THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN IVAN KORAVITCH.

LATE OF THE IMPERIAL RUSSIAN ARMY.

BY VICTOR L. WHITECHURCH.

CHINESE

VI. HOW THE CAPTAIN WAS ENTERTAINED BY

MANDARIN.

CAPTAIN IVAN KORAVITCH Railway, which enabled her to smoked his little brown Rus- continue her Trans - Siberian sian cigarette reflectively. But Railway southward through his eyes were alert and shining, Manchuria. Oh yes, we wanted and every now and again he an outlet—what do you call twisted his moustache, and a it! We wished for expansion. little smile hovered over his Well, you also have wished face. He finished his cigar- for expansion, and have obette, helped himself to another tained it all over the world. from the box on the table in Yes front of him, and began to “Of course it meant that talk. Mention had been made many soldiers went to Manof the strong footing which churia. One cannot obtain Russia had succeeded in effect- expansion without soldiers. ing in Manchuria before she Other people-like the Chinese went to war with Japan, and who do not wish themselves those present expected the cap- to be expanded by foreignerstain to have something to say must be made to agree by solon the subject.

Yes, and it was very "Ah, my friends, I am only funnee. We did not always a soldier. I cannot talk much call them soldiers. We called about politics ; it is not my them railway-guards. It was, business. Yes! But I think for example, necessary when we were very clever.

It was

we promised to evacuate Manowing to the financial policy churia to increase there our of M. de Witte that Russia, railway-guards. So their numas a guarantor, enabled China bers were fixed at thirty thouto borrow money at 4 instead sand men, and they were reof 5 per cent. That led to the cruited from the regular troops. establishment of the Russo- It only meant putting green Chinese Bank; and when one shoulder - straps and collarbases one's policy on good patches on to a man's tunio, finance, success in other matters and there you had a railwayoften arrives. For hence it guard' instead of a soldier.' was that Russia obtained the Splendid ! concession of the East Chinese “For a time I was attached

diers.

to these railway-guards. The the most part quiet and peaceline connecting Port Arthur able, but also companies of with Harbin possessed depots dis banded Chinese soldiers, who for them about every fifteen had previously fought against miles, some of them very large. ds. Ah yes, many of them At Liao-yang, for example, we were rather bandits than solhad barracks to hold three diers

; robbers, who would thousand men. At Mukden sometimes give much trouble. we even used the bricks of the Some of them roamed the wall of the Chinese Temple of country in small groups, and Earth to help construct bar- would suddenly swoop down racks for twice that number, on a town or village to plunder. That is the way we evacuated So it was not always safe to go Manchuria in 1902. Splendid ! unarmed.

“I was stationed the next “ It was one day that I was year in a leetle town on the walking down a narrow street Harbin railway called Feng- in Feng-Chung that I heard Chung. It was not one of much noise and shouting. A our big barracks. I only had couple of dozen or so of these about a hundred guards in wandering Chinese had come my command, and there was into the town, and had met not very much to do. There the sister of the missionary, was also not very much with Miss Nora Linthorpe. It did which to maké amusements in not look pleasant for her when one's spare time. My sub- I arrived. She was standing altern, a youth named Basil with her back to a wall, very Maximo vitch, sometimes rode pale, and they had surrounded with me on horseback, or we her. Some of them had even played at cards. There were drawn their long knives. Pouf ! two engineers attached to the It was nothing! They were railway, but they were not very all cowards, and I had my companionable.

sword and revolver. It did “There was, however, in not take me a few minutes to Feng-Chung an English mis- effect a rescue ; and I think sionary station with a young one or two of them had to priest of your Church, who was bind up some flesh wounds. I, also doctor - splendid of course, escorted her to her

!named Linthorpe. Mr Lin. brother's house. She, poor thorpe had brought his sister young lady, was glad to have with him, and the two of them me walk with her, for she had lived quite alone, which I received much fright. . And it came to discover was ve was thus I came to know the brave but not very wise.

I Rev. Frederick Linthorpe-the

first priest of your Church I “There were at that time had ever met. not only the Chinese inhabi- “ From that time I often tants living in Manchuria, for went to see Mr Linthorpe and

a

will tell you.

his sister. You must under- would go to them who were stand that she was a very sick ; but all the time they pretty girl, and I was young had only obtained one convert and not bad - looking. Also, to their religion, a Chinese because she thought I had named Chang-Yung, who was saved her life—it was, as I a servant in the establishment said, nothing, I think she ad- of a Mandarin, Li Ting-Fang, mired me very much.'

who lived in a big house just And Captain Ivan Kora- outside the town. Chang-Yung vitch twisted his moustache was grateful because Mr Linand preened himself. Then thorpe and his sister had been he shrugged his shoulders. kind to his father when the

“One cannot say what might latter was dying of a slow and have happened, but I–I was painful sickness. And the a soldier, and I had no thoughts Chinaman, as you know, has of marrying. Also, Nora Lin- much filial love for his father. thorpe had a fiancé in Eng. Therefore, I suppose, partly land, and I suppose she thought to repay the kindness, he had

I it was her duty to remember consented to be baptised. The him, though—if I had chosen only convert ! And yet they -bah! I did not make love went on with their work, and to her—but I have thought did not complain, Me ? І she loved me a leetle. Yes ? could not understand, but I

“But that is not the story. admired—what is it you call I told Mr Linthorpe it was very it 1-yes !their pluck. dangerous for his sister to go “Mr Linthorpe—I thought about alone, or even to reside sometimes he should have been in Feng-Chung, and that he a soldier and not a priest. should send her back to Eng. He was a very fine young man, land; but although he agreed He could shoot, and box with she must be careful, he said his fists-yes-and play cards, and she also—that she had her though he would never play work to do with him, and duty for money, which I could not must come first. Splendid ! understand. We became great

“Oh yes, splendid ! But I friends, and from him I learned was very sorry for them, my much about your country befriends. I, too, was a man fore I came to reside here accustomed to duty, but I after many years. knew it is not always easy to “Of course I made inquiries go on doing one's duty if there about the men who had attacked is no success. Mr Linthorpe Miss Linthorpe ; and I heard and his sister had lived in a very curious thing. It was Feng-Chung for a year and a my serjeant told me. half to evangelise the Chinese. “These men,' he said, 'they But with what success ? Cer have not gone away, my captainly they had a leetle school tain ! !! for some children, and people “'No? Where are they?'

“I am

age ??

“They are in the house of found I knew English, we talk- . Li Ting-Fang!!

ed in that language ; and he “Oh!'I replied, but that spoke it much better than I.

'' is not possible. Li Ting-Fang “ After he had welcomed me is peaceable. He has done to what he called his insignifimuch to help us. He could not cant hovel, and I had replied be in league with robbers and that I was overwhelmed with bandits. He is the chief magis- its grandeur, he asked me, trate of the district.'

though he must have known“The serjeant shrugged his 6. From what heaven-ruled shoulders.

and prosperous country do you “Nevertheless,' he said, 'it

come ?? is true what I say.'

a visitor to this "I wondered much, and I sublime land from the imdid not believe him. But, to poverished and almost unknown satisfy my mind, I determined country called Russia !' to pay a visit to this Li Ting- “Oh, yes! I knew how to Fang. Ah, yes; I did not answer him. know the Chinese so very well What is your honourable then ! No one of our Western countries can ever get to know My few and miserable them as their curious minds years are twenty-three in numwork.

ber. May I inquire of the “Of course it had to be a length of Your Excellency's formal visit. I understood a illustrious days ?? leetle of the strict etiquette "** I have attained unto sixtyof the Chinese, and I had five wasted years. How is the myself carried to the Man- health of your venerable father! ? darin's house in a chair with I trust he is yet alive ?? attendants, and sent in my He still encumbers my visiting-card—à big red one, mean country. With the perwith my name in Chinese. mission of heaven, his insignifiI was shown into a big room, cant health is good.' richly furnished, and presently "What is the number of Li Ting-Fang entered. He was your high-born brothers 1 à fat old man, with a thin “. Alas !' I replied, 'heaven grey moustache, and leetle has punished the misdeeds of beard just under his lower my ancestors by granting but lip. He bowed gravely to one totally unworthy son to me, and I returned his saluta

my father

- your

undistin tion. Then he motioned me guished servant.' to sit down.

A queer leetle gleam came “I knew it would not do to into his eyes when I told him come to my business at once. this, and a smile broke out One had to observe great for- over his face. Presently we malities, He spoke a leetle came to the business of my French at first, but when he call. He listened without a VOL. CCXVI.—NO. MCCCVI.

0 2

""What ?

word or a gesture while I re

Not give you lated to him the attack on tea ? That was strange.' Miss Linthorpe. Afterwards I

Why?'I asked. told him plainly that I had It is part of the etiquette been informed that he was of a host in an official visit. sheltering the marauders. Then And Li Ting-Fang does not he put out his hands, palms usually make a mistake. It upwards, and said

was almost equivalent to a "The matter of the assault studied insult.' upon the English lady shall be “I did not think very much inquired into. I am here to about it at the time. It passed administer justice, and such out of my mind. But aftercrimes are not permissible. But wards I had reason to rememas regards what you tell me, ber it. Yes ? your information is not correct. " " Wait a minute,' went on Is it likely that I should shelter Linthorpe ; 'Chang-Yung is in within my mean establishment my house. Let us have him those whom it is my office in, and I will ask him a questo punish for such misdeeds ? tion.' The thing is an insult to my Chang-Yung came into the revered ancestors !!

room, and stood quite still “He spoke with much dig- with his arms folded and his nity, rose to his feet, and bowed. hands tucked in the opposite I knew that the audience was sleeves of his loose coat. Also over, and that it was useless he bent his head. to talk more ; so I left him. "Chang-Yung,' said the misI was

a leetle angry with sionary, 'velly bad piecee men myself that I had listened to makee plenty bobbery all a my serjeant at all.

same Missee Linthorpe. You “The next day I visited savvy!' Mr Linthorpe, and told him 'Me savvy!' replied the what I had done. But he, Chinaman. too, could not believe that Li

“Bad pieceo men run away. Ting-Fang had given a refuge Where to they go ?' to the bandits.

“ “Me no savvy.' "I also,' he said, 'have :19 " 'Li Ting-Fang, him know been to see him about the where piecee men go ' attack on my sister.

He ex

No can do. pressed much concern about All lightee.' it, but feared by this time the “He knows nothing evimen had made their escape to dently,' said Linthorpe when the hills. He is a most inter- he had gone. 'I believe he esting and well-disposed man. would tell me if he did. Your I quite enjoyed drinking a cup serjeant has got hold of the of tea with him.'

* wrong end of the walking“ 'He did not offer me tea,' stick.' I said,

Ah, my friends, I learned