The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-29

Three Brothers have taken tonight"
1T is great enough to say to you not
to concern yourself with such thoughts.
Think not of who the man may be.
Pray that he be none of your friends.
Make sure that he be not yourself.
wise Wong Chez, your counsel is
of the best. I viii go to the house of
the JOSS to pray for my friends, and
dismiss the Three Brothers from my
thoughts"
And so saying he left Wong Chez
and turned his steps toward the shrine
of the joss that is in the tong house in
Commercial street. Yet, on the way
his thoughts were only of the Three
Brothers of the Fatchet; and in the
darkness he could see with the eye OF
the mind the face of the Tall Brother
with the scar running from eye TO chin,
and the Stout Brother, with the Wart
on his cheek, and the Small Brother,
who iimDed with his right leg. And
the thrFe glOWeTed as they fioated be-
fore him through the atmosphere of
thought, and threatened him with ST.
lent words as he walked. So it was
with alarm that came almost TO con-
sternation that An kim found that his
feet had brought him once more to
the doorway from which he had seen
the Three Brothers go with such mys-
terry into the vacant house; and he
halted as a man struck to stone. To
his excited vision the three faces peered
menacingly at him from every dark
window. and told him that even in the
obscuriJy OF the doorway to which his
feet had brought him he was observed;
yet he could not fly from the danger.
and watched the house as the bird
watches tie snake.
He looked intently for a sign of life,
Yet none was TO be seen. No light
glimmered from the windows. Men
came by in ones and twos, and he
shrank back into the shadow. Then,
on a sudden, he saw figure glide
along the walk, across the street, and
disappear in the fatal doorway. Now
An Kim shook as with an ague, and
WAS alert for what might happen.
Was this the man for whom the
three brothers had laid their snare ?
No victim would go so unsuspectingiy
to such & house, and alone. Yet Curl
osity was strong upon him, and he
wished that he dared venture to the
door and listen, and perchance learn
something Of the dreadful deeds OF the
Three Brothers Of the Hatchet.
As he looked and listened and trem-
bled, two men came along the walk He
was relieved to see that they were
white devils, and listened to their talk.
7 was sure that was the number"
said one.
Now. that's duare," said the other;
and An Kim was stricken with fear TO
see that this was one Of the white dew
lis policemen-for he had been arrested
for the awful crime OF holding lottery
ticket. and had been kept thirty days
in jail. Yet he was not too much in
fear to hear the policeman as he said:
That house has been to rint liver since
I came on this bate"
- ha oil
with a laugh. for houses are some
tiTles rented
Now All Kim trembled again, for at
these words he knew the voice; and it
was the voice of the good doctor for
whom he worked, who had stood by
him when he was in trouble, and had
given him back his place after he had
come from the jail.
I would keep out of there if l was
YOU said the policeman.
IT'S an old servant who is hurt to
death and has sent for me-" said the
doctor ''and l couldn't refuse. a doc
tor. you know, must go where he's
called.
We'll, that's the first Chinaman 1
liver heard of asl1in' for a white doc
tor" said the policeman; and he babe
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 Ratchet. Yet his voice refused to
come, for he was in fear of the white
policeman. And shaken with the double
apprehension for his employer and him
self. 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 has
tened after him with cry IN his throat
that was stllled 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 it was a face Of much
evN. and it bore q scar that reached
from eye to chin; and there was a ma
iignant pleasure under its polite air as
the tai man received the doctor and
closed the door behind him.
All Kim leaned against the post with
out the door, faint and shivering, and