The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-29
THE ADVENTURE OF
THE VACANT HOUSE.
BY EARL ASHLEY woLcoTr.


ity of a maybe. Both these things he
knew, for he had been told them often
by the mouth of his friend, the shrewd
Wong Chez and his inner consciousness
assured him that Wong Chez spoke the
truth II was due to both that he had
the adventure of devils night.
It happened thus On the night Of the
adventure he stood in the dark doorway,
two houses from the corner of Pacific
street, on the edge of Chinatown, in the
city of San Francisco, and it was here
that he saw a Chinese pass across the
way with a sack upon his shoulder. Now
there was nothing about this to attract
his idle attention had not the bearer of
the sack stopped looked cautiously about
him, and then as cautiously opened the
door of the third house from the corner
that bore the ITO Let" sign of the white
agents This was remarkable enough, for
no man takes the fourth hour of the
night to examine a house that he would
rent. So All Kim speculated idly on the
matter, and had but reached the conclusion
that it was none of his business when
he observed another Chinese to saunter
along also, with sack upon his Shout
der, and after the same precaution to see
If he were watched. open the same door
and disappear in the darkness.
Now All KIM not being bright of mind,
was unable TO think what this might
mean and after a study decided that
il was a case to lay before his friend,
the shrewd Wong Chez He was there
fore about to move from the doorway TO
put this idea into execution when he OBJ
served a third Chinese to come along,
also with a sack upon his shoulder, and
after the same precautions, to enter the
same house
All Kim at this was partly in fear, for
If the three sack-bearers thought II so i'm
portant that they should not be observed
they might think 1t of enough Importance
to attend the silencing of one who had OBJ
served them; and for all his slowness Of
mind it was his thought that before he
sought the shrewd Wong Chez it would be
well TO know how many men with sacks
went through that door. So he waited
and watched with care and kept himself
within the shadows that none might see
him. There were now and then men pass
ing along, but none Of them bore sacks
upon the shoulder, and none of them pass
ed through the door witt the ITO Let
startled on a sudden to see the ITO Let"
sign itself disappear like the handkerchief
that the jugger throws into the air. And
All Kim having watched vainly for further
signs of the men VINO had gone through
the door Joined a party of three who
passed ana becoming one of the crowd
went on hris way TO find his friend the
shrewd Wong Chez.
1T Is we'll said Wong Chez, when the
things in life that we do not understand
We should therefore endeavor to learn
them from those who perchance may know
more than We Said you that these men
were of a size?"
"Illustrious Wong Chez I had not said
But, as l remember them, one was tail
and thin, and one was of middle size and
stout, and the third was small and spare"
Did the tall man have a scar from mis-
eye TO his chin; and did the stout man
have wart on his cheek and was the
small man lame in the right Lego"
Indeed, my wise Wong Chez, l could
not see the scar nor the wart for the dark
ness, but remember the small man did
have the trace of a limp"
You have done wei, my inuuisitive
kim. And If you go TO the Joss tonight
pray to him for your friends, for there is
mischief afoot"
Do they threaten my friends?" asked
All Kim in an awestruck voice"
Pray that it be none of your friends"
said Wong Chez with mysterious shake
of his head, for when those three men
went through that door ii meant no good
10 the man who passes through it after
them.
Then | shall not pass it," said All Kim
with SILVER; and l shall stop at the
house OF the Jess as l so home and pray
that none of my friends seek the place &"
Then, after a moment of silence in which
his curiosity rose superior to his fears
he continued: Does your most profound
wisdom inform you of the names of the
three men who went through the door?"
Wong Chez considered, and answered
with half-closed eyes:
rs there one among the tongs who has
not heard of the Three Brothers of the
Hatchet, who are a tong by themselves?
We do not speak their names"
Yes. l have heard" said All Kim with
shudder. But were they ever known
in our tong?"
IF you had been present at the meeting
you would have remembered. my good
KIM" said Wong Chez. 1T was in the
tenth year of Kwong Suey, not three
years since, when Now Zip Ting refused
TO pay his dues to the tong. and his case
was brought before the meeting of the
association. Then We sat in the dark. and
the Voice of the Tong read the charge
against Now Zip Ting. And we listen
ed in silence, ahd when ii was asked if
we would forgive the debt there was no
voice raised for the merchant; for he
had made his riches through the favor
and protection of the tong and he would
evade the dues that even the poorest must
pay. So, when the Voice of the Tong
spoke through the darkness, and said that
we had choice to forgive the debt or to
infiict the punishment there was a NUT
ter as of the thunder that sounds in the
distance. and il was the sentence of death
TO Now Zip Ting. Then it was spoken
in the darkness that il was not fit that
one of the tong should do the deed, and
whisper ran through the air that this
was work for the Brothers of the Hatch
ct. So it was said. and the reward was
fixed, and l was made the voice of the
tong TO speak to the Three Brothers. Yes,
l know the Three, and have seen them.
but do not speak their names, nor turn
my eyes to their faces when 1 meet them
on the street. You know the fate of Now
Zip lingo"
who does not?' said All Kim.
who, indeed2" echoed Wong Chez.