Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-06-28

surely awaited me. The torture wasof
that exquisite nature which is pecul.
iarly Chinese. 1t was the very refine
ment of cruelty and thoroughly in keep
ing with the traditions Of the yellow
race. X.
Another long wait followed. and then
| once more heard the patter Of bare
feet on the tagged floor. Then all of
sudden voice cried out, and again
the lamps were lighted, and saw be
fore me, seated on chair, a Chinaman.
singularly dark and shrewd Of feature
who owned pair of eyes which gleam-
ed like living Sits of fire. He. must
have been man considerably overs6O
for his hair was something more than
tinged with gray, and about his mouth,
which was very thin, and round Ills
eyes there were wrinkles innumeratie
Though dressed as a common cody.
there was something Enthusiastically
commanding about the man, SO that
his occupation of the chair while 9th
ers stood around him seemed in .nowise
incongruous. / think that men who
have been accustomed to command In
sensibly take to themselves certain
airs of privilege, so that in time they
come to fit them as second, nature.
That this cody was one who had COM
manded men his very attitude pro-
claimed. There was. u1fless>I erred
greatly, keen brain behind those
deep set eyes. That square jaw and
thin mouth proclaimed an indomitable
will and callous nature. a
OF the men who surrounded him
there We're three, and in spite Of bis
change of apparel l Immediately recog-
nized the one on the right Of the chair
as our esteemed friend Koon-Si, the
carpenter. AS his eyes met mine he
smiled, but without speaking, and no
longer doubted that the cody in the
chair was no less a parsonage than the
formidable Kung, and again and again
my eyes went to him, and though at
last stood face to face with him un-
der such dreadful conditions I could
hardly realize that this was the man
who welded such awful power, who
had brought such destruction on me
and mine, whose image had pursued
me like a nightmare for so many years.
That we had been betrayed was now
self evident, but how came Koon-Si,
he whom my father had entreated us
to join, to be on the side Of the enemy?
That he was only a fool I could no
longer doubt unless he was playing
a deep game. looked again, and
once more he smiled, but had a mis-
giving as to the correct reading Of that
smile. If kung was the father of evil,
verify believed that Koon-Si was his
own son.
And so for some little time we watch
ed each other in silence. Silence SEEM
ed peculiarly Of these people, and
under such conditions it was really
nothing less than species of torture
rendered singularly impressive. 1t
was least welcome. But eventually
Kung waved his hand, and one of the
attendants. Immediately disappeared.
Shortly after the patter of bare feet
was heard, and presently two men,
leading third between them, entered
the chamber, and my heart gave a
great thump. Was it jim?
His head was enveloped in a cloth of
some description, but as soon as he
was fastened in collar like mine the
cloth was removed. and 1 saw Jim's
face; but, oh, SO dreadfully pale and
emaciated! He blinkeds at the light
for a little while, and then, his gaze
went slowly round the room. AS his
eyes met mine his face frightened up,
and he exclaimed, for all the world as
sincerely and earnestly as If we had
been alive:
'Still alive, my boy! Thank God!'''
'Why do you thank God?" said Kung
In excellent English, for SO the, cody
occupant Of the chair proved in very
truth to be- "What has he done for
your ''* .. +.
1t was a very pertinent question and
one which it was not easy to answer
ofhandedly with any degree of con-
viction, but Jim replied somewhat dog
gedly. because we are still alive" q.
Truly that is something's small
matter, but something. Tell me to who
am l indebted for the honor of this
visit? How is it find your exalted
excellency thus condescending to hon
or with your illustrious presence my
contemplate abodey' : ~ -.
"Who are you that asks?" said Jim.
81 am known by many names in
many provinces" replied the cody;
with curious smile, "'but have rea-
son to believe that Kung is the best
knownAof them all. = e. ~. =.
$50 you are KungT' - s>@,t. ~ = *.
you seem tozknow the name" - :
II know nothing good Of it, N 9.e=
r1"'And yet YOU take all the trouble to
come from England for no reason that
can see except to. pay me a visit.
Strange people, you English. So good
and confiding! It Is q real pleasure to
| deal with you. NJ y estimab BILE friend =
and here b. nodded toward the car
spenter.5 has amused me greatly with q
relation OF your meeting and your trav.
els. # on came, i believe, with the
charitable intention OF killing Kung!
Well, let me cong1at uiate syaa on the