The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-10-04

eve have plenty to do. Tomorrow
Ralston will be able to talk to u.s."
"What next:" asked Captain Har.
wood, as we stepped from the room
in which we had laid Ralston.
"More work. But I'd like to know
where that villain yonder gets his
luck. He is full of it. First he
evades the police of San Francisco,
then those of Vancouver, and now
here he is high and dry when every
body else on the Ketoto was drowned.
Everybody else drowned! I hadn't
heard of it,"
The possibilities that suggested
themselves to me when I heard these
words from the captain of the Beaver
were startling. I stopped suddenly
and grasped his arm. He looked al
me wonderingly.
"What's that you say?" demand
ed. "You never heard of the loss Of
the Ketoto?"
"No, certainly not. When did you
get the news?"
"Six months ago, before"
"Oh, nonsense! The Ketoto has
never been lost She sailed safely
into Hong Kong last week, and once
every two months before that. Nor has
she, so far as I know, sustained any
injury from storm or accident. What
are you driving at, anyhow"
"Didn't-why-wasn't-oh, see il
all now. I see it as plainly as I see
you. The thing was planned as care
fully as plot could be planned"
Possibly" said Captain Harwood,
"but if you told me what was planned.
perhaps I could follow you"
"You have not yet heard the story
of my escape from drowning, and time
is too precious to waste any in telling
you now. But you will be enlightened
on the ways of this part of the world
when tell you"
"I know them now pretty WE'LL" be
replied.
"But come," I said, starting of.
"Ceme on and learn more"
81 can't keep up with you mentally
or physically, Crlckmore," said Lang
ston, tagging a little behind US.
"And I am as much in the dark about
that Ketoto business as Harwood is, ,
Never mind, old fellow, it will be
clear enough to both of you soon."
We found Sid Kee where we hac
left him, and the faithful Garu-saab
,4,D liz, y rr,, ord oror him
"Garu-Saak," I said, ''get some in
strument Of torture"
"Sire, I am ready to obey you, but
I do not know what you mean"
Langston and Captain Harwooo
looked worried.
"Bring q thumb-screw or an iro1
maiden or anything else that's handy
Something Hen-Ko.Hi used to torture
his victims with. I want to interview
Mr.. Sid Kee, and I need some assis'
tance in getting at the truth"
"N1e no blad Chinaman," groaned
Sid Kee. "Me do eblyt'ing for um.
Me do"
"Oh, you will, will you?" I replied.
"Well, think you will before I get
through with you. But I am going tc
have some good medicine handy. ]
am tired sticking you with this sword u
"No stick sword. Me glood."
Garu-Saak went out and soon reap
peared with the ugliest-looking ma
chine for twisting a human body tc
pieces I ever saw"
IT found this in the prison." he said.
"Put it on and give him taste ot
it, I said.
Garu-Saak found great pleasure in
obeying me. Sid Kee groaned and
squirmed. I Iplaced myself squarely
before him.
"Did you ever see me before?" ]
asked.
mo. Me no slee aaore."
think again. In San Francisco,
for instance?"
"Me no slee. What for you make
say wrong? Ne no be in Sian Elan.
cisco. Me not know him."
You lie! If you persist in lying,
I am going to twist you all to pieces.
Do you hear?"
"NIe hear; me hear. Me velly solly,
but me glood Cinnamon.
"Where is Annie Ralston?"
"Lannee Raslon, me no slee," re-
piled the Chinaman, shaking his head.
"Twist," I said.
"Oaouw!" howled Sid Kee, as the
giant arm of the Jumar chief racked
his body with pain. Then herhrieked
something in his own language that ]
could not understand.
"Stop!" ordered, and the pressure
was taken off.
"Now will you tell?" I asked. "Or
do you need some more? Where is
Annie Ralston?"
"Me not know" stoutly insisted Sid
Kee.
"There is the lie written in his face, "
said Langston.
"He certainly speaks the jargon
peculiar to the Chinese of the Cali
fornia coast" said Captain Harwood.
T-1 1r I