Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-06-19
CHAPTER VIII.

that day, and, in fact, would be much
more likely to set sail on the following
! morning, firmly believing that the
/ Chief and herself had fallen victims to
/ the demons of the place. Her only
fear was that the story of the treasure
would prompt them to send another
/ expedition better equipped for such a
search, and that the party might pass
/ through the cave and commit deprcda-
! lions in the outskirts of Teng Chow
/ This thought did not trouble her much,
! because a word of caution to the
/ authorities of the city would put them
/ on their guard.
/ The one serious anxiety in her mind,
/ apart from her fear for Ii Xii. was the
/ thought of the shOrtness of the time
/ that now remained to her in which to
| reach Picking, where the great competi-
/ ton for the sake of which she had en-
| dured so much was soon to begin. In
/ arranging for their journey she and Ii
Xii had allowed at least a week for rest
in the great city before the final trial.
She had now been delayed about that
length of time, but with favoring
chances she might yet arrive in season.
But sad as would be the disappoint-
ment if she failed TO reach Picking, the
| thought of it claimed only a small share
of her attention. The welI-known path
she trod, the trees whose branches
nodded to her as friend, the distant
mountain tops, the very air itself spoke
a loved name, and she could hear no
other sound. Amid these scenes one
presence only came to her imagination.
BY this remembered way he had first led
her to his home; here they had often
walked together in the days of that
strange deception by which even love
was baffied for a time; and when the
vail had fallen they had passed over
these same green fields, and in the
smiling face of nature had read the
most precious of her promises. Had she
Knocked at them?
BY thinking as calmly as she could
upon the chances of her lovers safety,
Sho Mai endeavored to compose her
mind for the delivery of that painful
message which she was bearing to Ii
kean and Ii Yuen Wy. She held it to
be certain that Ii Xiii had not been
captured by the pirates. He had been
exposed to no dangers except those of
the ocean. If his boat had fallen in
" III al pSaSS1liS SIlI DCIOit LIt SUOL III VI
yesterday, he was safe. If not, he must
have persisted. The time had been too
short to permit of his reaching land.
No reasoning would solve the problem;
she must wait for news. But fancy
filed the place of fact, and, as she
walked, her mind was busy with visions.
She would see q great ship gliding to-
ward the boat. Ropes were let down,
and all were safely brought to the deck.
Then she would see the storm sweep
down, and a great wave would rise and
dash the little craft to pieces. With
such fancics would mingle pictures of
the boat alone on the wide sea with no
sail in sight, and the despairing men
facing hunger and horrible thirst. She
saw, indeed, all the dangers, and the
one small hope.
With her mind in such tumult, she
at length reached the little house in
which she had passed so many days
happily. Ii kean sat in the door
way and started back in terror at the
figure in its strange dress, the uniform
of the Toyhai. The sound of the ia
miliar voice, however, quickly treasured
her, and then when the venera BILE ia
Their had been summoned the sad story
was told and tears were shed. Sho Mai |
offered such consolation as she could |
from a heavy heart, and the thought of |
her own miraculous escape helped to |
inspire hope. 1t was evident that moth |
ing could be done. Ii Xii would send |
tidings of his safety at the earliest pos
sihle opportunity.
Seeing the grief in the little house
hold, Sho Mai would have remained |
with her friends to comfort them, but to |
this they would not consent. That she
should sacrifice the competition need |
lessIy was not to be thought Of The |
old philosopher would listen to no re-
fusal, and from his scanty savings he |
provided her with what was needed for
her journey. She accepted his kindness, |
knowing that her father would requite
him a hundredfold.
A ship sailed from Teng Chow the next
day, and in it Sho Mai began her voyage
anew. Capricious fortune smiled atlast,
and favoring winds filled the sails every
day. The junk had never made SO quick
a passage, and the captain to whom Sho
Mai had confided her anxiety for haste
said that the Gods were on her side and
that the prize she sought would be hers.
Despite the excitement and the hard
ships of the past few days and the fears
which filled her mind, Sho Mai felt that
she had never been so we'll fitted for the
great task. The WEAKNESS of her body
passed away with the rest she found on
the voyage, for the free life of the past
year had given her strength and health.
Then the strange experience of that
year had taught her lessons and had de-
veloped her mind as no mere study of
books could have done. The JOY of her
love for Ii Xii, tempered by the sorrow
of her separation from him, were forces
to strengthen her powers.
So she came at length to Picking mar
rowly in time, and yetnOt too late. The
great day of the competition dawned,
and she took her place among the forty
scholars who, by winning the
Chin Shi degree, had qualified them
selves for this final struggle. She found
no trace of Ii Xii, and yet he might
be there, for in that multitude their
meeting was but chance.
In the remarkable hall of the Han Lin
Yuen Foo the scholars gather. It's thou
sands of narrow. cell-like rooms, devoid
If doors and built In rows upon rows
ike the balconies of theater, face a
yreat arena. Long, narrow galleries
provide passages by which the cells