═════════════════════ THE SAMOVAR GIRL FREDERICK MOORE ═════════════════════ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ THE SAMOVAR GIRL BY FREDERICK MOORE AUTHOR OF “SAILOR GIRL,” “SIBERIA TO-DAY,” “THE DEVIL’S ADMIRAL,” “ISLE O’ DREAMS,” ETC. [Illustration] D. APPLETON AND COMPANY NEW YORK :: 1921 :: LONDON ------------------------------------------------------------------------ COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY D. APPLETON AND COMPANY Copyright, 1921, by Frederick Moore PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ------------------------------------------------------------------------ TO ROBERT H. DAVIS ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE PROLOGUE: THE VALLEY OF DESPAIR 1 I. TWENTY YEARS AFTER 17 II. THE INTELLIGENCE OFFICER 32 III. THE FIRING SQUAD 44 IV. THE PLACE OF THE VOW 60 V. THE ATAMAN’S DECISION 69 VI. THE PRISON ON THE HILL 79 VII. OLD RIMSKY THINKS 94 VIII. PETER LAYS HIS PLANS 105 IX. ILYA USES HIS WITS 111 X. “AN AMERICAN HAS COME!” 121 XI. THE FLIGHT 131 XII. HIDDEN AGAIN 140 XIII. KATERIN PLANS TO MEET THE AMERICAN 151 XIV. THE SAMOVAR GIRL 160 XV. THE TRAP SHUTS 174 XVI. KATERIN’S STRATAGEM 182 XVII. SETTING THE SNARE 195 XVIII. THE TRAIL GROWS HOT 206 XIX. FACE TO FACE 217 XX. THE BLOW 232 XXI. THE CAT’S PAW HAS CLAWS 244 XXII. THE OFFICER FROM THE ATAMAN 254 XXIII. A LIFE FOR A LIFE 265 XXIV. A NEW TUNE ON AN OLD FIDDLE 274 XXV. THE FINAL RECKONING 285 XXVI. FAREWELL 294