Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-07-06
The Mandarin'S
DAUGHTER.
BY WONG CHIN FOO.

heard a long distance across the water,
and the prov was turned in pursuit of
the fugitives. 1t was not long chase
for when the wind filled out the
wrinkles of the fiuttering canvas, the
junk, clumsy as she looked, made rapid
Roadway. She came directly for the
boat in which sat little,Sho Mai, and, as
she saw it, she blessed the chance
which had separated her from her lover
He might yet escape, for the sun was
now low in the heavens. Would ne Dc
preserved, and in the days to come
would her memory live in his hearty
What message would he send to those
who waited for her in her deserted
nome in the city of Paoting; to those
whom she would never see again? by
strange path had she been led to meet
the fate which now hung over her VINO
that had seen her in her fathers house,
surrounded by every safeguard, could
have foreseen a death by the sword and
burial in the sea? Words that she
had read long ago came back to her, and
she murmured: "What the god of fate
| wills, so shall it be-"
Her mind seemed already to have
come out from her body. Dtmly, as
half-interested spectator, she saw the
great junk drawing near, and with
dull ear heard the frantic lamentations
of those who were with her in the boat.
The next moment the pirates were
upon them, and they were captives.
nimble sailor dropped lightly into the
| little boat and made it fast with rope,
one end of which he threw to waiting
comrade. Then a rope ladder was
dropped over the side.
Cup to the presence of the most noble
| First Chief of Kwan Dab and pay your
homage, dogsp' said the sailor, as he
roughly helped the trembling captives
| to mount the ladder. When they were
all on deck they were placed in line,
where some wept, others wrung their
| hands and few awaited their fate with
| calm despair.
Then the First Chief, attired in gar
ments richly embroidered with gold and
studded with Jewels, and attended by
| his suite, came forth and ordered the
| captives to be searched. At his com
| mand two powerful men, naked from
the waist up, each armed with a great
curved cutlass, came out to do his bid
ding. The cowardly captain of the junk
was the first man called upon to step
from the line.
"Doyou believe in the God of OCEAN,"
asked the chief.
eyes," faltered the trembling wretch.
"Then go to him, and may you pros
peri"
At this, one of the executioners with
swinging stroke cut the captain S
head from his body. Then beth threw
him over the rail into the sea. Another
victim was called, and in a moment his
lifeless body fell into the ocean. Thus
| the fearful murder was continued I'M
| til but five were left, of whom Sho Mai
was one. BY this time the junk had
overtaken another boat, and the places
which had been made vacant in the line
were filled again. AS the unfortunates
| came up the side Sho Mai watched them
| with an agony of expectation, but the
boat was emptied and Ii Xiii had not
appeared.
Then the awful questioning began
again, and in almost every instance a
wave of the sword was the end. A few
were spared, but as they seemed to be
the largest and most powerful of the
, captives, Sho Mai had little hope with
which to meet the summons, which came
at last.
"Boy, who are you?' asked the Chief
: | 1t seemed to Sho Mai that hor voice
came from distance, and yet it did no
| tremble as she replied: 81 am now bu
one of many captives of Kwan Dab.
expect to be but one of many victims o
his sword"
"You speak boldly"
because there is but one death.
am on the threshold"
There was pause, and her eyes me
those of the Chief. No effort of her life
j. was comparable to that by which sh'
g now steadied her gaze. A minute tina
It was like year crept by with its burdel
of terror, and then the Chief waved hi
hand, and Sho Mai was led back to tn
| little band of those whom the sword hal
passed by.
"Let them be tal1cn bolow," ordere
tho Chief, and in a moment they wer
in tho rayless gloom of little cabin
| behind bolted door. But Sho Mai ha
cast one hasty glance at the sun whic
, | now touched the horizon, and she carrie
:. the remembrance of the gathering DARK
10 | ness with her as a consolation. Th
/. | night might como in time to cast II
a. | vail between Ii Xiii and his pursuer!
t, The sword which had flashed so close I
her own throat had Withdrawn into il
scabbard. Youth hopes easily, and Sh
Mai filled the darkness of her prise
with bright pictures.
D With the cargo of the captured mel
chairman and tho captives whose live
had been spared the pirates set sail fl
the home of the pirate king, Kwan Dial
- 1t was long sail, but the winds wei
favorable, and before many days ha
- passed the peaks of the famous ISLAM
y Shi Yam San, which, interpreted, is til
Ten Island mountains, rose out of tt
sea.
The Shi Yam San is one of the mo
densely-woodod islands in the Yello
Goa, noar the peninsula of Corea. 1t
known as tho Mysterious Kingdom
+, tho Sea, because no vessel, excepti1
the pirates junhs, had ever been alb
to make q landing. Tho shore is of
most peculiar formation. Jagged roc]
rise precipitously and in such fantast
shanos that thew seem every mimi