Evening star., 1899-01-28

I couldn't refuse. doctor, you know,
must go when he's called
Well that's the first Chinaman I iver
heard of askin' f2r white doctor" said the
policeman; and he bade the doctor good
night and went his way.
Now, All Kim wished to cry out for he
had found the man who was to pass the
door that hid the Three Brothers of the
Hatchet. Yet his voice refused to come,
Tor he was in fear of the white policeman.
And shaken with the double apprehension
for his employer and himself, he did not
recover power Of voice or movement until
the doctor had crossed the street and was
swallowed up in the dark doorway Then
he haStened after him with a cry In his
throat that was stilled when he saw the
door opened and a tall Chinese usher the
doctor within. He halted as the face of the
tall Chinese stamped itself on his mind for
1t was face of much evil, and IL bore q
scar that reached from eye to chin: and
there was malignant pleasure under its
polite air as the tall man received the doc
tor and closed the door behind him
All Kim leaned against the post without
the door, faint and shivering and put forth
all his strength to keep his teeth from chat
tering- He was in mortal terror lest the
sharp eye of the Tall Brother had spied
him and the shadow of death was even
now upon him. Two or three minutes
passed, and his heart steaded it's futtering
beats. Yet, instead of following his i'm
pulse to fly, he crept closer to the door and
ciouched in the corner, that he might listen
and think and be out of the observation
of any one who should come along the
street. 1t was near the middle hour of the
night, yet belated wayfarers passed now
and then.
What idea was in his mind he could not
have said. Gratitude he did not know, and
friends one does not have among the white
devils Yet it was before him that he ought
to save the white doctor from his DOOM for
he waS a kind master, and Il is not fit that
one should see a man go thqs to his death
when one eats his bread. And then there
was curioSity-the eager wish to know the
work Of the Three Brothers. Thus All Kim
crouched against the doCrpost and strained
his ears to catch sound from the mys-
terious house. Yet listen as he might the
only sounds that came to him besides the
smooth purring of the distant cable that
draws the white devils street cars were
the loud beats OF his heart and the breath
ing that he tried to repress.
AS he lay straning his ears at the door
1t came to his mind that this was a case
for the shrewd Wong Chez, and he started
to rise and go and seek him. Then he sank
back, for he feared what might happen
while he should be away, and that Wong
Chez might come too late. Whatever was
to be done must be done by him alone. The
heartsickening fear that followed this
was not from himself He rose laid Off the
Chinese shoes that he wore listened in
tently again. and then put his hand eau
uously on The door knob. No sound had
there, and he felt assured that the Three
Brothers Were elsewhere than in the hall
1t was his fear that the door was locked,
but to his surprise and relief it yielded as
he turned the knob and no sound followed
as inch by inch he opened ii. He drew his
knife from his blouse and listened again;
then he slipped through the narrow open
ing and closed the door without sound
The darkness of the street was as the
light of day to the darkness of the hall
when the door was closed; yet ii gave him
courage, for IL he could not see neither
the gift of the devils to see in the dark
He stood for a minute. Then a murmuring
sound that came from overhead confirmed
him In the opinion that the Three Brothers
and their victim were up the stair. A Gre
puscular glow. the very ghost of light came
TO his eyes from above, and he OWNED that
there lay the ascent.
His fears asked him If one of the Broth
ers did not lie between him and the source
of the light. But reasoning that the grip
of death would by then have been at his
heart If one of the Brothers had been on
perate trust that the crime for which they
had come had taken the attention of the
Three, and that none was left on guard
So he moved forward step by step. and
almost inch by inch, the fingers of the left
hand touching the wall as his guide his
right hand gripping the knife and eye and
ear strained to catch the faintest hint that
lis presence was suspected. Thus noise
tessiy he came to the head of the stair and
saw that middle room was alight and
that no one stood outside The door was
but an inch or two ajar, and All Kim crept
to 1t with hoiseless progress, though the
murmur of voices. Of-whieh he could catch
word now and then, would have covered
his steps had he proceeded boldly
When he looked within the room he shook