does not, she cannot know, what a worthless brute he is!" cried Gortchakov. -"If she loves him, if would be saving her from a fate wore? than death tokill him. And' think oi the insult which . he heaped upon you. I assure you that you can kill him with perfect safety." ; Hardy laid his hand upon the youngei man's shoulder. " A gentleman does not think of the consequences to himself when he is vin- | dicating his honour. I will settle this I score with Romanoff with; a full realisation pf all the aggravating circumstances." Gortchakov seized the American's hand impulsively'. ". Pardon, me, my friend," he said, " I intended no imputation on your courage ; but there are others besides myself who are tired of this great bully, Romanoff l'* " When is the meeting to take place?" asked Hardy. " To-morrow morning at eight, in a grove on the banks of the river. If you will permit me, I will call for you at half-past .even with my sledge, and will drive you there." " I shall be deeply indebted to you. And now, if you will take no offence, I shall ask you to excuse me, as I must get a good, night's rest. There is no medicine like sleep and plenty of it to make the hand steady and the eye clear." The young Russian glanced at the other admiringly. " You have the nerve of a Russian." "Or of an American?" replied Hardy, smiling. "You will find me ready at seven-thirty, and don't fail to be in time. We must not be one 6eioond late at this rendezvous." Left to himself, Hardy sat for a long time with his head in hie hand-, thinking. Of his ability to kill Romanoff at the distance agreed upon, thirty paces, he had not the slightest doubt. He was also aware that he stood a fair chance himself of being wounded, or of losing his own life. Romanoff enjoyed the reputation of being a good shot, though how much this meant in Russia Hardy had no means •of judging. Probably not much according to American standards; but even, a poor shot will sometimes hit the mark. Was the Princess in love with her cousin ? The more Hardy debated this possibility in his mind, the more it took on the shape of probability. That she had commanded the prince to fight Hardy was no proof against the supposition. She came of fighting blood, and the man she loved must be no coward. Moreover, Hardy had taken advantage of her own princely word to him, and had claimed fulfilment of the promise whioh she had made to him. Romanoff was handsome as a god, brave, masterful, impetuous, of high birth; the sort of man, it seemed to Hardy, to appeal to a woman like the Princess. " And I," he laughed bitterly, "am a merchant here, in her autocratic and aristocratic Russia, a merchant who owes her sufferance of me to the fact that I Can shoot straight !" He said nothing to Wang that night of the impending duel, but the boy seemed aware that some danger threatened his master, or .that the latter was gravely troubled about something. Although told several times, kindly, to go to bed, he returned as often and hovered about Hardy. Indeed, Wang responded to Hardy's moods with that delicacy of understanding sometimes seen in a dog for its master, or a woman for the man she loves, " Well, Wang," said Hardy at last, " you may sit up all night if you ohoose, but I, for one, am going to get some sleep. Good night!" and he retired to his own room. He began to undress slowly and ab-sent-mindedly, standing for long minutes motionless in the middle of the floor, or dropping into a chap, in deep thought, as though he were confronted by some weighty problem which, he
could, not solve. He turned off the light \at last and crept into bed, but he was destined to be again disturbed by Wang, who tapped timidly at the door. " That boy is becoming a nuisance!'* he muttered. "There is suoh a thine even as too mudh devotion. Weil, Wang 1" he shouted sharply. "If you please," called Wang, "here is a note for you." Hardy arose, went to the door, and took a letter from the boy's hand. " Wait," he commanded, " till I eee if there is an answer." He opened the missive ' and read :— "My Friendj— -I hare just learned that the duel is to take place in th* morning, and that pistols aro the /weapons chosen. You know tltat I gar© my consent to this deplorable affair because you asked me in terms that left, me no choice. I am going now to beg something of you: it is that you shoula spare my headstrong and violent cousin's life. He wronged yoil out-. rageouely, I know, and in the name of the Romanoff family I humbly beg your pardon for that wrong. But should you kill him— and your wonderful skill places his life entirely in your hands— l should feel that his blood ie on my head. Will you not grant a distracted woman's prayer and -pare his life? Wound. him if you will, but, oh! do not kill him! By granting this request you will place under etui deeper obligations one who already owes you more than 6_e can ever hope to repay. — Romanova." As he read, Hardy turned pale to the lips. He tore the, note in. small bits - and dropped them into a waste paper basket. t •"Is there any answer, dear master?" called the voice of Wang tihrough the door. "No," called Hardy; "there is *• answer."
V CHAPTER XL.
THE DUEL. Frederick Cctirtland Hardy slept but poorly, that night. The typical hero of romance, when about to fight a duel ' at break of day, goes to bed . and sleeps more soundly than, ever before in his life. This deep slumber provebis iron nerve more incontestably than : any amount, of swashbuckling bravado or any number of great, oaths could v do.^ But we are not dealing with a typical hero of romance. Hardy yas he tossed about for hours on the bed, felt genuine disgust at ; himself that he was unable to go to sleep. He experienced no fear} and he had a feeling that it was irregular jfor a gentleman to lie awake in such circumstances. About midnight it occurred to him that it might be a good thing to make a will. Such a document already ex- . isted, but he now arose, and, putting on dressing-gown and : slippers, . went ,out into the office. Lighting the. gas, ' te wrote the following : — , "Moscow, January 7, 1904. .' "Being of sound mind, and in pos-* session of all ray faculties, I write this as a codicil to my will, in the keeping of Andrew Mackeyj, Esq., attorney-at-law, Boston. I hereby will and bequeath all "my ready money, deposited in -the. Russo-JBataisky Bank of; Stretivj in_k, aind amounting to something over six thousand roubles, fo my faithful secretary, Wang, and I heartily com- ) mend the said Wang to the favourable notice. of Frederick' Emery, President of the American Trading.; Company in Siberia. The boy is faithful, honest,' and possesses a degree of business \ ability quite astonishing in one eo young.— FREDERICK COURTLAND HARDY." This he folded and put in an envelope, on which he wrote with a lead pencil, "For Wang." Tossing the envelope upon a table in bis sleeping room, he went back to bed again, and at last succeeded in getting to sleep. He was 'awakened by GortchakoT pounding upon his door and shouting: "Get up, my friend, get up! We shall be late for the rendezvous!" Hardy dressed hurriedly and went out to his second, who was waiting iw' the office. "See, I have ordered coffee for you/' said the lieutenant, "and- here it comes. I took the liberty, because we r have no .time to lose. Drink a -cup of » coffee now, and we will be back in art ; t hour, in time for breakfast, after yon i have killed his Highness!" , The lieutenant was in unusually high spirits over the prospect, and his boyish face beamed genially. . Hardy sighed as he gulped down, his steaming • coffee. Gortchakov wanted Romanoff out of the way, that his own chances with the Princess might be improved, ' but it never, for a moment occurred to him to take the American into consid- r eration. A Princess and a tradesman! The very idea was absurd. Hardy had struggled into his overcoats . - , "Well, I am ready," he said. "Let's ; be going, and have this "business over." As they passed out they met Wang, who glanced anxiously at his master. "I am going to take an. early ride ivith the lieutenant," he explained. " It's — it's a fine morning for riding, Wang." But he added in a low tone to Gortchakov: "If anything should . happen to me, let that boy Know immediately. He is devoted to me. In case the worst should happen, there is a paper on the, table in my bedroom, "' leaving him a small sum of. money. I have had no time to^ have it attested, but you can bear witness that I tola you that the thing was genuine." The lieutenant'6 sledge and beautiful team of thoroughbreds were waiting at the curb. " Jump in, pray," he said, " and let'« be off. And we mustn't talk about anything happening. There is nothing going to happen except that you will shoot a great rascal and bully through the heart, and we will come back to a hearty breakfast, having done a good morning's work with very little waste of time^' ' > Gortchakov, had now fixed upon Ro», manoff's heart as the most pleasing receptacle for Hardy's bullet. The coachman cracked his long whip, and the high-strung, nervous steeds gave a great bound: and went scurrying through the early streets of the Mus- >• covite capital. In half an hour they had reached their destination, a thick wood on the banks of the Moskva. Hardy's other second was already on the spot with a surgeon, a fat little • man wrapped deep in furs, who walked briskly to and fro in the snow, carry- . ing a case of instruments. " You are in good time, gentlemen,** . cried Gortchakov, 1 consulting his watch : • " there are 6tiil ten minutes to spare.'* "I think I hear sleigh bells now," said the surgeon. "I nope it is Romanoff, so that I can get back to my warm bed. Why the devil people want to come out in such weather as. this is more than I can understand'. Let them shoot .each other ; and be d—^ — d, • if they want to, but not. at 'thishowr , and in such weather." y. "Wo will try to be expeditious,'* . said Hardy, cheerfully, "and in the^
pean-e____ . "_^ .".'... _. . . * . in the inconvenience to which we are Hitting you. " You're right about the lleigh bells. Here are our friends low." Through a vista between the leafless frees a sledge could be seen approachkgj. drawn by three horses, running ike mad. The driver rose to his feet ind settled back upon the seat, bringtie them to a rearing, pawing, sudden "Your servants, gentlemen." said Koukolnik, lifting his hat. "We trust ve have not kept vou waiting? "And yours," replied Gortchakov, returning them salutation, in which the j •there joined. "You are just on the ninute, if my watch is right." "You are fast," said Koukolnik Blimbing laboriously from the sledge, his timepiece in his hand. "We are ave minutes ahead." " I wiD wager you a hundred roubles C am right," insisted Gortchakov, with the Russian's ever-present mania for gambling. "Done!" said Koukolnik, "the wager to be decided by the regulator In Vahtek's jewellery store." " Agreed !" replied Gortchakov, M »nd now let's to business." The details were soon arranged, and the ground measured off. Hardy did not pay any attention to these preliminaries, but walked briskly backwards and forwards, to keep his feet warm, glancing occasionally at Romanos, who (Stood leaning against a tree, j his iands in his ulster pockets, an in- i Solent, careless smile on his handsome face. He certainly was a splendid specimen of manhood, thought the American, and if he felt the least tremor of fear he knew how to disguise it. Did it seem at all unlikely that a high-bred, autocratic woman, the daughter of a hundred warriors, should baye fallen in love with a man like *•**' • *_• *„ -a "It is time now, my friend, said Gortchakov, coming up to Hardy. "I must trouble you to remove your coat. But you will not catch cold, for it will only take you a minute. Upon my word, 1 admire your nerve. You ought to have been a Russian. You will shoot him at the word three I" • • . Hardy removed his ulster and faced his opponent. A long duelling pistol of excellent make and perfect precision Was placed in his hand. « " Are you teady, gentlemen?" asked Konkolnik. " I will count three slowly. You will raise your weapons and take aim when I commence, and will j fire at the word ' three !' " As the words were being tittered. Hardy fixed his eye-glasses more firmly upon his nose, the while he examined the distance and the person of his antagonist with a cool, practised glance. Koukolnik began: — "Odeenl" ' The two weapons were raised and pointed. " Dvah I" It could not be seen that the hand of either man trembled in the slightest. . "Tra!" Two shots rang out almost simultaneously. Neither man fell. "Hell and furies!" cried Romanoff, throwing his pistol to the earth, "I have missed him. This weapon is worthless. 1 demand another shot." "Very well," replied Hardy, quietly, " but if we shoot again I shall kill you. 1 beg that you will inform his his Highness of my intentions, at the 6am e time conveying to him the assurance of my most distinguished consider- . ation." ' <s You have missed," whispered Gortchakov petulantly. " Why did you do this? You're, as cool this minute as I am. Are you sure you have not wounded him?" "My principal demands another shot," said Koukolnik, advancing. " He presents his compliments to Mr Hardy, and suggests that he has not done justice to his great reputation for skill. Perhaps he will get better control of his nerves, now that he has escaped, danger once, and his hand will not trumble so much as it evidently has done this time." "Tell the prince for me that if we shoot again I shall do myself the honour of lodging a ball exactly midway between his eyes." Koukolnik started for the prince with this message. He had not travelled over half the distance when Hardy said: — "I am faint, lieutenant. Let me lean on you for a moment." "My God, you are wounded!" cried Gortchakov, putting his arm about the American's waist; and. indeed a dark stain, rapidly spreading, dyed his waistcoat and shirt front. " I — l am slightly wounded," gasped Hardy, and fainted away. " Wnat's the matter there with your man?" sneered Romanoff. "He seems to be slightly weary. I thought I must have hit him. I_ow is it, surgeon? Have I done his business for him?" "He is seriously wounded, I fear," replied the surgeon. " Get his coat about him. Here, lift him into the sledge. Let me get in with you. Now, drive like mad, drive, I say!" CHAPTER XLI. THE GOTO) CUFF BUTTON. By the surgeon's orders Gortchakov drove directly to the hospital, where Hardy was laid upon a bed and his wound examined and dressed. The prince's bullet had passed through the flesh beneath the shoulder, making a ©lean perforation, a painful but not a dangerous wound. Hardy revived in the sledge, and to Gortchakov's petulant demand why he had shot so badly, made no reply other than:— . " The best-intentioned bullets sometimes go astray. I turn him over to Jou, lieutenant; I have not deprived 7»u of the pleasure of killing him youreelf!" His coat and shirt were cut away at the hospital, and a young grub of an intern assisted the surgeon in washing the wound and passing a 6ilk handkerchief through it; an operation which caused the patient to bite his nether lip till it bled, but did not draw a groan from him. "You will be ali right in about a month," said the surgeou, on taking his leave, " but I beg you, if you think of fighting again, either postpone your little affair till the spring breezes begin to blow, or don't calf upon me to assist. I shall have chilblains as a result of youV foolishness that may cause me more suffering than your nasty little puncture I" Gortchakov departed in a surly humour; evidently annoyed because his principal had failed to remove the lieutenant's chief rival ,as he supposed, to another sphere, where they" neither marry nor are given in marriage. Hardy was left alone with- a large_oned, florid nurse of peasant type and toie young grub of an intern, who was •isposed to be inquisitive as to the cause of the wound. He disposed of the intern by pretending that he desired to sleep, and then sent the nurse to telephone for Wang. The boy arrived about noon. " What has happened, my dear master P" he sobbecl, sinking upon his knees beside the cot and taking one of Hardy's hands in both his own. " Are you wounded ? Have you been attacked? Have you met with an accident? Tell me, I beg of you! You do not know how I have suffered witb fear and anxiety, as I felt that you were about to encounter some terrible danger. And you left me this — this -" producing the will and tearing ft into bit6, "to increase my anxiety, Did you think that money could compensate me for your loss? Oh, it wa. cruel of you — cruel J" "Will you be kind enough to l_a,v< tas alone?" said Hardy to the nurse, <* This is my secretary, and I have souk
? ~— viVntinnw of a private nature to make to him." " isut the doctor said that you were not to be left alone, and that you were not to talk," objected the nurse, who was, like the intern, consumed with curiosity. " Go, I say !" commanded Hardy, his pain causing him to give way to the anger which this meddlesome pe^ristence aroused in him. "Or, herei In my coat there — or in the ruins of it, you will find a pocket-book. Tak3 from it a ten-rouble note. No, in the other pocket. That's it. There ! I will give you ten roubles if you will go out into the hall * immediately, and not obme back till I send for you. I — l' am not iu the mood to enjoy feminine socio.;; now, however charming," he added whimsically. "If you respond to my wishes during the time that 1 have the pleasure of being with you I will see that you are liberally rewarded. Do you comprehend?" "Da, da, da, da I" replied the girl with quick understanding, and glided from the room. "There!" said Hardy kindly, touch,ed by the boy's concern. " Get up and sit in that chair. > Bring it here by the side of the bed, and I'll tell you all about it. Here, in this twentieth century, an American, Frederick Court-, land Hardy, of Boston, Massachusetts, have fought a duel, and, I suspect, about a woman!" "A— a woman?" stammered Wang, turning pale. "As nearly as I can find out.' I was calling on. the Princess Romanova, paying her my respects, when in oame her cousin, the Prince Romanoff and .insulted me so grossly that I deemed it my duty to demand satisfaction o f him. I strongly eu_<pect that his Highness's antipathy to me is rooted ohie^v in the fact that 1 on one occasion saved the life of his cousin. He struck me in the face, Wang." ' as tne American said these words his own countenance flushed with shame. "He struck you!" cried the Korean "I could spit on his corpse. I could spurn it with my foot!" "I have no doubt you could, thereby displaying your devotion to my unworthy self. Your, plan is impracticable, however, for the simple reason that there is no corpse.: -Romanoff is iSive and well at the present moment, uid is no doubt gloating over my disjomfiture." "He is not even wounded?" asked the boy. "Not even wounded." " But why did you not kill him when vou had ehe opportunity ? It surely <vould not/ have been difficult to hit . that great bulk of flesh. Is it then safe to strike an American gentleman in the face?" " N — o, not always. M.y reasons fo r not killing him are too complicated for a boy ;to understand. They involve a lady's sanction of a duel, and then her subsequent nullification of that eancj tion. They involve, in general, a lady's request, 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?" , "I — I think I do," replied the boy wearily. "You spared him because the Princess asked you io. You have been magnanimous, whatever the 'cost to yourself, and given the. Prinoess her admirer, for whom, in his moment of extreme peril, she found that she i cared more than she had supposed ! And now you are done with the whole Romanoff family!" Hardy forgot his pain for the moment, and stared at the boy in openmouthed wonderment. "If you were not a boy," he said, at last, sinking back upon the pillow, "I should think you were a woman. Your intuition in such matters is positively marvellous. And now I mustn't talk too much, for it makes this shoulder ache like a bad tooth. I must get well, and we must go back toStre- | tinsk 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 will dey scribe the location exactly to you. Romanoff stood near a large^ oak tree whose trunk divides about six feet from the ground into two trunks, identical in size. Look about there and see if you can find in the snow a gold cuff button. It is there, and -hining against the white, should be easily found. Bring it to me as quickly as possible. " " But, my dear master, I want to stay and nurse you — care for you ! Who should .do this but me? I — you don't know what a good nurse I am. You have no idea!" " I don't doubt it in the least, Wang. But if you desire to please me, you will bring me that cuff button. Go, now; I am in too much pain to bear opposition meekly. Listen now. This is where the meeting took place." Hardy described the locality in a few clear sentences. " Take a sledge and drive there. You should not I>e gone 'over an hour." ' Wang departed without another word. Not long after the boy's departure the nurse brought in a bouquet, of priceless orchids, which she arranged in a vase as she set them on a table near his bed. . . ... "An isvoschik brought them," she explained to Hardy. "Here is the note that camo with them. / . She handed him a tiny biUet-deux and raised one of tbe shades. Holding the note in his 'teeth, ho opened the envelope with his good hand, and read: — • , , , "My Friend, — I do not know what your feelings aro toward my unhappy self. I had no idea that this deplorable affair would end as it has. Will you allow me to come in person and express my regret, and do whatever lies in my power to alleviate your sufferings? Thank God you are not killed! — Elizabetha Romanova." "Tell the man that there is no answer at present," said Hardy to the nurse. Wang was gone two hours. When he arrived he came straight to Hardy a couch and handed him a small gold object, with a bit of white linen hanging to it. " Here it is," he said, "it is stamped with the crest of the Romanoff family, x thought that you had lost one of your *"* T n cuff buttons." " Bring paper and envelopes, Hardy requested of the nurse, " and then leave us . alone for a few moments. ■ The woman complied. "Now take my indelible pen from my waistcoat and write." Wang sat down at the table and looked inquiringly at his master. "Your Highness," dictated Hardy, "I. hope that you will not give. youreelf the slightest uneasiness on my account. My wound is a vory trifling matter, from which I shall soon recover. I am greatly honoured by your kind offer to call and see me, but I must deny myself the pleasure of receiving you. I cannot allow you to compromise your exalted position by thus yielding to the dictates ->f your good heart. Will you allow me to add that I feel that 1 have already trespassed too far upon your good nature and am quite unwilling to continue the. infliction? As you have quite frequently admired my skill with the pistol, I am enclosing a little trophy of the same — his . Highness's i cuff button, which I hope will convince you that I have not disappointed your expectations.. Will you kindly hand it to him with my compliments. Wishing you all happiness in the years to come, I re- ' main, your humble servant, Frederick Courtland Hardy." Wang laughed — a queer, hard little i laugh, of mingled exultation and hate. : Without waiting for any further direc- • tions from his master, he put the cuff ' button in the envelope with the note, sealed it and directed it to the" Prini cess Romanova. "You will take that to the Prin- > cess's pal_s_e," directed Hardy, "and give it into her Highness's own hands," > (To be concluded next week.)
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS19060616.2.2
Bibliographic details
Star (Christchurch), Issue 8651, 16 June 1906, Page 1
Word Count
11,853TALES AND SKETCHES. Star (Christchurch), Issue 8651, 16 June 1906, Page 1
Using This Item
Star Media Company Ltd is the copyright owner for the Star (Christchurch). You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Star Media. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.