The Delta independent., 1899-06-16

vhich-and the other knows Of it at
last and is hunting him down He
sends me word that he will come hero
tonight and that must hide hiIn-
In spite of her horror All Lon thrilled
with the Grst excitement which had
come into her lie.
He win conner she Yaspe1-
.'Y.-. int he snail not stay. When
the hishbinders follow. they can have
Lin. e.
All Lon had never contradicted her
rnother-indeed. she had thought hor
second in wisdom only to the priest in
the josshouse. But the inherited in
stinct rose in rebellion. and she said
tiInidly:
He is my father. should like to
protect him
Wo Ling sprang to her feet. and
catching All Lon by the shoulder hur
ried her ont to the little balconv and
pointed downward TO n large shop.
whose windows glittered with masses
of rich stuffs and delicate china
lyon see that. she said hoarsely.
'.It is owned by the rich merchant.
Wong Tee. Such another would your
father have been had he not loved opium
more than the girl who followed him
from China-cast forth by her parents
Ito grow old and bent and weary in
an attic. And was rs beautiful when
he left me as you are today-and at 80
you, too. will be old and bent and
weary She wheeled All Lon about
and pointed 10 the little dingy. i'll fur
nishtd room with the holes the rats had
made and the great pile Of work. 1t
will be like that as long as you live. !"
she said. ''Shall l not take vengeance
on the MANI
All Lon. deeply impressed. did not
know what answer to make. no she fell
to weeping bitterly. Her neither reseas-
ed her. and prepared the evening meal
of rice and sausage. Soon after. All Lon
went into the small room adjoining
and crept into her bunk. knowing that
she should not sleep TINT night.
Twice she peered through u crack in
the door and saw her mother sitting
there. her hands pressed hard against
her knees. her head strained forward.
her eyes wild. A town clock was boom
iny when Wo Ling. without moving
her head. called in loud whisper
"Ah Lon
Her daughter ran TO her.
HE is coming" said Wo Ling. $50
down stairs and bring him safely here. :"
All Lon msrveled at what she could
not understand in her mothers voice.
and forgot her fear Of rats. She slipped
hastily down through tho black well Of
the stair. stopping several times to listen
intently. At last she heard some one
painting ms II in terror. and moment
later stumbled over nm i'll smelling heap.
Ling Tangl' she asked rapidly. II
am All Lon. your daughter. Wo Ling
waits you. and will give you food. We
have sausages and rice. I"
She turned and ran mp stairs. Ths
heap gathered itself together and fol-
lowed slowly.
He comes ahe said 10 her mother
And she waited. trembling with curiU~i-
~ Wo Ling raised herself to her full
height. which Was above that Of mOst
Chinese women.
The mnn entered He had nothing in
common with his moon faced compa-
triots Of the streets. who looked com
pnrativcly clean and well fed. and All
Lon could not know that underground
there were many like him. He was in
rags. and what they covered might
have ratified. he was 10 feshlcss His
face was wrinkled hide and bony strur-
tuSe. and sparse gray hair fell about it
and from his cheeks and chin. He look
ed 100. and he may have been 33 All
Lon gave cry and fed to the bedroom.
slamming the door behind her But Wo
Ling took the wreck In her arms.
Gertrude AtheIton in Lady's Realm.