Evening star., 1899-01-28

Brother had got his scar and the Small
Brother had acquired his limp, and the
Three had barely escaped with their lives
We not want to kill you" said the Small
Brother, with 4 smile that was meant to
be concfiatory. but succeeded only in being
ghastly. You do ali same we say, you go
home ali lite
Now the doctor knew that his fate was
sealed; for the Three Brothers had let him
know too much, and must kill him for their
own safety. He saw that they but played
with him to make their pleasure: yet he
bore himself though the Brothers but
jested with him.
What would you have?" asked the
doctor.
o,' i tell you before. The heart of Wong
Chee, answered the Small Brother
Il cannot take it. The man is still alive -
He all sam" dead replied the Small
Brother. white devil doctor man he like
cut up dead man; why he not like cut up
live MANI?
Why do you want me to cut I'D a live
man." asked the doctor.
We like see. Sometime maybe we like
II cannot kill him. He has done no
harm"
oh, you think him good man?' exclaim-
ed the Small Brother, contemptuouslv
You think him all lite? He all same come
tonight TO say We get one thousand doIla'
Xiii Wing Lee. You think him good man.
eh? He no sabby one tong say we get two
thousand fl hund' dolla' all same kill him. :"
And at this humorous situation the Small
Brother went off into diaboic laughter
Then did one tong tell you to kill me?"
asked the doctor. II do not know the
tongs, and never harmed them"
The Small Brothers face took on a look
OF preternatural cunning, and he APPEAR
ed 10 consider what excuse to give
Never one time kill white devil" he
said at last And his eyes snapped eager
ly, as though this had been the long de-
sire OF MS life; and the bodies of the Tall
Stnt Vsp1 !,
the doctor as though they ware eager to
nave his blood. I'VE kill white devil doc
tor now If he not do what we say. Give us
the heart of Wong Chez"
The Small Brothers tone at this heoar,a
so menacfng that the doctor gave himself
up for a lost man. All Kim nlaryeled al
his cooiness in the face of death, for
though he was but white devil his voice
changed not whit.
Il cannot take 1t with hound ban5u ~
said A "@' he
me Ihree Brothers consulted in Chinese
Tor they were unwilling to loose the hands
OF the doctor. 1t was true that he could
not cut the heart from Wong Chez if his
hands We're tied. yet if his hands were free
anu anu, ',e surgeons knife was put in them,
1ney mad to fear the rashness of despair.
Ihen the Small Brother advised that the
doctor be made to kneel before his hands
We're loosed. And thereupon Ah Kim saw
nifn forced TO his knees by the body Of
wong Chez, and the Tall Brother flung the
moose about the neck of the kneeling man
ana the Stout Brother lifted the ba tchet
While the Small Brother slipped the cords
that bound his arms.
NOW All Kim breathed hard and pripped
his knife fast, for he feared that the life
OF the shrewd Wong Chez was lost. He
nad a wild wish to cry out to the doctor
that there was a friend at hand. and that
ne should make an effort for life and free
dom Yet he knew that to cry out was
folly. and would be death to him along with
the shrewd Wong Chez and the good doc
.or, ana he had to use all his strength to
Keep his teeth from chattering
w nat was that?' suddenly asked the
small Brother, pricking up his ears
Il hear nothing" said the Stout Brother
Small Brother A 'i'e
L locked the door," said the Tall Broth
er, with an evil smile. 1T is Wong Chess
devil come for his SOUL :
NOW at this All Kim could scarce keen
himseif from sinking, for 1t is evil indaed
TO be between the Three Brothers of the
ratchet. and the devils that come for the
dying. And the Three Brothers Themselves
lost little Of their confident air: for even
the Brothers, who feared not the Joss liked
not to think of the devils. But All KIN
smiled in the midst of his fears at the mis-
take of the Tall Brother in thinking that
he had locked the door.
Well let us make haste" said the s,,,u
Brother. that the devils may finish their
work" And with move he shook the
DohdS from the doctors arms Saud-uat i,,
the doctors right hand the surgeons knife
Now cut" he said.
AT this word the doctor flung his arms
about the Small Brother and dashed him
to the floor, ana at the same time made q
mighty effort to rise.
''Strike. Brother" cried the Small Brotber
to the one with the hatchet -.
The hatchet was in the air, and the doc