Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-07-07
The Mandarin'S
DAUGHTER.
BY WONG CUIE FOO.

were removed from the head of the can
didate. Then he spoke:
Brother Toyhai, 1 hand you a
sword" suiting the action to the word.
''This is the only emblem of authority
of the saints of JOY and plentitude. By
it all brothers conquer. 1t Is the fit
food of the Han elbows, and command
you to feed them we'll. But remember!
a single secret given to you in these
four walls and under the roof of this
chamber revealed, you will be the sheath
for thousand such swords"
Eight mon, armed with eight swords,
formed q circle about the trembling
girl, who closed her eyes lest she might
show weakness, and encircled her head
with the glittering points of their
weapons. Should she move even so
much as a hairs breadth she would
reach point held by stern and steady
hand. 1t seemed to her fcvered mind
as though eight fiery fingers were
pointing at her in condemnation, but
such was the horrible fascination that
She closed her quivering cyclids only to
open them again.
Suddenly the chant began. 1t was
taken up by men in tho second cham
Der. repeated by those in the first cham
bcr and passed along until IL seemed as
though the stones of the floor, the reeds
of the roof and even tho very swords
themselves gave tongue to the strain.
It was echoed and re-Cchocd; it swelled
out into the open air, and came back re-
i@fcrcod. Even when the voices had
huShcd it seemed to the knccling girl
as though the spirits of the air were
N';:itin;3 it up to the gods. The words
told her she was a hero, but the music,
80 villa and unearthly, killed in its con-
ccption the thought of praise.
IIe of tue yellow robes then advanced
with cup.
Drink" he said, land may the cow
ard blood of the Han Chow make you
stronger and more vengeful against our
lawful prey"'
The liquor was one-half wine and one
half blood! Could she drink it? Invol-
UNFAIRLY she turned her head to look be-
hind, hoping to sec the face of the Chief.
"You are looking beyond the Garth.
There is death behind you," came the
voice from tho yellow robe. "Drink!'
and tho dreadful cup came just trihc
nearer.
Death! and there was so rnHch to live
for-Li Xii; the &C, uition, her pa
rents. If she died -,ore, no one would
ever know her late. The compressed
lips parted just a tritlo and the small.
shapcly head leaned forward with an
almost imperccptible movement. The
cup came closer. She hesitated to think.
"Death!'' said voice behind her.
"Drink!" came from the robe.
The words were all that broke tho
tomb-like stiffness of the chamber save
the breathing Of the girl. She would
drink, then perhaps the awful ceremony
would be ended.
The full, round lips kissed the cold
edge of the cup. The hand which held it
tilted it just little, and the blood of the
dead and the lips of tho living met The
liquid stained the crimson lips with a
shameless red, the stain crcpt into the
white teeth and tricllled down her
throat. She shuddcrod and felt as ii
the blood of the dead had palsicd her
limbs. She choked, gasped and strug-
glcd for air.
Suddenly the cup was removed, muir
muir went through tho throng, lights
blazed up, the hoods of the asscmblagc
were thrown back and the faces of the
bard were revealed.
The figure in the robe of yellow ad-
vaI-ocd, and, extending his hand, lifted
She Mai to her feot. She still held the
sw..d which had been given her.
Brother" said the man, ''there is but
one thing more for you to do. Many
have lacked the necessary courage to
face this last ordeal, and so have lost