The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-09

I
was not fastidious SO long as cousins come
from Pekin had money TO lose.
| i puntad mildly, now winning now los.
ing but not adding rapidly to the fortune
of the putty -complexioned coffin maker
Wah Foo. on the contrary, proved des
perate gambler, and plunged in the most
reckless manner AS a consequence he
soon began to borrow from me. and
was beginning to regret our relationship
when his luck turned. and quite falf a
dozen times in succession he won largely
Then began a long encounter between him
and the bank. an encounter which gradu-
ally tired out all the other gamblers, who
one by one took their departure. BY this
time my companion was big winner. and
l. who long since had grown sick and
tired of the place. implored him to come
away; but it was always: wait, wait.
Just one more try" ut last l put my foot
down. l would wait for one more round.
Agreed. He plunged heavily and won.
The hideous little face of Wing Lee was
a sight to behold. Indeed, it was the look
on that face which prompted my sudden
resolution.
The coffin maker inplored for one more
chance Let it be for three thousand taels.
He had lost heavily. He would be 4 ruin
ed man. He wanted just one more chance.
| Wah Foo who was in an amiable mod.
| *, L
made for the stairs and said Good night"
He shouted out that he was coming, and
| I at once began to mount the steps. Fut
I had not gone much more than halfway
up before my progress was arrested by
a noice which sounded extremely like a
mufIled thud. / paused for a moment. but
could hear no sound. Then I called out,
Are you coming. Wah Foo?"
Again no reply, and presently Wing Lee
| appeared at the foot of the stairs. and
said. THAT is not the way out. You must
come this way"
Where is my cousin?"
HE has gone"
| The light disappeared and the curtains
fell, so there was nothing to do but to
retrace my steps. did not like the look
| of things, but was conscious Of the ne
cessity of turning a full front to the enc
my. Moreover, I felt absolutely certain
that most OF the players had made their
exit by the stairs. Why. then, had the
honorable coffinmaker and master game
ster lied 70 me?
Slowly descended the stairs and with
drew the curtain. AS did so something
flashed before my eyes and a thousand
| thunders seemed to rattle through my
| brain.
| How long remained unconscious cam
| not tell and even my waking seemed so
| like a dream that I have no conception
when 1t occurred. My head throbbed
| painfully while every bone in my body
| seemed 10 be broken. By degrees I grew
| conscious Of the knowledge that 1 lad
| been struck down, but IL. what manner l
had not the least recollection. Enough,
that the blow came swiftly and unexpect-
eddy. must have falleG Without moan.
But slowly-returning consciousness
drove the blood coursing. through my
veins. and l began to move my limbs.
Come, this was not 80 bad. No bones
were broken, after all. Perhaps was not
so badly off as imagined. l sat up.
Above me swung, a lamp. from the dim
light of which could but vaguely distin-
guish the surrounding objects. All seem-
ed black and impeietrable. l put out my
hand 1t touched something. 1 shivered
with horror as sawFthat the object was
a coffin. EaI
Then consciousness game back with a
rush. I recollected this vault; Wing Leo
the coffin maker; the blow that brought
me down. With an effort I reached the
thing was as 1 had seen it last-except
that was upon the fan-tan table in COM
pany with a coffin. Mine. no doubt. What,
then, had become OF Whh Foo?
Out of an indefinite curiosity
leant over the coffin and looked In,
and to my horror, saw that II already
had an inmate. A closer look disclosed
the pallid face and staring eyes OF the
unfortunate wah Foo. A blow on the
side of the head, almost similar to mine.
had sent him to join the shades OF his
ancestors Evidently these murderous cof-
makers were under the impression that
they had dealt me similar blow, as we
were both laid out together.
With much difficulty | rolled of the ia
BILE, and when. by its aid. once more re-
gained my feet. 1 felt for my flask, but 1t
was gone. However, on small table,
little to the left OF me. ! perceived jug,
and making for this found 1t half full OF
water. Greatly refreshed by the draft, 1t
gave me the energy to be anxious. My
pulse cuickened: I became conscious OF
the necessity to think. Thought brought
its consequent action, but an examina ton
Of the exit disclosed the fact that an iron
shutter, or screen, had been drawn across |
the curtains. completely plotting out the |
.airs. How this thing worked could not |
discover. Valnly l tried to slide it back. |
1t seemed as firmly fixed as though 1t |
were a part Of the wall.
Recognizing the futility of a further ef-
fort in that direction, made hasty ex-
animation of the cofIin-like vault, but |
nothing in the shape of an exit presented |
itself. l sounded the walls for some Sc
cret passage, but becam quit convinced
that the only entrance was by the stairs.
The case was growing desperate. My
watch was gone. SO l could not tell the
time. Why the murdcrers had left US I
could not guess, but one thing was GER
tain-they would come back Once more
my hand made a futile journey to my
hip. The revolver was gone. II they
I I
Of the utty-comDlexioned Wing Lee and
his brawny attendants, and an unconge-
NAL wave of feeling swept over me.
l returned to the table with its grue-
some lead, and strange thought fiuttered
my blood. What would they do with the
corpse? Obviously it mattered little to
the corpse, but it meant a great deal to
me; for had conceived project the very
holiness of which made me pause. Argu-
ing that Wing Lee was Il bold man, and
that his business offered certain facili-
ties for the disposal OF dead men. 1 did
not believe he would bury them on the
premises, where suspicion might lay him
open to an inspection from the authori-
ties. l may also say that the wish was
father 10 tse thought for had conceived
an idea no less repellent than that Of
places with the dead man.
1t had been my practice always to carry
n few ends OF makeup with ME, and
these l found In my pocket. they. fortu-
nately for me, being deemed worthless in
the eyes OF tho murderers. With these l
set to work upon the dead
mans face, and being rather skillful in
the art of disguise soon had him fair
presentment of myself, Then lifted him
1ut Of his coffin and, laying upon the table.
stripped him of his clothes and donned
hem myself, dressing him in mine. Next.