The Hennessey Clipper (Hennessey, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 11, 1910 Page: 3 of 8
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SYNOPSIS.
Frederick Hardy, a fashionable Boston
lociety man, lost his wealth, was jilted
by a £lrl and sent by a friend to take
charge of an American Trading Company
•tore in Russia. On his Journey through
Japan he met Stapleton Neville, sup-
posedly an Englishman They agreed to
go together to Russia. Because of sus-
picious circumstances they were several
times molested by the Japanese. Hardy
was arrested and found upon his person
were papers showing maps of Jap forts.
Hardy was proven guiltless On a train
he met Alsome Sano, daughter of a Jap
merchant. In Neville's shoes Jap found
pictures of forts, proving him to be a
Russian spy. Hardy departed for Rus-
•la on a steamer, which was wrecked
■hortly afterward. He was rescued by
a Russian steamer On reaching Vladi-
vostok he was well treated. He started
for Siberia, meeting Princess Romanovna
on the train. Hardy boarded a vessel for
Amur. Hardy ibowed the princess his
•xpertness as a rllle shot. The steamer
Was stranded. The princess and her
Inald were attacked by Chinese. Hardy
■aved their lives. The princess thanked
Hardy for his heroism. Manchurians
fired upon the craft. Hardy slew their
chief. Burning arrows were hurled upon
the Pushkin's decks. An attempt was
made to board the vessel. The attacking
Chinese were repulsed. Romanoff sneered
St Hardy's solicitude for the princess.
Etanka, a messenger sent for help, was
bailed to a cross on the shore. To put an
end to the awful torture Hardy himself
put Stanka out of his in'sery, taking his
town life in his hands Forest tires men-
aced the vessel. Hardy volunteered to
so for help. Refused permission he
jumped overboard and started to swim
todth the princess' distress message Ro-
manoff was angry at Hardy for his brave
efforts to rescue the princess. Ho wooed
her in his own savage way. He said
Hardy had made love openly to a Jap-
anese girl. Help came and the princess
was rescued. Hardy Journeyed on a raft.
Arriving at his destination he took
charge of the trading company's busi-
ness Hnrdy received a letter from a so-
cial leader In Boston and another from
Alsome. Hardy took lessons In Russian
pf a Jew, thus connecting himself In a
Way with that race. Hardy received a
letter from the princess, thanking him
Cor his bravery. Hardy's teacher was in
danger of death. He employed Wang as
a servant Hardy went to Moscow, where
was Invited to call upon the princess,
e started for the unlace home of Prin-
cess Romanovna. Hardy aroused unac-
countable jealousy of his Korean boy by
announcing that he was going to cail on
the princess. He engaged a cabman who
drr v« him to a large house on a poorly
lighted street. After entering the house,
Hardy discovered that It was a resort of
nihilists who supposed he was Felix Hu-
Hn. come to tell them Of a powerful ex-
plosive he had discovered. The real Hulin
arrived and denounced Hardy as an Im-
postor. The nihilists determined to kill
Hardy in order to protect themselves,
rinding an unloaded revolver In his over-
coat pocket, he pointed It at Hulin'a
bomh, which lay on the table, and swore
to blow them all up together if they
touched him. Holding the nihilists at
hay. Hardy started to leave the room
When the police were heard at the outer
door. Hulin threw his bomb, killing sev-
eral policemen, the nihilists fled and Ba-
ruch the Jew, suddenly appeared and led
Hardy to the cellar Baruch conducted
Hardy through an underground passage
to another house, from which he boldly
emerged and returned to his hotel. Hardy
visited the princess, contributed to the
fund for th* relief of the victims of the
nihilists. He gave more than Romanoff
bad. The latter, entering the room,
openly insulted him. Romanoff struck
Hardy, who challenged him to n duel.
The Russian accepted. Preparations
for the duel were made. The princess
asked Hardy to spare Romanoff's life,
fclardy purposely missed Romanoff, but
was himself wounded. Hardy wai placed
In the hospital. He sent his servant to
the duel scene for a cuff button of Ro-
manoff's, which he purposely shot off,
rather than violate the princess' wish.
This he sent to her. War between Rus-
sia and Japan was declared. Prince Ro-
manoff was murdered. Hardy was ac-
cused. Hardy's former servant. Wang
railed upon the princess. Wang, re-
wealed as Alsome, the Japanese girl, con-
fessed to the princess that she had killed
Romanoff, because he plotted to slay
Jlardy. The princess promised help.
CHAPTER XU.—Continued.
"It Is sad," continued his majesty,
''very sad. but be assured that, al-
though the case is a somewhat diffi-
cult one, full Justice shall be done.
The American minister has already in-
quired about the matter, and has de-
manded that the fullest investigation
be made These Americans are very
meddlesome. I am informed, how-
ever, by the minister of foreign af-
fairs that there will be little difficulty
In establishing this Hardy's guilt, as
be Is a dangerous character and has
a bad record."
The princess turned pale as she re-
peated :
"A dangerous character? A bad reo-
wd? Will you send for this record,
eire, that I may hear It In your ma-
jesty's presence? For I come not to
apeak against this Hardy, who is ao-
-y?- WF11 c
oqat /£./ a/v7~ /aoa
/.
JfOgTON
merce and retrieve his fortunes. My i
cousin irst met him in Japan. This \
part of the story I have from Boris'
own lips. Boris, being hard pressed !
by the police, put his telltale papers I
in Mr. Hardy's overcoat pocket and j
tried to throw the guilt on him The ]
plan did not succeed, and Boris suf j
fered many hardships, for which he j
unjustly blamed Mr. Hardy. I first '
met him on the Amur river, where
I was captured by Chinese brigands
He came to the rescue and saved me j
from a terrible fate. This still fur- i
ther enraged my cousin, who loved
me and was jealous of any one who |
served me in any way. He was very
brave, was Boris, and would have
saved me himself, but he was not
there—which certainly was not Mr.
Hardy's fault. On the Amur we were
again attacked by brigands, and Mr.
Hardy, as well as my cousin, fought
like a brave man. In my house in
Moscow my cousin, who was of a vio-
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 cousin's life,
though he was himself severely
wounded. He has wonderful skill with
the pistol, and he shot a cufT button
from my cousin's sleeve, which he
sent me as proof that he had com-
plied with my request. My cousin
was boastful of having wounded Mr.
Hardy, and I 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 I have
ever before heard of. It 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 I have wished to confide in you
alone—this boy heard my cousin plot-
ting to kill Mr. Hardy. Your majesty
will understand that my cousin was
no longer a sane man; that rage and
—and—jealousy, perhaps, had ren
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
cousin's compartment at night and
killed him."
"Wonderful! wonderful!" said the
czar in a musing tone; "and are you
sure of all this?"
"Absolutely. I 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, "no longer exists. Over- i
\<M
r/
\e±
^2-
turn answered by a sporadic chorus
from the forest.
There were now six wolves In
sight, drifting out and in among the
trees like gray ghosts
Soon one of these tripped lightly
through the snow down the rlv* r bank
and trotted along after the sledge on
the ice, like a faithful dog
"They show no signs of attacking,"
said Hardy.
"They are famished," said the prin-
cess, "but they are as patient as
death, and as intelligent as humans.
They are too few yet."
A second and a third joined the two
on the river, while the pack on the
bank steadily grew, and noiselessly,
save for an occasional call into the
deeps for help.
The maid sat motionless, without
looking up or stirring.
Hardy lifted a rille from the bot-
tom of the sledge.
"I could kill one of them now," he
said, "and perhaps that would scare
them away."
"It is not time yet, my friend," re-
plied tiie princess. "I shall tell you. I
am a Russian and I know when to
shoot. You must not waste a single
shot Nothing would scare them
away." she added.
The isvoschik was using all his
strength to keep his horses from
S
taking up the chase again. He stood
watching them as they 1 ante on in %
line, leaving the carcass one by one.
In less than five minutes they were all
back by the sledge again, and the low
sun was shining on a white pile of
bones, that could be distinctly seen,
far back on the river
"It doc a't tak. long." muttered
Hardy, if it must come."
Th-^n he thought of the princes^
I shuddered and breathed a pray* r
And still the horses ran on and on;
j the sledge was light and they were
j winged with terror. Again and again,
j Hardy shot—shot as never before,
and seldom missed. The tire of bat-
tle was in his veins, that tierce and
deadly mastery of self that exalts a
brave man when he both hunts and
is hunted.
"Have courage," he cried, "we shall
reach Petrovska yet!"
But now the chase took on a new
and more dangerous feature. When
a wolf was killed, not all of the pack
dropped behind to devour hitn.
One, more bold than the others,
sprang up at the back of the sledge as
if to leap in, and Hardy, firing into
the open mouth, fairly blew the fierce
creature's head off. The Hash and et-
plosion for a moment terrified the fol-
lowing pack and caused it to drop
hausting themselves in one wild dash. | back. He turned and aimed at an ani-
"Rise, Daughter," Said the Czar Kindly.
tho report given out that the police
have secret proof of his Innocence,
but are on the track of the real cul-
prit"—and she sank again on her
knees.
"Rise, daughter," said the czar kind-
ly. "We have already decided on this
course. It's a relief to know that he
| is Innocent, the American ambassa-
dor is so troublesome. Pypine, see
that this is done. Tell the proper au-
thorities that it is our will."
CHAPTER XLII.
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 czar's com-
mand he read it, rapidly and in a mat-
ter-of fact, sing-song tone. It con-
tained nearly every act of Hardy's
life, except what had actually hap-
pened within the four walls of his
Bleeping chamber, since he had set
foot on Russian soil. He was accused
. . , . . . „ of sympathizing with the Japanese of
™Se? ;f„T_rd"ing my !0USin; bUt, t0 having affiliated with Jews, of having
insulted the authorities at Vladivostok
plead for his release, to pray that Jus-
tice may be done!"
"You—to plead for him?"
"Yes, sire, for he did not kill my
cousin. Will your majesty grant me
the favor that I may hear this record
road in your majesty's presence? For
S know this Mr. Hardy, and I know
much that is good of him, and nothing
had#" The czar rang a bell and com-
manded a servant to send a confi-
dential secretary to him. Fire min-
utes later an old man entered, a stoop-
shouldered old man with a clean sha-
ven face, whose eyes denoted infinite
shrewdness, his manner infinite ser-
vility.
"Pypine," said his majesty, "can
you bring to us Immediately the rec-
ord of the American, Hardy, concern-
ini whom the minister of foreign af-
fairs was speaking to us the other
day"
"Yes, sire," replied Pypine, "a copy
was ordered from the chief of police
of Moscow and is now in his excel-
lency s possession."
"Bring It," said the czar, "immedi-
ately."
Pypine disappeared.
"While he is gone you may tell us
what you know of this American Har-
dy, and why you think be did not as-
sassinate your cousin."
1 "I know that he is a gentleman of
hl(h connections In his own country,
tvho has coma here to engage In corn-
by requesting that the imperial gov
ernment use its influence to get him
a clean towel in the hotel there, with
having worn an overcoat similar to
the one found In the nihilists' den on
the evening of the explosion of the
Frenchman's famous pill. Further-
more, he had fought a duel with the
Prince Romanoff, In which he
had been wounded. This fact fur-
nished the motive for his alleged
crime, which, coupled with his sus-
picious record, left little room, In the
Russian official mind, for doubt of his
guilt. Most of these points had al-
ready been covered by the story told
by the princess.
"As for the overcoat," she remarked,
"if he continued to wear it he could
not have left It, and your majesty
would soon discover, If your majesty
would stop for some time incognito In
Vladivostok, that the power of the
Imperial government is by no means
belittled when It is asked to use its
influence in the procuring of a clean
towel!"
The emperor arose and pressed his
hand to bis brow as though he were
suffering with headache.
"Little Father," said Romanovna,
"this man saved my life, my honor.
There are features in the case which,
if it Is tried, do not reflect credit on
my dead cousin's name. Grant my
prayers. Let Mr. Hardy be freed, and
Gray Ghosts.
That part of Siberia which lies east
of the great inland sea, Lake Baikal,
and west of the mighty Amur, which
here turns abruptly and bends north
ward, is known as trans-Baikalia. The
Stanovol range of mountains, contin-
uing to the south, divides it nearly in
halves, forming a watershed that
feeds the lake on one side and the
Amur and its tributaries on the other.
The trans-Siberian railway, the
great artery through which the blood
of Russia flowed uninterruptedly
from Alexandrov to Vladivostok and
Port Arthur, pierces these mountains
at an advantageous point, and, pass-
ing through Stryetensk, breaks into
Manchuria.
On a river in trans-Baikalia that
runs for many miles parallel with this
mighty ant-trail, a sledge was flying
eastward, drawn by three horses, all
abreast. The river was frozen to the
very heart and snows, drifting
over it, had swept and polished
Its surface till it was smooth
as glass. Wrapped in furs and his
head shrouded in a thick cap, the
driver sat on the forward sr>at, partly
protected by the high-curving dash,
and managed the lines. On a low seat
behind him were a man and a woman,
also wrapped deep in robes of fur,
while a third woman sat silent in the
bottom of the sledge.
Somewhere behind them the rails
had spread and the road had given out
and the trains were halted while re-
pairs were made.
There Frederick Courtland Hardy,
on his way to Stryetensk, had over-
taken the princess, hastening to the
front, undergoing all hardships, en-
tirely forgetful of self, that she might
employ her strength, her fortune and
her high courage and example in the
relief of her wounded and suffering
countrymen.
She greeted Hardy with frank
friendliness, explained her mission
and told him that he had arrived just
in time to help her carry out a plan
of hers.
"We can take sledges down the
river," she said, "to Petrovska Zavod,
where I have no doubt we shall be
able to catch an outgoing train. I
should have started before, but was
deterred by the fact that—that—in
fact, I was afraid. Now, with my gal-
lant defender of the Amur, I shall
have no hesitation in going. Will you
come with us—with my maid and
me?"
"Yes," he replied gravely, "I will
go. I am crverwhelmsd by my good
fortune. It was too great an honor to
be hoped lor—that 1 should ever be of
service to your highness again."
The mere presence of this woman
transformed him from the merchant
into the courtier and polished gentle-
man.
"You forget," she said, while the
ghost of one of her merry smiles light-
ed up her beautiful features, "that
such things are to be said in French."
The maid, Hardy scarcely noticed.
She came out at the last moment, her
head covered with a fur hood that al
most entirely obscured her face, and
took her place in the bottom of the
sledge.
There were long desolate stretches
of snow, with here and there a house,
the roof covered with snow, nestling
among the white hills.
They passed occasional patches of
forest, the limbs etched very hiack
and distinct against the background
of snow. They had left the town about
two o'clock and it was half-past three
now.
"There must be a farm-house some-
where near," observed Hardy, "If your
highness feels cold. I saw a large dog
running among the trees a moment
ago."
Just then the driver pointed with
the whip toward the woods and
crossed himself. The princess also
made the sign of the cross, and said
quietly:
"Those are wolves! May the holy
Virgin protect us!"
Two large, gray animals with bushy
tails, that were dogs and yet not dogs,
were seen flitting among the trees.
Their tongues hung out of their
mouths, and as they glanced from
time to time at the sledge and Its oc-
cupants, their teeth could be plainly
seen.
"Have no fear," said Hardy, "they
are so few they will not dare to at-
tack."
At that moment a third joined the
two and ran with them. They ran
easily, flitting along as lightly as
thistle-down driven by the wind. The
driver aro.se in his seat and cracked
his whip over the horses' heads.
"Be careful, Ivan," said the prin-
cess, "do not tire them out. How far
it is yet to Petrovska?"
"Twenty versts," he replied, "we
should -make it in something over an
hour, if the horses hold out. It was
near here over a year ago that Farm-
er Gogol was dragged from his sledge
by wolves and devoured. I had not
heard of many being seen this year.
The Virgin defend us!"
For at this moment one of the ani-
mals emitted a long, mournful howl,
the most dismal and terrible sound in
nature.
"I beg of your highness not to be—"
commenced Hardy, but she laid her
hand on his arm, and whispered:
"Listen!"
Far in the depths of the forest an
answering howl was heard, then an-
other, farther away, and still others,
both up and down the river.
One of the wolves, flitting along
the bank, lifted up his voles, to be in
Snorting with fear, they were tearing
down the long ribbon of ice at ter-
rific speed.
CHAPTER XLIII.
The Gift of Aisome.
Not more than ten minutes In all
could have elapsed since the appear-
ance of the first wolf, and they had
already gathered in terrifying num-
bers.
"How far Is it yet to Petrovska?"
asked Hardy.
"About 20 versts," replied the man,
"we can make it in an hour if the
horses hold out."
"But this is the same answer that
he gave before!" said Hardy.
"He means that it is a long way,"
explained the princess. "Twenty
versts—about 20 versts! I fear the
horses can not run so far!"
"But the wolves?" asked Hardy;
"will they not also tire?"
"They are very hungry," replied the
princess; "they could run for ever!"
At this moment the entire pack
wheeled as If at a word of command,
and drifted obliquely down on the Ice.
Some ran beside the sledge, a couple
of rods away, while those in the rear
came up closer. Though the mad-
dened horses were going at their ut-
most speed, their hoofs making a con-
fused and incredibly rapid clatter on
the ice, tlie fierce, wild dogs simply
drifted, drifted along, without the
least seeming effort. The pack was
evidently nearly complete now, though
an occasional gray form would flit out
from among the trees, stand and look
with lifted head, and then join the
chase with a long, easy lope.
The little maid, crouched in the bot-
tom of the sledge and bundled in furs
still remained motionless, speechless,
as though paralyzed with terror. The
princess sat erect, looking straight
ahead, the seal of a sublime courage
set on her pale, noble brow. The
blood of the Romanoff did not fear to
die. She turned to the man at her
side and smiled sweetly—more sweet-
ly than he had ever seen woman
smile before.
"Forgive me, my friend," she said,
"for bringing you into this fearful
danger."
"I thank God," cried Hardy, "that
I am here and nowhere else!"
His voice rang out with sudden fer-
vor, with a sob of joy.
"Thank you, my friend,' said the
princess simply.
"May I shoot now?" asked Hardy.
Several of the wolves were close
to one of the horses, and were look-
ing up at the animal's throat. This
was the horse that was running free;
he was crowded against the other two
of the team in his terror.
"Not yet, not quite yet," replied the
princess, "they become maddened
when they smell blood."
A moment later a wolf darted sud-
denly in and leaped at the throat of
the horse, which reared, snorted with
terror, and then bounded ahead with
a sudden burst of incredible speed.
Hardy arose, and leaning against
the driver s seat, took quick aim and
fired at this particular wolf, the one
that had begun the attack in earn-
est. He fell kicking and writhing
on the Ice and instantly the entire
pack huddled above and about him
snarling, snapping, scrambling, tear-
ing—an indiscriminate mass of fur
and fury, teeth and hunger.
"There are 11 shots in the maga-
zine, and five In the revolver," said
Hardy, who saw a ray of hape in this
action of the wolves. "With care,
they should last us to Petrovska, How
far Is it yet to Petrovslta, Ivan?" he
shouted.
"About 20 versts," replied Ivan, "we
should reach it in—"
Hardy glanced behind. The strug-
gling, snarling mass
mal that was snapping at one of ths
horses, but, when he pulled the trig-
ger, no report ensued. His face
blanched as he dropped the weapon,
and drew his revolver The shots In
the magazine of the rifle were all ex-
hausted! In this moment's delay a
wolf succeeded in fastening its fangs
in the horse's flank, and hung there,
snarling The unfortunate steed
leaped forward with such violence
that the traces parted, and instantly
all the wolves were tearing at him,
pulling him down.
"God have mercy! God have mer-
cy!" she groaned.
"Have courage," cried Hardy, "he
will soon be out of his agony, and I
think his death has saved our lives."
The two remaining horses did not
seem to notice the loss of their com-
panion. as the sledge glided easily
over the smooth ice. They still ran
nobly on, though they were reeking
with steam.
The sledge came to a bend in ths
river, and for a moment Its occupants
lost sight of the wolves.
"Perhaps they have given up ths
chase," said Hardy; "perhaps, too,
they are satisfied with the horse."
But the princess shook her head.
"They will never give over the
chase," she said, and, at that moment,
a gray form flitted around the bend in
the river; two, three, half a dozen,
and soon 20 or 30 of the pack were
again about tho sledge, leaping at it
and at the ho ses with sharp, short
yelps and snarls, their red tongues
lolling, their jaws flecked with blood
and foam.
"There! there!" cried the isvoschik.
pointing down the river with the
handle of his whip. "Petrovska!
Petrovska! Bless the Virgin!"
The rays of the setting sun fell full
on the dome of a Greek church, but it
was a conspicuous object and far
away.
A wolf was hanging to the neck of
one of the horses. Him Hardy shot,
and, leaning over the curved dash,
discharged his weapon into the body
of another that was clinging to ths
other horse.
"Elizabetha," he said, turning to the
princess, his face white but glorified,
"that Is the last shot. If there wers
but one more, we might reach Petrov-
ska. Here, with Death for a witness,
I tell you that I love you. In ths
presence of Death, there is no rank,
there are no princesses, no merchants.
XI love you, dear."
She arose and threw herself on his
breast. For a long minute they stood
thus, clasped in each other's arms, lip
to lip, forgetful even of death itself.
The wolves came on again. They
ran snarling up to the rear of ths
sledge, for the last attack.
Then the little maid, seated on ths
floor, arose from her bundle of furs
and tore the hood from her head. Ths
rays of the setting sun were shining
in her face.
"Look into my eyes once more," shs
cried; "oh, let me look on your facs
again—one long, last look!"
Hardy raised his head.
Alsome! Wang!" he gasped In
wonder and could say no more.
"Farewell, my beloved!" and her
voice sounded like the voice of a
priestess, chanting, "I give you to her
and to happiness—I, who have loved
you the most!" and she leaped among
the wolves.
A path beaten in the snow led u-p
the river bank, into the outskirts of
Petrovska, and up this the tired
horses dashed, their noble run at an
end.
Several of the wolves followed even
to the top of the bank, glanced at the
houses and tho villagers swarming
from them, and slunk away. One of
the horses, his strong heart bursting.
fell dead beside his mate. With tears
streaming down his cheeks, Hardy
stood erect In the sledge, holding ths
was still there I
on the ice, but already several mem- I swooning princess In his arm*,
hers of the pack had left It and wsrs [ THE END.
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Sprague, G. E. The Hennessey Clipper (Hennessey, Okla.), Vol. 21, No. 13, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 11, 1910, newspaper, August 11, 1910; Hennessey, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc105721/m1/3/?q=wichita+falls: accessed June 22, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.