The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-17


'ThIee hun'ed fi'ty dollah,' prompt
ly returned rhe celestial.
2" All right. John. l look see,' ! re-
Joined. not little skepxically. as
transferred the sack 10 the computing
table. Having emptied the contents
thereon, / tossed the canvas receptacle
into my office chair. which stood con-
veniently at hand. and proceeded
my calculations. AS usual, the result
failed to correspond with the China
mans statement. The amount was ex-
actly so short. Hurriedly dashing off
a certificate in accordance with my fig
ures. turned TO the waiting customer.
- See here. you yellow scoundrel!'
said i, roughly. what for you tell me
you got 1850, when you got only s340?
You think 'Merican man fool TO let Chi
naman cheat him that way?
with this rebuke l thrust the docu-
ment under the window guards toward
the Celestial but TO my surprise he
pushed IL back, protesting excitedly.
+" Mono! Catchee thlee hun'ed fly
dollah. Chfnaman no cheated. Mclean
man no countee light--catchee ten dol
lah mo-
/" Not on your life!' rejoined. You've
got every cent you're entitled to. Now
clear out!'
This served only to augment the
CelestiaPs perturbation, and wild ges-
ticulatinE. So vehement was his insist
ence that i vert so far 9s to re-explore
the interior Of his canvas money bag, I'm
quest Of a possibly overlooked note or
gold piece. The inspection. however.
was unavailing. and as TO any miscal-
}culation on my part. / felt that TO be
out of the question, for, in view or the
circumstances l had been more than
usually careful in my counting.
"The final conviction that my original
L01 N
but a modifying effect on my temper.
and turning again to the Chinaman. 1
berared him roundly, and finally order
ed the porter to eject him. The last 1
saw OF him he was tearfully relating
his hapless venture to an unsympathet-
ic policeman.
i dropped into my big chair TO In.
dulge in a laugh over the anair, but
I'm the midst Of my hilarity | all at
once became aware that some hard
substance was pressing against my
right hip, and reaching down l found
wedged between the cushion and scroii
work of the chair a roll of silver coins.
With a sickening certainty the truth
flashed upon me. IL was the China
mans missing money. which had
carelessly thrown. together with the
canvas sack into the chair seat, where.
partially hidden by the upholstering IL
had until now wholly escaped my no
tice.
For a moment was quite over
whelmed by the awkwardness OF the
situation. 1 recalled all too vividly tho
helpless celestial's efforts to convince
me that his claims were accurate, and
my heart smote me as | pictured his
opinion regarding my motives for sub
jeoting him to the disgraceful treat
ment ne had received. Then a wild
impulse. dominaSed me To overtake the
poor fellow and restore his money in
10 his hands. thrust the package OF
coin into my pocket, caught up my hat
and hurriedly left the treasury.
II think the world never seemed so
large or 40 densely populated as when
/ got out into the street. Though 1
followed the same direction which I
had observed the Chinamafi TO take, I
knew that with his ton minutes start
there was little chance OF Immediately
overhaulinR him. My chief hope lay In
finding him in the wretched little slum
Familiarity known as Dope alley. where
the major portion of the local Chinese
colony nved While hurried along
strove to recall his name "a ha.
written it in the certificate. The first
part thereof 1 felt sure was All but
whether 10 were All Sing. All Foy or
All Sam could not for the life OF mo
have told.
ON this bewildered state OF mind
found the Chinese quarter. A solemn
faced Mongol. whose corpulent anato.
my entirely filled the doorway OF a
dingy. evil-smelling den, was the only
visible inhabitant OF the district, 80
went up ard spoke to him.
IL say. John, you know Chinamsn.
him frst name "Ah2"'
AT my question the Celestisl's erst-
while stolid countenance relaxed into
an expansive grin and he chuckled
gleefully for a full minute before an
swerfng my query. whereupon he saids
"Oh, yes. ! ssvy heap Chinaman
fusnem All. Pullee near all China
man cstchee that ncn1. NY nem,' he
added, BY way Of example. him Ah
Pat -..s.
ABut aha lhinalnau 4 ranaS I exs