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

plenty, but did not take time to e1.
anime them. I found two things.
One would of itself have repaid me
for the search. for it was what I had
come after. I found liquors, wines
and cordials, in bottles and casks.
But the other discovery meant much
more to me than the liquor. 1t meant,
perhaps, rescue-iife. 1t was large
cabinet, in which were various
weapons of war and Of the chase.
Guns, pistols, knives were packed
away in good order. This was, no
doubt, Cha Fong's armory.
Miss Arnold's astonishment was so
great that I laughed at her wide
opened eyes when she saw me emerge
from the hole in the floor, carrying
bottle of wine, Martini Henry rifle,
an English navy revolver, long
hunting-knife end bag of car
tridses.
II am well fixed, you see," said,
laughing, as deposited my spoils on
the floor.
"Now, then," I said. ST am going
to get ready to meet Mr.. Cha Fong.
DO You know what time he intends to
return?"
"Not accurately. But he expected
to be back tonight, for he said, when
he cut the cords that bound me help
less: Now you can walk, but you
cannot escape from here. You will
be my bride tonight.
"Ah, exactly Now what kind of q
bridesmaid do you think this will
make?" I asked, caressing the rifle.
"I would turn it against myself, if I
thought you could not conquer" she
said. "I am not afraid to die"
"Well, I doubt if there is Su Foo
wedding here tonight" I said grim
ly. "And as for killing yourself, don't
think OF it. At any rate, don't do it
till I am dead and all hope is lost.
When we get ready for business, you
take the pistol, which I will load for
you, and go down into that chamber
under the floor. I will replace the
rug so no one can tell it had been
moved. Then I shall get inside of
that idol in the temple, and await de-
velopments. Whatever seems best to
do shall do. If, after long enough
time, I do not come and let you out,
by great effort you can push up that
trap-door. If Cha Fong is still mas
ter of the situation, you must try to
shoot him. If you don't succeed in
that-why--'''
''I understand" she said, in a low
voice.
I loaded the pistol, which was FIVE
barreled, Of large caliber, and also the
rife, which was q repeater.
Miss Arnold sat and watched me in
silence. Now and then tear would
show itself in her eye, but she brushed
it away. She was trying to be brave,
poor girl, with horrors before her OF
which she could only imagine the e1-
tent.
I had not told her why I had
left America. We had had but little
time for talking; and when explained
my presence in the island began my
story from the accident on board the
City of Rio de Janiero. So when 1
had loaded the firearms told her the
story of Annie Ralston. She listened
eagerly with clasped hands and pale
face.
'She is my sister in misfortune"
she said, when had finished. "There
is no doubt that Annie Rslston is the
victim of another Cha Fong-or per-
haps the same. I know that the Su
Foo has agents in all parts of the
world, to choose and obtain the most
beautiful girls for sacrifices to the
idol"
"No so much to the idol as to his
worshipers, I fancy" said. MY
own impression is that the sacifce to
the idol is nothing more than plan
to get rid of their victims. If done
under the cover of religious fanatic
ism it would no doubt be more diff
cult to obtain proof of the actual MUIR
derers or the cooperation OF the Gov
ernment in bringing about their pun
ishment."
perhaps so," she said simply.
eff my friends, Ralston and Langs-
ton. have succeeded in getting on land,
they probably met the Ketoto at Shang-
hal or will meet her to-day, in which
case Annie is safe. We have only
ourselves to think of-and that seems
to be about enough just now. We
had better eat some of that idols
rice," said after a pause. "Your
prospective husband and executioner
may drop in any minute, and we want
to be ready for him. I am hungry,
and hungry man is not a good
fighter. In that respecthe is different
from q hungry bear"
II am ready to follow your direc-
tons" said Miss Arnold.
"Have you watch?" asked.
eyes. You may take it"
She pulled from the bosom of her
dress pretty little ieweled watch and
handed IL to me-