While the young soldier was in the Philippines he joined the regular army and shortly after this was sent to China, to aid in the suppression of the Boxer uprising and the rescue of many missionaries and others who had fled to the legations in Pekin for safety. As a lieutenant in the regulars Gilbert saw a good deal of hard fighting, the particulars of which have been set forth in “On to Pekin.” In this volume are also related how the young soldier overturned a plot to cheat him out of his legal share of stock of the Richmond Importing Company, and how he at last came into possession of sixteen thousand dollars of stock which was then worth exactly twice its face value.
Since those strenuous days many changes had taken place. With the rebellion in the Philippines and the uprising in China at an end, the young American had left the army as speedily as possible and applied himself strictly to business. New men were now at the head of the Importing Company, and as Gilbert had a fair knowledge of Japan, Korea, and the eastern coast of China, he was made the selling agent in that territory. For over a year he had done very well at this receiving both a salary and a commission, with all expenses paid.
The first real snag had been struck when he had started to do business with Ivan Snokoff, who represented himself as the head of the Russian-American Importing and Exporting Company, with headquarters at Port Arthur,—a city leased to the Russians by China, and located at the extreme southern part of the Liao-tung Peninsula of Manchuria.
Snokoff could speak English fairly well, and he was one of the smoothest talkers possible to imagine. He said he had many relatives in the United States, and loved to do business with the Yankees because they were so straightforward and honest.
“I lof not the Germans or the Englees,” said Ivan Snokoff. “It is them who are too sharp for the poor Russian, yes. Ivan Snokoff will trade with his friend Pennington, yes—then he will be safe,” and he nearly crushed Gilbert’s fingers with the warmth of his grasp.
Gilbert was too easy-going to see through such a wily schemer as Ivan Snokoff. He took the Russian’s words in good faith, and a mere statement from several others that Snokoff undoubtedly had money was accepted without question. He also learned that a certain Captain Barusky had a share in the Russian company, and that the Baruskys were wealthy.
The first consignment of goods had amounted to four hundred dollars and the second to twelve hundred dollars. Both consignments had been paid for promptly, and Gilbert and the others connected with the Richmond Company had congratulated themselves on having acquired such a customer at Port Arthur, which was rather a hard city in which to sell American goods.
Then came the five-thousand-dollar order. “I have a great chance to make much money, yes,” said Ivan Snokoff. “Send the goods quickly, and I will discount the whole bill. Do not delay, no—or my rival will get the order instead of me.” And the goods were shipped as quickly as possible, Gilbert sending the order by cablegram. Ivan Snokoff was truly delighted and spoke enthusiastically of his profits. But the settlement was delayed from time to time, and then suddenly the Russian disappeared, the offices were closed up, and it slowly dawned upon Gilbert and the Company that they had been led into a trap and swindled.
At first the young American knew not what to do. He was in a foreign country, and his Russian rivals had never wanted him to do business there. Not one of them was willing to give him any information concerning Snokoff or his connections, and at the bank it was stated that the rascal had closed his account and not shown himself since. Even the customhouse officials could tell nothing. Gilbert had feared to go to the police, knowing that the police department of Russia is a wonderful and fearful institution, and that the officers might lock him up for having had anything to do with Snokoff in the first place.
“But I’m going to bring that fellow to justice somehow,” said Gilbert to himself more than once. “He shan’t escape as easily as he thinks.”