Evening star., 1899-01-28


mouth of his friend. the shrewd Wong
Chee. and his inner consciousness assured
him that Wong Chee spoke the truth. 1t
was due to both that he had the adventure
Of devils night
1t happened thus: On the night of the
adventure he stood in the dark doorway,
two houses from the corner of Pacific
street, on the edge OF Chinatown, in the
city of San Francisco. and it was here that
he saw d Chinese pass across the way
with a sack upon his shoulder. Now, there
was nothing about this to attract his idle
attention had not the bearer of the sack
stopped, looked cautiously about him, and
then as cautiously opened the door of the
third house from the corner that bore the
ITO Let sign OF the white agents This
was remarkable enough. for no man takes
the fourth hour of the night to examine
a house that he would rent. So All Kim
specuIated idly on the matter, and had but
reached the conclusion that it was none of
his business when lie observed another
Chinese to saUnter along, with a sack
upon his shoulder, and after the same pre-
caution to see if he ere watched, open the
same door and disappear in the darkness
Now. An Kim, not being bright Of mind,
was unable to think what this might mean,
and after a study deci,ed that II was case
10 lay before his frlt d, the Snrewd Wong
Chez. He was, therefore, about to move
from the doorway to put this Idea into exc
CutiOn when he observed third Chinese to
come along. also with sack upon his
shoulder. and after the same precautions to
enter the same house.
All Kim at this was partly in fear, for II
the three sackbearers thought it so import
ant that they should not be observed the!
might think it of enough Importance to at
tend to the silencing of one who had OBJ
served them; and for all his siowness OF
mind it was in his thought that before he
SOU the shrewd Wong Chez it would be
we'll to know how many men with sachs
Went through that door. So he waited and
watched with care and kept himself within
the shadow tnat none ~night him. There
were now and then men passing along. but
none OF them bore SACKS upon the shoulder.
and none Of them passed through tn door
with the ITO Let sign upon it, Yet as he
watched he was startled on a sudden to
see the To Let sign itself disappear like
the handkerchief that the juggier throws
into the air. And III I'm, having watched
yainly for further signs of the men who had
gone through the door joined party of
three who passed, and becoming one of the
crowd. went on his way to find his friend.
the shrewd Wong Chez.
1t is we'll" said Wong Chez, when the
case was explained. There are many
things IN life that do not understand.
We should therefore endeavor TO learn
them from those who perchance may know
more than we Said you that these men
were of size?''
''Illustrious Wong Chez. I had not said
But, as l remember them, one was tall and
thin. and one was of middle size and stout,
and the third was small and spare
Did the tail man have scar from his
eye to his chin; and did the stout man have
a yCTt on his cheek; and was the small
man lame IN the right ;eg?'
Indeed my wise Wong Chcc. / could not
see the scar nor the wart for the darkness,
but. as remembe.. the small man did have
the trace of limp
You have done we'll my inquisitive Kim.
And if you go to the Joss tonight pray 10
him for your friends, for there Is mischief
afoOt."
DO they threaten my friends?" asked All
Kim in an awestruck voice
Pray that it be none Of your friends"
said Wong Chee, with 4 mysterious shake
Of his head. for when those three men
went through that door ii meant no good
to the MAJ who passes through it after
them"
Then I shall not pass it." said All Kim
with shiver; and I shall stop at the house
OF the Joss as I go home and pray that
none OF my friends see the place" Then.
after a moment of silence in which his
curiosity rose superior to his fears he con-
tinUei: Does your most profound wisdom
inform you of the names of the three
men VINO went through the door?'
onE Chce considered. and answered with
half-clOsed eyes:
''Is u ere one among the tongs who has
not heard Of the Three Brothers of the
fiatchet who are tong by themselves?
W. do not speak their names"
Yes I nave heard" said All Kim with
a shndder But were they ever known in
our toug2
''If lou had been present at the meeting
you would have remembered nv good
Kim" said Woo Chez. Il was in the tenth
Year Of KwOng SUey. not three years since
when Now Zip Ting refused to paw his dues
10 lhe tong, ana his case was brought be-
lore the meeting of the association Then
We sat in the dark. and the Voice OF the
! ong read the charge against Now Yin
., 'Ls ana We listened in silence, and when
u was asked If We would forgive the debt
there was no voice raised for the merchant.
Tor ne Rad made his riches through the IA.
Nos and protection of the tong and he
would eyade the dues that Sven the poorest
mus pay So when the Voice of the Tong
spoke through the darkness and said thai
We had choice to forgive the debt or 10 in
met the punishment, there was mutter as
ot thunder that sounds in the distance and
u was the sentence OF death 10 Nou, VIZ
ing Then it was spoken in the darkness
mat II was not fit that one of the tong
,SoGIa ,Irc,,a,. 90 tne deed. and a whisper ran
Iirough the air that this was work for the
hrGthers of the Hatchet So n vas sa;d
and the reward was fixed aud va r,adn
Pn,he fs,s Iotce u the tong to speak to the Three
hFotnSrS- Yes | know the Three and bava
seen them, but do not speak their names
oI turn my eyes to their faces when I
Tate of VI w Zip Ting?'' 'ie
no does nOt?'' said All Kim
!, no indeed. echoed Wong Chez pIaci1
~, For many men have given up their
Ting" VI NOW Zip
Ana sam Suey was hanged for II bv the
pC.Ce OF the white devils" said An KIN,
me art OF the Three Brothers is mas,
the power OF the police to search out Eor
tn9ugh the white devils are clever with roa
ctlies tney are but children in the subtIa
Workings or the mind. and know not faisa1
hood from truth" 4''' iaise-
r iour wisdom is great. Wong Chez. va+
~ - II great enough to say who goes throngb
th- door OF the house that the Three RrofbI
SIS nave taken tonight?"
IL Is great enough TO say to Won, NOT .,
concern yourself with such thoughts Th,np
not OF who the man may be PRAY that he
pe none OF your friends. Make sure thai he
be not yourself '-i"' ne
wise ong Chez; your counsel is of tho
best l VIII go to the house of the loss 70
pray Tor my friends and dismiss the Tbres
Br"thers from my thoughts"
And so saying he left Wong Cbaa ,ra
turned ms steps toward the shrine of tho
JosS mat Is in the tong house in Commarciat
street Yet on the way his thoughts were
only OF the Three Brothers of the Hatcbet. :.
ana 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
ana the stout brother with the wart on his
cheek. and The small brother who ljmnai
with his right leg. And the three glowerad
as they noated before him through the ar