The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-06-21

| feared him. He has very pau name.
He is regarded as the most cruel and
heartless of all the wealthy young
men of China, none of whom are free
from crime. I had been in the habit
of going horseback riding, accompan-
led by two Chinese servants. Yester-
day, while riding in the suburbs, I
was seized, bound and thrown into q
carriage. I was taken to the coast
and put aboard that yacht. l was
shut up in stateroom alone, and re-
mained alone there all night. In the
morning we set sail for this place.
When was bound again and taken on
deck, what was my surprise to learn
that my captor was Cha Fong. L
knew then the fate that was in store
for me. tried to wrench myself
away from the men who carried me
and throw myself into the sea. The
fact that am safe and unharmed this
minute is due to Cha Fong's discov-
cry that someone had been here. He
was much enraged, and after a short
search, he sailed away to meet some
one-I Judged from his talk-some-
one who shared with him the secrets
of the island, and whom he suspects
of coming here without his permis-
sion, and leaving the island open.
He speaks English very we'll. Think
T recognize the place as the Island or
the Temple Of Su Foo. 1t is spoken
of in hushed whispers by the Euro
pean residents of Hong Kong, but no
native ever admits that he knows any
thing about it. There is an order
called Su Foo, the god of which is On
idol. This idol must receive, at
stated intervals, q sacrifice in the
shape of a young woman, who is put
to death in its arms, after becoming
the bride of the priest of the order. !"
"Then this Cha Fong is, no doubt,
a priest of Su Foo. and you are an
intended sacrifice for that huge idol
in the temple?"
81 fear so," she replied, sobbing
again. IT would rather you would
kill me now, before Cha Fong re-
turns"
"No, o,"I said: that does not seem to
be necessary. OF. course, there is no
positive proof that Cha Fong is the
murderous villain we think he is, ex-
cept the fact that he abducted you. ;"
But that is o plain enough fact"
she said.
every true. Grant, then, that the
worst is true. Your plight and the
temple here seem to indicate the truth
of the rumors about Cha Fong and the
Su Foo. Now, putting the crimes OF
the one and the exactions Of the other
together, we have a combination that
is decidedly against u.s."
Miss Arnold turned very white and
I leaned against the back of her chair
/ for support.
"Then," T continued, hastily, ''as
everything seems to point to murder
GUS purposes on the part of those who
have US in their power, our predica-
ment provides ample warrant for any
act On our part toward the salvation OF
ourselves. What I am getting at, Miss
Arnold, is this: You want me to kill
| YOU to prevent your falling again into
the hands of Cha Fong. My own way
to prevent that would be to kill Cha
Fong."
My lovely fellow prisoner gasped at
the audacious suggestion.
"But he is armed-he has armed
mon with him. What can we dove
two unfortunates?" She was very
pale.
"I wish there was some liquor of
some kind here" I said. 81 am afraid
you will faint"
She smiled in rather deprecatory
way.
s'I am not going to faint" she re-
Piled: "but if you want liquor, I saw
Cha Fong drinking some that he got
in there" She pointed to the alcove
where stood the bed.
"In there!" I exclaimed. "Why, I
thoroughly searched that place, but
could find nothing in the way of Ii
quor."
Nevertheless, when Chu Fong and
his two companions we're looking for
you, or for whomsoever the intruder
here might be, saw them with bot
ties and glasses. That was before the
cords that bound me were cut, so
could not get good look at them"
"Now that is very strange" 1 said
"yet it is quite possible that there is
part of this Internal place that have
not seen. will look again, and, per-
haps, we may find something more to
our advantage. Even a good club
would be of service. could creep up
behind Cha Fong and knock him down.
suppose I might cut one in the gar
den with my pocket t-knife-a piece of
palm.tree would answer. But I'll look
for that liquor first
I went behind the bronze screen
and searched high and low for some
kind of receptacle that looked as if
it might hold liquor. I saw nothing.
I was about to give up the search,
when, as I was turning to leave the
apartment, I accidentally kicked up a
large, heavy rug that was spread on
the floor. Under it I saw panel in
the floor in which was fastened an
iron ring. took hold of the ring and
pulled. It took all my strength to
move the panel, but at LAST it came up.
found an opening in the floor about
three feet square. There were some
steps leading downward.
I uttered shout of Joy and callel
Miss Arnold. She came running
toward me.
.o,J